Without You by Anthony Rapp

                        "Happiness is not a mood...it's a decision."   Jordan Yoo


 

A memoir of love, loss and the musical Rent, courtesy of Anthony's website



Having a bit of an emotional day, weekend.  Truth be told, the last four months have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster.  It’s funny, I was getting used to doing things alone as my Husband’s and my schedule have been so different since he got his job at JetBlue.  But it’s totally different trying to fill time knowing you have a partner in life, another knowing this is now your life, “alone” again…

                Anyway, enough with the pity party. I had read about a one man play running in Boston for just a few days this week.  “Without You”, written and performed by Anthony Rapp, one of the original cast members of the now iconic and historic Rent.  (And, directed by Steven Maler, the director of Shakespeare on the Common).  With my Baby in NYC going for her dream, she having seen Rent more times than I can remember, in many cities, this definitely caught my eye.  I actually penciled it into my calendar for the weekend.

                Then, during the week I got one of the many emails I receive from www.Goldstar.com in regards to very cheap tickets for the show.  I checked with a few people, no interest, so I decided that I must start doing things, and not waiting for others to be available.  I ordered my ticket for not much more than the cost of a movie ticket.  I had absolutely no problem doing that last year on my “Winter in Manhattan Odyssey”, time to continue in my own city!

                I am so very glad I made that decision.  The play had been written about a couple of times this week in the Boston Globe, including a not terrific, not horrible review today. So, I knew the premise.  It’s, in my humble opinion, a love story to “Tonio’s” Mom and Jonathan Larson, the writer of Rent.   

Part of the emotions I’m feeling is that a dear Friend’s Mom passed away yesterday.  The Mom was a true Lady who was pretty instrumental in my life, especially in High School, and she suffered with Alzheimer’s for many years.  My Friend and her family treated Mom with such care, dignity, and respect, it was inspiring.

This morning I was happily able to help another Friend and her Husband in the reception for His Dad’s internment.  Then before I went to the Modern Theatre in Downtown Crossing, the new up and coming theatre district in Boston, I went to the Ritz! for a glass of wine and a salad.   While I quietly enjoyed my meal, I read my emails to see that yet another Friend’s Mom had also just passed away, also having suffered from Alzheimer’s.  (Those are my three, I hope..all things happen in threes, right?)

So, already a bit of an emotional basket case, I was glad I had Kleenex, and wondered why I had bothered with mascara.  I pretty much cried from the second line of the show, at some times the tears literally ran down my face, past my cheeks, onto my lovely décolletage.  "Without You"was amazing.  I highly recommend seeing this show.  Bostonians, you have one day left in this short run.  Tomorrow, Sunday June24.