Stage Review - Rent (TLT)

Stage Review - Rent
Presented By: Tacoma Little Theatre - Tacoma, WA
Show Run: March 08 - March 31, 2024
Date Reviewed: Saturday, March 09, 2024 (Opening Weekend)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

Every once in a while, perhaps one time in each generation, a musical comes along that so expertly captures the atmosphere and challenges of the day, that it literally speaks for and becomes part of that generation itself. Jonathan Larson’s Rent is one such musical. Originally written in 1989, when composer Larson approached playwright Billy Aronson, who himself was in the process of developing a piece based on 1896 opera La Boheme, Rent premiered on Broadway in 1996 and subsequently became one of its longest running shows by the time it closed in 2008. Following its success, Rent followed with numerous national tours and a feature film before entering the community and regional theatre circuit. Its latest stop is at Tacoma Little Theatre, in what is the latest in their cooperative partnership with the University of Washington, Tacoma Theatre Department, directed by Maria-Tania Bandes B. Weingarden and onstage through March 31.

Rent very much so speaks to life in America during the 1990s, set among the impoverished artist and bohemian community in and around the East Village in New York. Set in the middle of the AIDS crisis, and the fear that was prevalent enough during that time that it cast a shadow over every aspect of life whether an individual was directly impacted by it or not, Rent is about living under this cloud, and so much more. I believe that part of Rent’s success when it first premiered, and why it lasted as long as it did, had to do with its shock value. Of course there’s the AIDS piece, but the show presents same-sex couples, drag queens, and many other life situations that, while not new in the 1990s certainly weren’t talked about as much, nor were they as normalized as many of them are today. That fact leads me to wonder about the overall impact Rent continues to have, especially on younger generations, who may not have even been alive when the fear and reality of AIDS was at its zenith. That doesn’t mean there still isn’t a lot to which the musical speaks, after all themes of lifestyle and conformity, or the lack thereof, or the idea of social class distinctions and the struggle to both exist and persist in conditions where basic human needs are not being met, as well as the gentrification of communities through progress still exist today. Yes, Rent tackles a lot, and it takes a special production to be able to present all of what it does address, and do it in a way that doesn’t feel overburdened by its design or construction.

This TLT production does just that. The set, design by Blake R. York, is industrial, mainly using a series of scaffolds and platforms to represent the various locations the musical is set in. The way it is laid out works very well with Maria-Tania’s blocking and Eric Clausell’s choreography while taking advantage of the theatre’s turntable to create a good flow to the movement on stage. The movement is not without its complexity, and the timing is in line with the turning of the stage, done with a precision that focuses the voices in song by facing them in the right direction, even while in motion. Various accoutrements around the scaffolded stage accentuate the run down look of the setting as well, making it clear that the story is taking place in a part of town where to live comfortably is virtually impossible. The lighting designer here, Michelle Weingarden-Bandes also deserves credit, as this component surely adds to the overall theme and feel of the show. Whether it is the use of a single light to shine on one character to provide focus, the use of a multitude of lights strung to provide that industrial feel, or colored ones to mark the holidays, the lighting is an important part of the storytelling and Michelle gets it right. To put a finer point on the importance of this, Larson is telling the story of a struggling group of young artists who go through some pretty heavy stuff. Getting the lighting wrong here, or the set design, could diminish the show’s impact severely. Thankfully, and with credit to Maria-Tania’s entire creative team, that doesn’t happen.

If I may make a quick callback to my ponderance on the impact of Rent on younger generations, when I consider how well this cast, especially since most (if not all) of which were not of a certain age at the height of the AIDS crisis, perform this show, any concern I have has been most certainly quelled. Sure, it’s a well written musical, and the storylines themselves can inform the actors on which parts hit certain ways, but the emotional aptitude with which this cast, especially the leads, portrays these characters, and this story, proves that they get it. The musical centers on independent filmmaker Mark Cohen, his circle of friends and the people that come in and out of their lives. Mark’s roommate Roger Davis, a singer-songwriter looking to write that one perfect song before he, well, he leaves what to the imagination, but he has AIDS, as does his exotic dancer girlfriend Mimi Marquez. Tom Collins is the pair’s friend who, after a particularly rough encounter with some neighborhood thugs, happens upon, and soon takes up with, Angel Dumott Schunard, a drag queen percussionist who, like Tom also has AIDS. Others in the story include Maureen Johnson, activist and performance artist who meets lawyer Joanne Jefferson, herself having recently broken up with Mark, the two becoming an item themselves, both fighting against Benjamin Coffin III, who used to be Roger’s and Mark’s roommate, but has now undertaken an effort to rip down the artist commune and replace it with a high tech space, which in his mind represents progress, but to his friends, it’s a betrayal.

Rent as a musical is so familiar in theatre circles, many of its songs, like Seasons of Love and Light My Candle, have gained a life of their own outside of the show. Musically, it’s a powerhouse of a show, and to perform it well, it’s not just important to have a talented cast, but also a musical director that can get the most out of the group. In this case, there are both, and then some if you include the way the set is used to position actors at certain parts of the stage to highlight them. In fact, the only concern I have with this show is with the microphones and audio system in the theatre. I know, yes, I sound like a broken record, but it’s frustrating to hear microphones drop in and out, or not pick up a voice until a measure or two into a song. This is a large cast, and it seems the more of them that are on stage at one time, the more the system struggles. Duets, or smaller groups of vocalists don’t have those issues. And that’s a good thing, because musical director Shawna Avinger has this group operating at peak performance. Each individual is extremely talented, of course, but when they come together as a group, or as an entire ensemble, the vocal arrangements are strong and harmonies are spot on. A smaller part of the ensemble, the “Homeless”, is a prime example, the group gathering by the makeshift Christmas tree to sing about their plight, and do so with picture perfect harmony. Add to this a live band (Will Sanders, Cam Schneider, Peter Vosshall, and Scot Sexton) that doesn’t miss a note under Shawna’s direction, and the show is a musical achievement. During Saturday’s performance, there were a few times when the live band outplayed the singers on stage, but those times were few and far between, and for most of the time, the volume was balanced nicely.

As I always say, though, while the creative team can provide the perfect setting for a show, or complement the storytelling in their own way, it’s up to the cast to deliver the heart and the emotion of any particular show. And as I mentioned above, Maria-Tania Bandes B. Weingarden has assembled one that is not just filled with talented actors and singers, it’s a group that “gets it”, that understands not just what Larson is trying to say with this piece, but also how to present it in a way that captures all of the emotion that the story entails. It starts with Mark Cohen, who is played here by Zack Fowler. As the story generally revolves around this character and his friends, Zack is looked upon to carry much of the load for keeping things moving and driving much of the story. He’s more than up to it, his ability to capture his character’s struggle is matched only by his singing voice. Roommate Roger Davis is played by Terence Mejos in an emotional turn that sees his character despondent at first, but who subsequently goes through a nice metamorphosis when he meets Mimi, who is played by Alison Rucker. Terence’s Roger has clearly had a troubled past, and tries to hold off the advances of Mimi, especially when she reminds him of his old life, but eventually brings down his wall and the two come together. The strength of Alison’s Mimi is in her sultry seductiveness, and their back and forth performance in “Light My Candle” is a highlight of Act 1. Friend Tom Collins has a similar arc to Roger’s, with one big difference. Darryin B. Cunningham plays Tom convincingly in a portrayal that requires him to display a good deal of emotional agility. His love for Angel is strong and true, as is Angel’s for him. And speaking of Angel, perhaps the breakout star for me in this production of Rent is Erik Davis with their portrayal of the drag queen percussionist. Erik is just fantastic here, in songs like “I’ll Cover You” and “Santa Fe” they show their strong vocal ability, but it’s the confidence with which they play all aspects of this character that is most impressive. I also enjoyed Em Castle’s Maureen, especially brilliant in their protest performance in Act 1. The lead cast is rounded out by Allison Fortenberry as lawyer Joanne and Nick Ono as Benjamin Coffin III. Each of these lead actors is more than capable musically, and each also understands the true nature of their characters. Add to this an ensemble that lifts the entire production, plus the aforementioned design elements, and the result is a very entertaining version of a musical with an importance that has taken root in our culture.

The latest collaboration between Tacoma Little Theatre and the University of Washington, Tacoma Theatre Department is currently on stage through March 31. Their co-production of Rent faithfully captures the heart of New York City at the height of the AIDS crisis. Creatively designed and skillfully performed, this production of Rent depicts the fear and struggle of the mid-1990s in the lives of a group of young artists, while also capturing their love and hope for a better life. Rent unpacks a lot, but this edition does it in a way that is engaging and quite frankly, beautiful.

Rent, presented by Tacoma Little Theatre, in partnership with the University of Washington, Tacoma Theatre Department, runs onstage at TLT through March 31. For more information, including ticket availability and purchase, visit https://www.tacomalittletheatre.com/home.