More to the point, I found “Without You” both moving and entertaining. Commander Paul Stamets, the first openly gay character in the Star Trek franchise. Rapp has been on two shows on Broadway since “Rent,” including ‘If/Then’ he launched Broadwa圜on, the annual fan convention he’s been a regular in “ Star Trek: Discovery” since the TV series debuted in 2017, costarring as Lt. The analogy is inexact and unfair, for several reasons. He’s been performing versions of this stage adaptation for some 15 years he released a “Without You” album in 2012.īefore I saw “Without You,” Rapp’s longevity with this show led me to think about Eugene O’Neill’s father, or at least James O’Neill’s stand-in character James Tyrone from “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” James was a promising actor who in his twenties starred in a stage adaptation of “The Count of Monte Cristo,” which became a huge hit his son felt he became trapped in the role, squandering his talent by playing the role some 6,000 times over the next forty years. His memoir, “Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss and the Musical Rent” was published 17 years ago. He’s now 51.Īnd he’s been telling the story for a long time too.
Rapp auditioned for “Rent” at the age of 22.
Rapp is of course tweaking the lyrics of “Season of Love,” one of the most beloved songs from “Rent,” which Rapp sings at the very beginning, at the very end, and also in the middle of “Without You.” The show, based on Rapp’s best-selling memoir, recounts the exhilaration of his having co-starred in Larson’s hit musical while simultaneously dealing with the traumas of Larson’s abrupt death and the slow death of Rapp’s mother.Īctually, though, the story of Rapp’s involvement with “Rent” begins more than half his lifetime ago. This is how Anthony Rapp begins “Without You,” his solo show at New World Stages, opening tonight, the 27 thanniversary of the death of “Rent” composer Jonathan Larson.
How do you measure… half a lifetime? That’s how long it’s been”
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