Rent - Rent

MARK
how do you document real life
when real life's getting more
like fiction each day
headlines--bread-lines
blow my mind
and now this deadline
"eviction--or pay"
rent

ROGER
how do you write a song
when the chords sound wrong
though they once sounded right and rare
when the notes are sour
where is the power
you once had to ignite the air

MARK
and we're hungry and frozen

ROGER
some life that we've chosen

TOGETHER
how we gonna pay
how we gonna pay
how we gonna pay
last year's rent

MARK
we light candles

ROGER
how do you start a fire
when there's nothing to burn
and it feels like something's stuck in
your flue

MARK
how can you generate heat
when you can't feel your feet

BOTH
and they're turning blue!

MARK
you light up a mean blaze

ROGER
with posters-

MARK
and screenplays

ROGER & MARK
how we gonna pay
how we gonna pay
how we gonna pay
last year's rent

JOANNE (on the phone)
don't screen, maureen
it's me--Joanne
your substitute production manager
hey hey hey! (did you eat)
don't change the subject maureen
but darling--you haven't eaten all day

you won't throw up
you won't throw up
the digital delay--
didn't blow up (exactly)
there may have been one teeny tiny spark
you're not calling mark

COLLINS
how do you stay on your feet
when on every street
it's 'trick or treat'
(and tonight its 'trick')
'welcome back to town'
i should lie down
everything's brown
and uh-oh
i feel sick

MARK
where is he?

COLLINS
getting dizzy

MARK & ROGER
how we gonna pay
how we gonna pay
how we gonna pay
last year's rent

BENNY (on cell phone)
allison baby--you sound sad
i don't believe those two
after everything i've done

ever since our wedding
i'm dirt--they'll see
i can help them all out in the long run

forces are gathering
forces are gathering
can't turn away
forces are gathering

COLLINS
ughhhh
ughhhh
ughhhh--i can't think
ughhhh
ughhhh
ughhhh--i need a drink

MARK
"the music ignites the night with
passionate fire"

JOANNE
maureen--i'm not a theatre person

ROGER
"the narration crackles and pops with
incendiary wit"

JOANNE
could never be a theatre person

MARK
zoom in as they burn the past to the
ground

JOANNE
hello?

MARK & ROGER
and feel the heat of the future's
glow

JOANNE
hello?

MARK (on the phone)
hello? maureen?
-you're equipment won't work?
okay, all right, i'll go!

MARK & 1/2 THE COMPANY
how do you leave the past behind
when it keep finding ways to get to
your heart
it reaches way down deep and tears
you inside out
til you're torn apart
rent

ROGER & 1/2 THE COMPANY
how can you connect in an age
where strangers, landlords, lovers
your own blood cells betray

ALL
what binds the fabric together
when the raging, shifting winds of change
keep ripping away

BENNY
draw a line in the sand
and then make a stand

ROGER
use your camera to spar

MARK
use your guitar

ALL
when they act tough--you call their
bluff

MARK & ROGER
we're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER & 1/2 THE COMPANY
we're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER & OTHER 1/2
we're not gonna pay

ALL
last year's rent
this year's rent
next year's rent

rent rent rent rent rent
we're not gonna pay rent

ROGER & MARK
'cause everything is rent