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SECOND TIME AROUND MAKES A DIFFERENCE |
RENT
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By now, everyone knows that the breathtaking work of a lifetime which Jonathan Larson managed to produce during his very short stay on Earth is a modern version of the classic LA BOHEME and that it burst onto the Broadway scene a few years ago. It was raved about and hailed as a new zenith of the rock opera genre. So about two weeks after it opened on Broadway, I was thrilled to be able to get tickets to see the show. My husband and I drove to NY from our Delaware home and found ourselves in the theater surrounded by adoring, raucus young people, most of whom had probably never been in a Broadway theater before; I think we were the only grey hairs in the crowd! And we proceeded to have our ears pounded with the highest decibel music I have ever experienced while the unruly crowd cheered and yelled as if they were at a rock concert. I could hardly follow the plot line or appreciate the serious message of the play because all was lost in the adulation which his fans heaped upon the already deceased author. It was, to put it bluntly, not at all what I had expected and something which I could not feel happy about. To put it mildly, it was probably the biggest theater disappointment of my life. So you can imagine that I have never been a fan of RENT. It was with a little trepidation, therefore, that I agreed to review the current production which Mesa Encore Theatre is producing at the MAC. The only show I could attend was the preview and generously, the powers that be at MET agreed to let me do so. As many dress rehearsals are, this was a rough technical performance with sound and light problems that I am sure have been cured by now, but I am happy to overlook all of those. As a matter of fact I am delighted to tell you that not only was this one of the most energetic, well performed shows I have seen at MET, but it has cured me of my dread and dislike for RENT. I am now a believer! Most of the credit for this turnaround is due to the superb direction of Philip Fazio, a home grown young man who is making it in the Big Apple but who came home to bring us RENT as well as the tremendous musical direction by Debra Jo Davey who not only trained the singers well but who kept the music down to a livable level which did not destroy our eardrums and which allowed the beauty of the score to shine through the noise of the pounding message. Simply put, the show was wonderful! While there were no stars who rose above the ensemble unduly, there were several outstanding performances which should be mentioned for their veracity. Lucas Coatney as the transvestite, Angel, and Damon Bolling as his lover, Tom Collins, did a spectacular job of bringing these two characters to life. Both are professionals and have done the roles before several times. But there were some local actors too who did themselves proud. Brett Aiken (who was also responsible for the minimalist set) has a lovely voice and created a truly beautiful role as Roger. Paired with him was young Summer Masuda, a transplant from “down under”, who portrayed the hapless Mimi (of operatic fame) and excelled as she sang, acted and danced. And in a couple of small but vibrant solos in Seasons of Love, one of the best known parts of the score, several chorus members shone. In addition Skyler Bean revealed his skills as a dancer and in characterization as he handled a few small roles well. Edgar Torrens (who even dyed his hair a startling blond to play the role) was excellent in his dancing and acting. But he had a bit of a problem vocally, while Jenn Jackson as the rabble rouser, Joann, also did a fine job. Only Cassie Davis as the fickle Maureen seemed to be a bit over the top. She tried too hard and could have just toned her performance down a bit to be more real. However, on the whole, this was a sterling ensemble and, as I have said, because of the strong direction they received, the show was full of energy, meaning and beauty.
While the subject matter may be a bit radical for older Phoenix audiences,
this story of the junkies, AIDS sufferers and young people who just drop out
of life as we old folks know it, sadly rings true. Perhaps we are not as aware of this lifestyle as we were back in the 90’s when Larson lived and wrote, but never forget that the basic plot line is taken from an opera set in a time long ago, so have things really changed that much? In this terrorist driven world, we don’t hear as much about the misfits and drop outs as we once did, but I am sure they are still around. The lyrics may be a little dated (“When you’re dying in America at the end of the Millenium”, but the show ends on a high note of hope. The misfits are starting to adjust to normalcy (except for those who have died already) and the loneliness which plagued them all is hopefully beginning to dissipate. A year in the life of these characters has passed and we have witnessed their highs and their lows, mostly through the magnificent music that Larson wrote. Now that I could hear it and could follow the plot line, I realized what a work of genius RENT really is. Thank you MET, Phillip and Debra Jo for providing that opportunity. The Musical Director of RENT wrote with this correction to the above review: "Damon Bolling played Collins one time before. Lucas Coatney, as Angel, is playing Angel for the very first time with MET. He learned the role (including that athletic dance number) and those impossible vocal licks since October 10." Sorry I was a bit off in my history of these two fine actors with this play!
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