"Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent" is a 2006 memoir written by Anthony Rapp, a musical theater actor. It was later adapted into a staged musical with the same title.
Memoir
The book tells about events in the life of Anthony Rapp, focusing on his connection to the musical Rent (the show that helped launch his career), its writer, Jonathan Larson, and the death of Rapp’s mother from breast cancer. As a first-time writer, Rapp shares stories about his life and the challenges he faced. The original print version includes photographs of his family, friends, and personal experiences. The book’s title comes from a song in Rent. The book was published on October 31, 2006, by Simon & Schuster. The song’s theme is about losing someone, which inspired Rapp to write this memoir.
Reviews of the book are mostly positive but vary. Books World praises Rapp for adding a new artistic form to his work, calling it “both unique and universal.” Entertainment Weekly notes that while Rapp’s writing can sometimes feel awkward, his voice is honest and simple. Editors Weekly highlights Rapp’s ability to explore difficult topics in his life while finding hope. The book is described as absorbing, warm, and hopeful, celebrating a person, his work, and a generation that faced challenges like AIDS but worked to survive.
Stage adaptation
After his book was published, Rapp created a stage version of the show, which includes music and a script. This is a one-person performance that visually shows the events from his memoir. Rapp wrote and performed the show, including his own original songs, as well as songs from the musical Rent and covers such as R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion," which he sang during his audition for Rent. The stage show has been performed at New World Stages in Manhattan, as well as in Pittsburgh, PA; Boston, MA; Edinburgh, UK; London, UK; Toronto; and Tracy, CA. Rapp recorded the soundtrack for Without You in London on September 17, 2012, after performing at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. The recording was released on December 11, 2012. A five-member band, led by Dan Weiss and with musical arrangements by Tom Kitt, supported the performance.
List of Tracks on the Soundtrack
1. Losing My Religion
2. RENT
3. "The next day, I got the good news…"
4. Carry Me Home
5. Seasons of Love
6. La Vie Bohème
7. "Mom had always loved country life…"
8. Wild Bill
9. "And for the next two years…"
10. "Back in New York…"
11. Another Day
12. "Nothing left unfinished…"
13. "A couple weeks into rehearsals…"
14. What You Own
15. "The next morning, January 5th…"
16. One Song Glory / Halloween
17. "We were moving to Broadway…"
18. "On my next visit home…"
19. Visits to You
20. "I found my baby book…"
21. Always
22. "The only way out is through…"
23. That Is Not You
24. "The perfect setting for her memorial…"
25. Without You
26. Seasons of Love (Finale)
Reviews of the stage show were mixed. The National Post stated that Rapp's production feels more like a tribute to his mother than a typical performance. It noted that using personal grief in a public show can be difficult, especially when the audience does not learn much about the people involved. However, the National Post praised Rapp's acting. The Huffington Post wrote that the show's pace, writing, and passion made it easy for the audience to connect with Rapp's performance and his strong singing, which was supported by a skilled five-member band.