A "Tom Collins" Joins the Group
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 1999

Hello, fellow "Rent"ers! I was pleased to discover that this newsgroup
exists. I regret that I totally missed the "graffitti wall" that many of
you have mentioned but I hope that this will prove to be a cool community
as well.

First, some introductions. My name is Kent and I'm a 38 y/o gay, Black
fan who had the privilege of seeing the original Broadway cast twice
during the first year of the show's run. (The first time was a few weeks
before it won all those Tony Awards.) "Rent" is the first original cast
recording I've purchased since "Hair" back in 1970 or so. Clearly I'm not
a big musical fan! Nonetheless there was a *long* period (corresponding,
alas, with a sizable chunk of a MAJOR depression) in which I listened to
the OCR obsessively on my DiscPerson, sometimes even bursting into tears
in public places around the New York City vicinity. (But that's another
story.)

This musical kinda changed my life -- heck, at times it seemed that it was
*about* my life! So much of what I was then experiencing personally,
professionally and spiritually was reflected in that show. The only other
work of art that has had a comparable effect on me in the past decade was
the late lamented TV series "My So-Called Life." (And I spent several
years as an active participant in a mailing list devoted to MSCL. I guess
I'm a born fan!)

Back in February of 1997, my ex and I went to grab a bite at Ollie's
Noodle Shop on 44th Street off Broadway after attending a performance of
"Rent" for my birthday. Guess who was seated at a table just a few feet
away from us? It was none other than Wilson Jermaine Heredia, the
original "Angel," and his lady friend! We felt weird eavesdropping on
their conversation (about American history, as a matter of fact) but I was
transfixed! Finally, as we were ending our meal, I screwed up my courage
and walked over to the neighboring table.

"Pardon me for interrupting your conversation, sir," I said politely. "Are
you Wilson Jermaine Heredia?"

He smiled and answered that he was. When I told him how much I loved him
as Angel, he beamed at me with a dazzling smile. He was so beautiful! He
shook my hand and autographed my program. What a great birthday gift!

Angel is certainly the character for whom I have the strongest feelings.
(He reminds me of a dear, eccentric young friend in my own life.) I
profoundly regret that I was unable to get to see "Rent" again after
Wilson Cruz (Rickie Vazquez on "My So-Called Life") took over the role. (I
had met and chatted with *this* Wilson back in 1995 at the Rally for Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Rights in Union Square Park shortly
after he had completed his scenes in NIXON and JOHNS.) When I learned that
our beloved "Rickie" was going to play Angel, I was simply determined to
see him in the part. Sadly, I fell on financial hard times so I couldn't
afford tickets. Moreover, I failed in each of my attempts to win $20
tickets.

And now he's gone. *Sigh!* (Btw, who *is* playing Angel on Broadway
now? Does anyone have any info about him?)

Although I have the greatest love for Angel, the "Rent" character with
whom I identify most strongly is Tom Collins. We're both impoverished,
Black, bohemian, failed academics with a serious jones for a young Latino
drag queen. (But that, too, is another story.)

NEway... I guess that will do as an introduction. Thanks for listening.

No day but today!

Kent
aka A Tom Collins of the Group (who prays that Leonardo DiCaprio will NOT
play Mark Cohen in the "Rent" movie, opting instead for Anthony Rapp or
Neil Patrick Harris)