By now most of us have heard of the musical RENT and may have even seen a production (or more), and/or possibly even caught the movie version of Jonathan Larson’s brilliant masterpiece which chronicles the lives of several struggling young artists/activists/musicians in New York set against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic. With roots loosely in the 1896 opera La Boheme, Larson’s tale is set in the then-thriving Alphabet City in Lower Manhattan’s East Village in New York. It was first seen off-Broadway in 1993 and officially premiered in 1996. Larson himself never got the chance to see the incredible success of the show which was, at the time, the rage of Broadway (you couldn’t get tickets!) and won, among other awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Musical. Larson sadly died suddenly the night before the official opening. And now Iron Crow Theatre (Baltimore, MD), has taken on the challenge of bringing this heartfelt, poignant and soul-stirring musical to its intimate stage. While I can’t give you 525,600 reasons to go see this production (this review would be 525,600 pages long) I’ll give you one. How about love?
Director Sean Elias has cast 13 of some of Charm City’s best young talent to bring the story to life and backed it up with a live pit (always a welcome addition) and perfect period costuming by Costume Designer Camille Lerner (Asst. Costume Design by April Forrer). Musical Director doyenne Rachel Sandler has taken these young voices to an ethereal level of form and feeling as palpable as touch and as clear as sight. Set Designer Thomas Jenkeleit made the most of the space, outfitting it with lots of chairs (which get put to good use many times throughout the show), a moveable stairway/platform and a backdrop reminiscent of a New York tenement around this period. Lighting Designer Thomas P. Gardner keeps the lights dim, as if to accentuate and underline the dark theme of the characters’ struggles and the omnipresent AIDS all around them. Sound Designer Brad J. Ranno makes sure all things audio (very important in a musical especially) go smoothly.
The eight main characters (supported by an ensemble of five) are on stage the entire time. When not performing, they are either standing in the background or sitting on one of those aforementioned chairs, and even then they are almost always engaged with voice or movement.
Tall, dark and leading man handsome figure in black is songwriter/musician Roger Davis (played with convincing prowess by Carter Crosby). His girlfriend has recently taken her life after being diagnosed with HIV, and he is doing his best to cope with that loss along with his aspirations of a musical career, HIV and inability to pay the…what else…rent. His voice is at times soft and at others commanding (“One Song Glory” & “Without You” showcases this well), and Crosby takes the audience inside his head through well directed and executed acting, exposing his complicated feelings towards life and his struggles to move on and find fulfilment.
Enter an erotic dancer named Mimi Marquez, a beautiful young woman who lives in the same building as Roger. Played with sincerity and tormented ferocity by Natalia Fyfe, she sets her sights on Roger. Their first duet “Light My Candle”, when she comes in looking for a source of light when power to the building is turned off, sparks more than just the candle’s flame. These two are magic onstage together and the chemistry ignites more than a match ever could. Unfortunately, Mimi has HIV as well and struggles with heroin addiction, as if Roger needs even more baggage in his life in addition to his own. Their relationship throughout the show ebbs and flows, taking twists and turns told through song and scenes. Fyfe brings the character to life in vivid fashion and, by the end, the tears and pathos will flow. No spoilers here for those RENT virgins out there, but she’s one to watch. And oh, her voice! Her throat has been kissed by the god of song. As she runs through the house singing “Out Tonight” one can’t help but fall for this young woman looking for love. And her duet with Roger, “Without You”, will have you reaching for the tissues.
Mark Cohen, an independent Jewish-American filmmaker and Roger’s roommate, is played with sincerity by Jeremy Allen Crawford. Crawford is a delight to watch. Blonde and bubbly, not only does he have a wonderful voice, but he has great dramatic and comedic acting chops as well. His turns as his mother (when she leaves messages on his answering machine) are a hoot. But, as with all the show’s characters, Cohen has a lot of things going on under the surface. He comes across on the outside as sprightly, youthful, aspiring and loyal (which are true) but bubbling under the surface is a young man who wants to make it on his own, and on his own terms. Does he sell out to the conglomerate or follow his passion? Cohen has a conversation with Roger towards the end which causes Mark to reflect and face those very things that subconsciously drive him. It’s a pivotal moment for Cohen, and Crawford’s engaging performance will draw you in from the moment you first see him. He is a bundle of energy and light.
Tom Collins, a gay part-time philosophy professor with AIDS, is played by Terrell Chambers. Not to play favorites but, if I may gush for a moment, this young man deserves to perform and to be seen. Not that any of the other cast doesn’t, but Chambers’ voice is truly a masterful gift from above. Chambers plays his character with such gusto, and performs his musical numbers with such conviction, that it’s difficult not to jump up and shout “BRAVO!” each time he finishes a song. One of the numbers towards the end (“I’ll Cover You Reprise”) has him ending the ensemble number standing on top of the aforementioned stair platform and extending his arms outwards towards the house in a fit of passion when the last note of the music ends which embraces the audience in a cloak of raw emotion and almost stops the show. But it goes beyond simply good singing. This kid can act and emote and, when put together, you get a powerhouse of feeling. He sells himself totally and, if I were to catch him on American Idol I wouldn’t blink twice. You will fall in love with not only his voice and stage presence, but with his portrayal of his character and how he interacts with his partner, Angel, in a relationship of pure love and commitment that gets turned on its ear suddenly in the second act.
Speaking of Angel, the heaven-sent drag queen who saves (literally) Tom is played with flamboyant finesse by Nicholas Miles. Not to sound like a broken record when it comes to voice, because all the cast are vocally gifted, Miles is no stranger to the stage and brings his acting and singing chops to the role of the AIDS infected muse who aspires to help those around her and bring light to the world. Miles’ rendition of “Today 4 U”, his duet with Tom “I’ll Cover You” and “Contact” will leave you running the full gamut of emotion, smiling one minute and crying the next. Again, no spoilers for the unexposed, but Angel’s character is pivotal to the pathos of the second act. But central to creating such an effect is the ability of the actor to make you believe in and like the character, something Miles does with aplomb.
As the saying goes, it takes two to tango. And what better tango than the “Tango Maureen”. Maureen Johnson (Rachel Cahoon), a bisexual performance artist and her girlfriend, Joanne Jefferson (Breanne Sensenig), a lesbian lawyer, navigate their relationship in perfect syncopation as their characters interact with each other. The “Tango” number, which is actually a duet performed by Cohen & Jefferson, illustrates just how complicated a person Maureen (Collins’ ex-girlfriend) can be and how she holds a spell over everyone she touches. And what a spell that is. Maureen’s performance “Over The Moon” at the end of Act 1, meant to be a protest of the cleaning out of a homeless camp in the city, is full of incredible vocals and comedic brilliance. Complete with an udder for a fanny pack, Cahoon sings hear heart out and brings a bit of comic relief even though the “performance” is supposed to be protest oriented. Sensenig & Cahoon go toe-to-toe in the boxing ring with the catchy “Take Me or Leave Me” number where they air their differences, grievances and desires. You don’t need a deposition to know that Sensenig’s lawyer is no-nonsense, as well as the glue which holds the relationship and things, in general, together (“We’re Okay”). Both Sensenig and Cahoon are well paired and their voices hit new heights in glory. Another group number, “Goodbye, Love” is another one of those tear-jerkers in which they both shine. And speaking of American Idol, Sensenig was on the show as a contestant. How lucky we are to have her in the cast!
Last, but not least, of the main characters is Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III (Anwar Thomas). Coffin is the “traitor” of the group, a former roommate of the gang, who has married into a position of power and is now the building’s new landlord. He reneges on a prior rent agreement and demands last year’s rent before ultimately shutting down the power. He is the one who wants to clear out the homeless lot that Maureen’s performance was supposed to protest, in hopes of building a cyber arts studio. Thomas is brilliant at playing the conflicted former-tenant-turned-landlord and one wonders whose side he really is on and whether he can be trusted. Can he turn his back on his former friends, since he was once in their shoes, or press forward with his newfound agenda? Add to this Coffin’s relationship with Mimi (poor Roger) and we have quite a complicated relationship web. Thomas commands the stage with both voice and presence as he sings “You’ll See”. His ultimate act of redemption will both delight and surprise.
The above noted cast is supported by a crew of five young and uber-talented folks. Landon Black (who I believe may be the youngest of the cast as his bio states he’s a high school senior), Jessica Ramon, Sam Slottow, Tyler White and Teddy Wright. All these actors play a pivotal role in the show’s plot, as they play a host of ancillary characters and provide their voices to the rousing ensemble numbers. In fact, each of them gets an opportunity to shine in something solo and have great dramatic flair and singing voices to boot. I have a special place in my heart for ensemble members who, while they don’t get top billing, are quite important to the overall message of the production and can sometimes even steal the show. They are the oil that keeps the big machine turning. Watch these young people. I suspect we will see more of them, as we should.
So much of the show was a standout that it’s hard to pick nits; however, there is an issue with clarity in terms of the lyrics being sung. Not so much during solo numbers but, once more than one actor was introduced into a song (duets & larger ensemble numbers), it became hard to hear all the lyrics clearly. Part of it I think is the pit at times overshadowing the voices (an unfortunate caveat with musicals that feature live music), but a lot of it is due to the fact that there is a large group of such strong voices on stage that, when put together, vie for attention so much that, with the various harmonies being sung in combination with the music in the background, some (not all) clarity is lost. On the bright side, even if you can’t make out all the words to the songs, the acting and voices are such that one can very easily glean the meaning of what is being sung and, in the end, the audience didn’t seem to care because the curtain call was greeted by a standing ovation.
Yes, you will hear such notable numbers as “Seasons of Love” performed with heart and soul. And yes, you should come see this show before it closes because it has a message to send. A message about hope, dreams, redemption and love which, according to the song, is how one should measure life. This is a message that needs to be heard in today’s world especially, so what are you waiting for? Go on-line and purchase tickets to see this wonderful theatrical production that will make you laugh, cry and reflect. Do it today because, as the song says, there is no day but today.
Run Time: Approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with one intermission
Rent plays through February 4th 2024 with 3 with Iron Crow Theatre in residence at Baltimore Theatre Project— 45 W. Preston Street in the Mt. Vernon district of Baltimore, MD. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 410-752-8558 or in advance online.
Rent has five extended performance dates, February 16th – 18th 2024 at the M&T Bank Exchange at The France-Merrick Performing Arts Center— 401 W. Fayette Street in the Bromo Arts District of downtown Baltimore, MD. For tickets to the extended run, click here.
