by Brittany C.
State-Journal Register
January 26, 2000

Renata Sancken, 15, has seen "Rent" twice, and she'll soon see it again when it comes to Springfield in February. She also plans to be the proud owner of a "Scottograph" - the signature of Scott Hunt, who plays Mark Cohen in the musical's touring company.

She has seen 19 musicals altogether, been stage crew on five and acted in "Babes in Toyland" (as a spider, no less).

Renata, who attends University High in Mackinaw, is not an oddball among teens today. More and more young people are using "La Vie Boheme" and "the Jellicle ball" in regular conversations today, instead of catch phrases from "Felicity" or "Dawson's Creek."Not even "7th Heaven." (Forget "Scream" - "What's your favorite scary movie?" died a grisly death long ago.)

Instead of tired TV shows, think flashing lights and smoke rising from all corners of the stage. Feel the anticipation just as the lights go out and the music thunders, as several animated performers rush out on stage belting out a tune - familiar in some cases, such as "La Vie Boheme" from "Rent" - from a Broadway musical.

Teens are piling into theaters this season to see "Cats" and "Les Miserables"; in some cases, they're trekking up to Chicago or even to New York to see a musical performance.

Many of the people I talked to at my school said they'd rather see a Broadway musical than a regular movie (provided the movie wasn't that good). One person said that if "Les Miz" were better than "Pokemon," then by golly, she'd see it. But if she had to miss "Sleepy Hollow," then forget it.

You can't win 'em all.

Many teen fans say the lure of characters such as Grizabella from "Cats," Mark from "Rent" and Cosette from "Les Miserables" have a much stronger pull then some of today's two-dimensional movie leads. After all, in a musical, if the characterization isn't spot-on, it will flop. Musicals play for years at a time, unlike movies, which have a running time of about a month.

Actors in musicals also are really easy to find after a performance, and they're usually genial in person. After a show, go stand outside of the performers' exit and chat with the cast members as they leave.

I read about one girl who shook hands with her idol, took a ton of pictures, got his autograph and then made him turn beet red when she said he was her inspiration. How many movie stars would have time to do that?

There's even more logic in this new craze, apparently: Unknowns have more chances of auditioning for a musical and getting cast rather than waiting for years to be "discovered" by Hollywood.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to run. My video of "Cats" is calling.