Chance Theater presents the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Rent. Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Directed by Matthew McCray. Music directed by Lex Leigh. Choreographed by Mo Goodfellow.
One of the most iconic stories to reflect the lives of struggling artists, Rent adds another dramatic layer when some of the characters have to survive in a big metropolis like New York while grappling with HIV at the same time. Without a doubt, this is a moving musical that continues to inspire audiences every single time. For anyone who has seen the progression of the disease from HIV to AIDS and the devastating consequences, Rent is a significant portrayal of the hardships and the uncertainty of the heartbreaking ordeal, specially in the early waves of the epidemic.
The inability to predict for sure if HIV will progress to AIDS is like a ticking bomb that may go off at any time, taking a physical and mental toll on those with the disease and their loved ones. Jonathan Larson observed those challenges and imagined a universe where a very diverse group of people comes together to build a community to fight the AIDS stigma and find love along the way. Within that amalgam of personalities, a special character with HIV, Angel (Adam Leiva), irradiates kindness and the ability to teach and share love, even after his death of AIDS. He navigates the adversities with a positive attitude until the very last moment.
Some of the topics in the play are discrimination, poverty, living the moment, survival mechanisms, the sense of community, drug addiction, and the inability of the characters to stop it. For Roger (Gavin Cole), Mimi’s (Lena Ceja) heroin addiction and an HIV condition prolongs the agony of an impending disaster. Roger knows that falling for Mimi means that, at one point, he will be left alone once again—his former girlfriend committed suicide after learning that she was HIV positive and had infected Roger.
But beyond her addiction, Mimi has depth. Perhaps as a consequence of her HIV condition and accepting her fate, she encourages Roger to forget about his anticipatory anxiety and live the moment without worrying about the past or the future. No religion, no heavens, no hell, only us.
There are fifteen characters in Director Matthew McCray‘s production, each one with their own story and motivations. There is Roger’s roommate, Mark (Luc Clopton), a filmmaker who was dumped by his girlfriend. Together with Roger, Mark struggle to stay warm in their cold apartment. We also see Joanne (Frankie Ripley), a lesbian lawyer, Maureen (Lily Targett), a bisexual performer and Joanne’s girlfriend, Tom (JoeJoe McKinney), a gay anarchist with AIDS and Angel’s partner, and Benjamin (Christopher D. Baker), Mark and Roger’s landlord. All of the characters have important roles and a story to tell. They all contribute to build a cohesive community and bond even more after Angel’s death. But it is Roger the center of attention. His depressive state at the beginning, his initial resistance to a new relationship with Mimi, and his willingness to open up his heart make it the most transformative character of the play. Throughout the story, Roger is silent, loud, visible, invisible. He is myth, life, death, tragedy, hope. He is America. He touches the bottom and rises like a phoenix. At the end, he still believes in love.
Scenic Designer Joe Holbrook captures the grittiness and the underground vibes of the script in a fascinating manner. The colors and textures create a contrast that reflect the spirit of the story. The color palette of the lighting (Zach Moore, Lighting Designer) is also an element to highlight. Reds, whites, ambers, purples, and blues are all used masterfully to evoke emotions and intensities, as if dancing rhythmically to the palpitations of the characters. McCray had a talented group of artisans and performers to honor and elevate the legacy of Larson in the always difficult world of musicals. This particular production of Rent shows that a talented director can make a revival as fresh and exciting as the original one.
The story is raw, passionate, energetic, and a testament of the powerful effect of human connections. It’s a picture of the rough and excruciating road to the entertainment industry. It is also a homage to the ones that lost the battle, to the ones that are still trying, to the ones that never ever give up.
Rent
Chance Theater
Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center
5522 E La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA 92807
Dates: —
Tickets: chancetheater.com
