Rent: I don't get it.

Subject: Rent the musical
My Rent experience began with the soundtrack and the text. That didn’t exactly overwhelm me, so I borrowed the film version from a friend. I have not had the opportunity to see it live and would really rather not given what I have endured thus far. I live for musical theatre, but for some reason Rent just did not appeal to me. With all the trilling vocals, it is a bit like listening to pop radio or watching American Idol (not nearly as pleasing to the ear as Sondheim or the like). I find this unpolished, rough singing style a bit grating. It is almost as if they are trying too hard to sound as amateur as possible.
I think what disappoints me most about Rent is how all I have heard are statements proclaiming its greatness. I was big letdown, to say the least. The ‘live for today” theme that runs throughout seems a bit trite. The characters are just so accepting of their fates. I found that disturbing rather than uplifting, especially given the history of the AIDS crisis. I wonder what Vito Russo would have said about Rent had he lived to see it.