Wow, nothing from me for over a month and now you get two journals within a week, sandwiching an actual bit of art. AMAZING.

But nowhere as amazing as RENT. Holy shit. I think I could die happy right now. The Broadway tour of RENT came through Portland and sometime way back before my birthday, my sib managed to find tickets through this AIDS fundraiser organization. So AIDS research got a kickback and we got two tickets for $90. AND they were orchestra seats! I didn't even know that until I got mine today. We were REALLY close and I could see really well, especially the second act because the two old people in front of me left at intermission. Possibly BECAUSE OF THE GAY OMG! Or the musical talk of sodomy, dildos and S&M. Whichever. They left and it gave me an awesome view.

Seeing Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal on stage was just amazing and really energizing, so I really got into the emotional ride of the play better than I ever even got from the movie or the soundtrack. I actually thought that the rest of the cast was REALLY GOOD as well! I know that there are some "original cast" snobs out there, they cropped up when the movie came out, but seriously? I don't mind at all. If they do a good job (and these people DID) then what is there to complain about? People just go to great and bitchy lengths to feel smart. But yes! I was astounded by the girl who played Mimi...she had some great pipes and could sing while fully upside down, hanging off a railing. OH! Jeez and the actress playing Maureen.....WHOA. She was astounding as well! The hardest thing about seeing it today was trying to stay in my seat. I really wanted to get up and sing along, especially for numbers like La Vie Boheme, but I think the other theater goers would have likely roasted me alive. Great song though and luckily most of the audience was really into the show, so my fangirlish screams were not alone. When Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal did What You Own the place went nuts - their harmony and just how into the song they were just made for a pretty mind-blowing experience. That is probably one of my two favorite songs from the whole soundtrack, so I pretty much am still shocked and amazed that I heard it live.

After the show, sort of off-the-cuff, my sib and I decided to slink around to the stage door and see if we could get an autograph or two. At first there was a HUGE crowd, so we'd have been lucky if we even SAW anyone, really, but after a while, people started wandering off until there was only about eight of us. But we had nowhere pressing to be, so we stuck it out (tolerating the kind of annoying theater kid fans there) I ended up getting an autograph on the program from the actress who played Maureen and after there, there was kind of a lull, but we thought that our magic waiting time would be two hours and five minutes. So at the tail end of the two hours, Mimi's actress came by and we got her autograph. They were both very nice, which is good because I felt kind of awkward asking for an autograph. Some people are just really pushy about it, but I guess I just haven't had practice. I've never really done the actor-stalking thing before! XD Well so we then had less than five minutes until we were going to take off and within that five minutes Adam Pascal happened along at which point we were like the ONLY people there, so we got an autograph from him, which is very cool. It was a bit annoying though, there was this lady who seriously ninja'd out of NOWHERE when he came along and was...really awkward and pushy about just wanting to take a picture of him. Which...is creepy. Like she wasn't planning on being in it, it was just like snapping wildlife or something. But yeah, he was like 'uhhh no, but I'd be happy to take a picture WITH you'. So fortunately, she agreed to that and thus an awkward situation was avoided. I think I would seriously hate to be a famous person. I'd probably be the grouchiest famous person ever. >_o

BUT YES. AWESOME TIMES! We didn't get to see Anthony Rapp afterwards, but you know? It is totally enough for me to have seen the show in the first place. That was really the main event and I had a really great time. <3 I will love my sib forever and just a little bit more now for getting us those tickets! XD