Jonathan
I was a wedding singer for a long time back in Long Island when I was kid. I don't know if that needs a plus. I mean I was a good wedding singer I guess, until when I sang "Come on everybody, let's do the conga" for the 8th million time, I wanted to kill myself. No I did, I sung that, and "Saving all my love for you", which was a first dance; people requested that back in the '80's, Whitney Houston, "Saving all my love for you", for their first dance, for this song that will commemorate their wedding day for ever and ever, this song about infidelity: "A few stolen moments is all that we share. You've got your family and they need you there". I sound like my professor and why you, but like, have you listened to the lyrics?
I did it for many years and then I, you know, I supported myself with it through college and then, finally, in December of 1995 I did my very last show, New Year's Eve, 1995, because I got my first professional job in a little old Broadway show called "Rent".
Yeah, it was amazing, it was a life changing time for me. It was significant for many reasons; I met my husband, yeah, in the class; did a little too much flirting backstage, if you know what I mean, but actually the most important and significant thing about that experience was my getting to meet the creator and the composer of "Rent" whose name is Jonathan Larson; and for anybody that may not know the story, Jonathan was 35 years old and he passed away from an aortic aneurysm on the night of our dress rehearsal.
And as if he didn't leave us enough of a beautiful gift with this incredible show and this music and the ins in the show, he left me with a gift that I think I could speak on behalf of the entire cast, um...; every night we got up on that stage and we had one responsibility and one mission that was to communicate his music and his words and his stories to people, that was it, that was our priority, and that's what gave me a foundation that I hope, I try, I don't always succeed, but I try to live by that, all of the time. He taught us to try to live in the moment, to not take things for granted, to really appreciate where you are at that time, something like this, where I can just take a moment and say: "This is really cool". I sing this song, it's one of my favourite songs from "Rent", in order to honor Jonathan and to thank him for that gift.
There's only usThere's only thisForget regretor life is yours to missNo other roadNo other wayNo day but today
There's only usOnly tonight...