Rent
Theatre Reviews
From NYC Tourist by George Wachtel
The theatre revolution known as Rent is still playing to full
houses. The night I attended was one of Broadway's "Kid's
Night Out," but there weren't many 10 and 12 year olds
in the audience. What was in evidence was a cross-section
of the population, people you see everyday on the street and
in the movies.
Rent is a reinvention of the classic La Boheme story except
the plague is AIDS rather than consumption. And it isn't Mimi
who is dying of AIDS; her suffering is more from a tough life
combined with youthful self-destruction. The plot revolves
around a group of artist friends living in downtown New York
in the early nineties who refuse to pay the rent. But the
essence of the show involves relationships among friends and
lovers (gay and straight, healthy and HIV-positive).
There is also a coming of age aspect with some very funny
phone dialogue as parents refuse to let go of their grown
children. But defiance has its price, and cutting themselves
off has left them in harms way. Many are now engaged in a
life and death struggle which makes the value of love and
friendship ever more essential.
Jonathan Larson's rock music underscores the story's humanity.
It is memorable, often touching, and loud like a rock concert.
It's sad we will not hear more from his pen.
Ages 16 and up - Mature teenagers will adore the excitement
and style. And there's nothing on the stage which doesn't
surface on today's TV talk shows. It's your call.
George A. Wachtel is President of Audience Research &
Analysis, a market research firm in New York City which specializes
in live, film and visual arts research. He has been taking
his daughter, Amanda, to Broadway shows since age two-and-a-half.
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Rent Theater - A jam session among
friends
By Trudi Antoine
Published: Monday, January 31, 2005
Media Credit: Playbill
Jonathan Larson´s Rent currently plays on Broadway at
the Nederlander Theater.
Every evening, a shabby, cluttered and dimly lit stage is
transformed into one of the most brilliant and awe-inspiring
experiences on Broadway. Among those that inhabit this transformed
Bohemian apartment, the rent is due, and the audience is glad
to help out with the expenses.
After an exciting nine years filled with a surprise transfer
from off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop to Broadway's
Nederlander Theater, the death of its visionary (composer/lyricist/book
writer Jonathan Larson) and various celebrity and ensemble
performers, Rent continues to "light the candles"
and dazzle full houses.
A month earlier, this contemporary take on Puccini's La Bohème
gained a new lead cast member in Drew Lachey (recently of
MTV's "Newlyweds" and the pop group 98 Degrees),
hired to play the role of Mark, the show's aspiring, prying
and defensive filmmaker (originally played by Anthony Rapp).
As part of the first ensemble number, the rock-inspired title
song, Lachey debuts with a real sense of the role. One would
think his former persona of sexy heartthrob would disturb
his performance, but tonight, Lachey successfully channeled
a sarcastic Steven Q. Urkle.
Lachey did need more "oomph" in his blood. The
charge that should come out of him as the energetic force
of the show was not really there, as he might like to believe.
Merle Dandridge (as Joanne) was able to push him in the right
direction in the duo "Tango: Maureen."
Dandridge plays the assertive lesbian attorney who's tired
of being bossed around by her sporadic, street-performing
girlfriend, Maureen Johnson (played by Kelly Karbauz). Dandridge
brings a sophisticated fire to the stage, balancing the wildly,
unformulated persona and over-the-top performance of Maureen.
A reluctant audience was encouraged to moo in protest with
Karbauz in "Over the Moon." Karbauz should be proud
of her mock street performance, which ended with the audience
speaking cow without apology.
Some moments in the show overpowered others, such as the
famed Act II opener "Seasons of Love," where soloist
and former "American Idol" contestant Frenchie Davis
(resurrected as a solo, vocal-phoenix) projected the song's
meaning beautifully, with the strength of her voice. If you
go see Rent for any reason at all, this should be one of them.
Jeremy Kushnier and Krystal L. Washington (as musician Roger
Davis and exotic dancer Mimi Marquez, respectively) seemed
never to hit a rough spot except in the course of their secretive
and dysfunctional relationship. One of the melancholic duets
between them ("Without You") creates an atmosphere
that sends waves of romance through the house. It's all we
could ask of two seemingly star-crossed lovers. The desperate
angst of Roger's Act I solo (titled "One Song Glory")
and sinful urge of Mimi's breakout number, "Out Tonight,"
were also both highly energizing pieces that placed both performers
in spotlights of their own-they don't need each other as badly
as you think they do.
Rent also discusses topics other than love and creativity.
The relationship of the cross-dressing street musician Angel
Schunard and the homosexual, radical college professor Tom
Collins (played by Justin Johnson and Destan Owens, respectively)
ended with a tidal wave of emotion when Collins belts out
"I'll Cover You (reprise)." Owens' powerful voice
during that performance fully embodied the character of Collins
and his pain of the loss of Angel.
Angel, in fact, gives Collins a reason to be so dramatic.
Marlies Yaerby's shameless choreography in "Today 4U"
(albeit with so much movement that Angel was almost made to
slow down), was a showstopper. Despite Johnson's vocals being
very much hindered by his dancing, his performance as Angel
would have even given competition to RuPaul.
The once Bohemian (now Corporate) Benjamin Coffin III, a.k.a.
Benny (played by D' Monroe), played up to his character's
nagging ability, almost becoming a real nuisance in the production.
Nevertheless, a voice like this actor's will take him far.
In many of the solo and ensemble numbers, one thing was clear:
some of the actors should utilize their downtime to conserve
and condition their voices. A hoarseness could be heard throughout,
giving the impression that they were either trying too hard
or that a week's worth of shows had done some damage. Lucky
for people like Kushnier and Owens, that rawness is welcome
in conveying the infinite echelons of rage and sadness. As
for the rest of the cast, that rawness conveys the hardships
of New York. No homeless punk or starving artist would ever
say that N.Y. is an easy place to survive.
Boko Suzuki does a tremendous job as musical director. His
position on the stage with the rest of the actors is prominent,
yet his sheet music is invisible, managing to conduct from
memory without anyone in the house truly noticing him. It
is only during the intermission that you have an enough time
to realize his location. Suziki's great work, along with the
fabulous lighting design (a not-so-easy feat accomplished
by Blake Burba), are two of the most important elements of
Rent. Lighting and props do wonders for the stage-the set
designer employs a white globe, a disarray of wires and a
variety of junkyard parts around a central fire-escape set
piece that project onto several different scenes. It is especially
because of that blue light that graces Roger during "One
Song Glory" that we believe we are in his room, witnessing
the events just as he sees them.
This performance tested the strength of the current Rent
cast. With the addition of a new Mark, the need to maintain
the quality of show becomes stronger. In this microcosm of
New York life, Rent delivers all the tribulations that we
might never witness within our own lives or (conversely) those
trials that we may experience everyday. A tribute to non-conformist
New Yorkers and tourists everywhere who celebrate the individuality
of the self and the ability to jam, Rent provides the audience
with the ability to join a live jam session among friends.
Trudi Antoine is a student at Washington Irving High School
in New York, N.Y. Antoine is one of 14 New York City high
school students selected to participate in the Fall 2004 semester
of CSPA's Stringers Program, co-sponsored with Camp Broadway.
