Rent

The rest of the characters come out of the church. There is tension, as Roger/Mimi and Maureen/Joanne are still unreconciled after the breakups at the end of “Contact.” Mimi confirms the rumor that Roger sold his guitar and used the money for a car. He is leaving today to drive to Santa Fe. Roger verifies that Mimi is now dating Benny, whom he calls “yuppie scum” (119). Benny is annoyed that Mimi is speaking to Roger at all, and Maureen interjects that Benny can’t control whom Mimi talks to. Joanne snipes at Maureen for interfering, and Maureen snipes back. The fights become more heated, as Joanne criticizes Maureen for treating her like she didn’t matter, and Mimi complains that Roger was always afraid of commitment. Mark and Benny try to calm everyone. Mimi and Joanne sing, “I’d be happy to die for a taste of what Angel had, someone to live for—unafraid to say I love you” (120). Roger gets angry and accuses Mimi of being incapable of real love. Collins enters and breaks up the arguments, reminding them, “You all said you’d be cool today” (121), expressing his grief over Angel and additional sorrow about the group going their separate ways. Collins goes on, “I can’t believe this family must die. Angel helped us believe in love. I can’t believe you’d disagree” (121). Maureen and Joanne dissolve into tears and admit that they’ve missed each other. They kiss and exit together, but not before starting a spat.

The pastor calls Collins back into the church, and he goes. Mimi starts to go to Roger, but Roger won’t acknowledge her. Reluctantly, she goes off with Benny. Alone with Roger, Mark starts to make small talk about Santa Fe, but Roger is upset at Mimi’s betrayal by leaving with Benny. Mark points out that Roger shouldn’t have let her leave with him. Mark sings, “Maybe you’ll see why when you stop escaping your pain, at least now if you try—Angel’s death won’t be in vain,” but Roger counters, “His death is in vain” (123). Mimi reenters, unseen, and hears their conversation. Mark argues that Roger has so many reasons to stay, including him and Mimi. Roger deflects, accusing Mark of not knowing what he’s talking about, because he always hides behind his work and spends his life numb. Mark replies, “Perhaps that’s because I’m the one of us to survive,” to which Roger retorts, “Poor baby” (124). Mark asserts that Roger isn’t really jealous of Benny: He’s scared because Mimi looks like she’s getting sicker and doesn’t have much time left. Roger acknowledges that she doesn’t look well. They are both upset and losing composure, but before he goes, Roger offers reconciliation, promising to call.

Roger sees Mimi and realizes she heard their argument. Hurt, Mimi accuses Roger of pushing her away because he’s afraid to watch her die. Sardonically, she sings, “I just came to say goodbye, love” (125). Roger leaves. Benny enters, and Mimi, panicking, tells him that she needs to go somewhere. Mark suggests a rehab he knows, and Benny immediately offers to pay. Again, Mimi sings, “Goodbye love,” adding, “Hello disease” (126). Mimi rushes off. Collins enters with the pastor on his heels. The pastor angrily uses an anti-gay slur against Collins and shouts at him to get off the property. Collins remarks that the pastor should have known they couldn’t pay. Right away, Benny steps in and offers to pay the bill, and the pastor exits, appeased. Mark comments, “It must be nice to have money,” and the others reply, “No shit” (127). Collins feels obligated to tell Benny that he just financed the funeral of the person responsible for killing his dog. Unphased, Benny admits that he already knew and hated the dog anyway.

Benny suggests that after they pay the pastor, they ought to go and drink. Vaguely, Mark declines because he has a meeting. Collins and Benny exit. Alone, Mark imagines the kind of sensationalist pseudo-news stories he will be expected to direct segments about and is disgusted with himself. Singing, Mark advises himself to avoid thinking too much about what he’s doing, keep his head down, and focus on work. He sings, “You’re living in America at the end of the millennium, … leave your conscience at the tone” (128). In a separate spotlight, Roger joins in. Roger can’t stop thinking about Mimi, and Mark is hearing Angel’s voice. But they both have to pretend that everything is fine and push forward because, “When you’re living in America at the end of the millennium, you’re what you own” (129). They wonder why Christmas Eve was so significant, concluding that it was “connection – in an isolating age” (130). With new resolve, Roger decides that he needs to write his song, and Mark decides that he needs to finish his film. He calls Alexi and quits the job. 

On Roger and Mark’s answering machine, a series of messages plays. Roger’s mother complains that her son sent her a succession of postcards stating that he was moving from New York to Santa Fe, then that he came back to New York, and, finally, that he is starting a band. She tells him to call her. Then, Mimi’s mother, Joanne’s father, and Mark’s mother sing in layered counterpoint. In Spanish, Mimi’s mother asks Mimi where she is and to call. Mr. Jefferson asks Joanne to call. Mrs. Cohen asks Mark where he is and to “please call your mother” (132). It’s Christmas Eve again, and the carolers who don’t have homes repeat their earlier song about how “Christmas bells are ringing” (132) once again, but there’s still no Christmas for them. Shifting back to Mark and Roger’s loft, Mark is ready to screen his finished film: “Today 4 U: Proof Positive” (133). Mark narrates that after selling the car he bought, Roger reclaimed his guitar. Roger says that he finally wrote his great song, and Mark adds, “He found his song. If he could just find Mimi” (133).

A photo of Benny shows on the screen, and Mark reveals that Benny’s wife learned of his affair with Mimi and stopped the CyberArts project in the lot next door. They wonder how Alison found out, and Roger muses, “Maybe a little bird told her” (134). Entering, Collins suggests, “Or an angel” (134). The lights come back on, and Collins has hands full of $20s, noting that he had a feeling that Mark and Roger would be short on cash. They try to guess how he got the money, and Collins explains that he hacked an ATM to give money to anyone who enters the code A-N-G-E-L (135). Collins points out that a better way to take money from the rich would be to open an upscale restaurant in Santa Fe, although Roger warns them that they would immediately miss New York. Suddenly, Maureen and Joanne enter, calling for help. They’re carrying Mimi, whom they found freezing in the park.

Mimi is delirious, singing lines from “Light My Candle,” and they lay her on the table. Collins calls an ambulance. Roger and Mimi sing, “I should tell you” (137) to each other, but they both already understand why they hurt each other. Mimi tells Roger that she loves him and starts to lose consciousness. Roger demands that she not leave him alone again and tells her that she needs to hear the song he spent all year composing. Roger sings about looking into her eyes and how he longed for her and regretted letting her go. “Musetta’s Waltz” plays, perfectly executed. Mimi fades and goes limp as Roger shouts her name. Then, impossibly, Mimi wakes up. She describes seeing a tunnel and a white light, and then Angel, who told her to go back and listen to Roger’s song. Amazed, they realize that Mimi’s fever has broken. Mimi and Roger reprise “No Day but Today,” grateful to have more time. The company enters, reprising “Will I Lose My Dignity,” which melts into “Without You” and then “No Day but Today” once again, as Mark’s film plays on the back wall.