By Richard Pacheco
The second
show of Ocean State Theatre’s inaugural season is rent which collected multiple
prestigious awards when it opened in 1996. It garnered the Pulitzer, The Tony
and the Drama Desk Awards. The rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan
Larson is spirited and energetic, propelled by a vibrant talented cast which
shines. It was inspired by Giacomo Puccini’s opera, “La Boheme,” written in
1896. This is Larson’s best known work and he died tragically of an aortic
aneurism three weeks before it opened and ten days before his 36th
birthday. The focus here is on some artistic types who struggle and live in Alphabet
City in an abandoned building in
the East Village
while under the gloom and doom of AIDS. It was revolutionary at the time, much
like “Hair” or “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
The younger generation at the time
was transfixed by it, raising it to almost cult status. Some of Larson’s early
musical influences were The Beatles, the Doors, The Who, Elton John, and Billy
Joel.
The musical opens with Mark, an aspiring
filmmaker, his camera always stuck in his hand, is planning a
documentary—without a script— of his friends on Christmas Eve. From there it
evolves into the lives and loves of his friends over the next year and the
changes they endure as they evolve, some of them funny, some tender and
touching.
Dan McInerny is Mark is charming
and personable. He has a strong baritone voice and shines in many musical
numbers. His duet with his former girlfriend’s lesbian lover, “Tango Maureen”
is a comic gem. The tango they do is
hilarious. He shines in songs like his duet with roommate Roger, “Tune Up A” or
“Halloween” and “Your Eyes.
Nile Hawver is equally excellent as
Roger, an HIV positive musician who hopes to write that one perfect song before
he dies. He is s recovering heroin addict and Mark’s roommate. His tenor voice
is sheer delight and shines in songs like “one Song Glory,” about his quest for
the perfect song. In Act II he reaches that goal when thinks Mimi is dying in
the wonderful “Your Eyes.”
Mimi is an HIV positive S & M
dancer and heroin junkie who used to date Benjamin Coffin II who now owns the
building but used to live there. Nora Fox plays her with energy and poise. She
creates a vivid and appealing image of this troubled character. She not only
sings well but shows off her dancing skills as equally adept in “Out Tonight.”
Din Griffin
is the landlord, a money grubbing devious conniver, Benjamin Coffin III. He
wants to turn Alphabet City
into a digital paradise and willing to go to any extremes to achieve it from
turning off heat and power to sheer intimidation. He has a winning tenor voice
which he shows off to good effect in songs like "You’ll See"
"Happy New Year B" and "Goodbye Love".
Angel is a drag queen street
drummer at the heart of these friends. .Antonio Tillman delivers and totally
winning performance, making him the most appealing character in the show. He
delivers it all with sass and style, strutting about with a style and brazen
presence that is immediately engaging and appealing. He shines in his duet with
Collins, “You Okay Honey.” He is simply amazing. His death scene is powerful
and gut wrenching.
Damron Russell Armstrong is
Collins, who is a computer scientist with AIDS who finds love with Angel. He
has a rich baritone voice that is haunting and majestic. His solo an Angle’s
funeral "I'll Cover You” is commanding and emotional
The two lesbian characters, Mark’s
former girlfriend and her lover are played with zest and sheer comic fun by
Kendra Payne and Janet McWilliams. Ms. Payne plays the Harvard educated lawyer
as a tough no nonsense woman with little patience with crap from anyone, most
particularly her former lover, Mark and her current lover Maureen, the
performance artist ( Ms. McWilliams) The duet they have, “Take Me Or Leave Me”
is powerful and moving.
Ms. McWillams is wonderful as
Maureen. She is funny and full of energy. She really shines in her solo “Over
the Moon” where offers a barely hidden attack on Benny with the nursery rhyme
“Hey Diddle, Diddle” engaging the audience to join in with moos later in the
song. It is outrageous and side-splitting.
The cast is simply amazing, full of
verve and passion, extremely talented and they work very well together. It all
flows very fluidly, shifting scenes with flair and elegance. The company shines
in songs like “Rent,” “Will I,” “La Vie
Boheme,” and “Finale A” and “Finale B.”
In the second act, which opens with
the entire cast doing “Seasons of Love,” there is simply marvelous sequence with a sheet and
actors beneath it and some phenomenal lights that turns it all into a magical
kaleidoscope of movement and flickering lights with Weston Wilkerson’s amazing
lighting. His lighting is excellent not just there, but throughout the show
adding whole other dimensions.
Mark finds the inspiration for his
film based on Angel’s death and Roger finds his inspiration in Mimi.
Amiee Turner’s direction is skilled
and delightful. She keeps everything gliding along from one song to another
with smooth movement making good use of the stage, cast and set.
Esther Zabinski’s musical direction
is poised and perfect, full of finesse. Everything is richly harmonic and
lavishly sung.
Kimberly Powers set is stark and
effective, evocative of city buildings in a run down section. You can feel the
city grit here, graffiti and all.
The choreography by MK Lawson is
splendid, energetic and full of sass.
While for some, “Rent” may still
hold up, for me, it seems to have aged, but the terrific cast and production
make it well worth the trip at once enchanting and fun.The performances are not
to be missed, full of sensitivity and zest.
"Rent" (20 February - 10 March)
@ 1245
Jefferson Boulevard, WARWICK
RI
1(401)921-6800
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