On its 20th anniversary, “Rent” still relevant
The “Rent 20th Anniversary Tour” is an energetic embrace of Jonathan Larson’s beloved masterpiece, from rebellious undercurrent to touching finale, with an eager, diverse cast fulfilling the challenge.
Not only does the epic rock musical hold up, it’s also still surprisingly relevant.
The answering machine and public pay phones may have been eclipsed, but talk of urban gentrification, addiction, gays, lesbians and police brutality is still very much with us. ★★★¼
Even references to digital art and virtual reality remain of the moment. If perhaps the show’s AIDS story line feels less urgent two decades on, it doesn’t diminish the drama.
Somehow it’s been 20 years since the iconic musical, the “Hamilton” of its day, bowed to an adoring fan base. “Rent” won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for drama and took four Tony Awards that year, including best musical. While reflecting a particular reality — New York in the 1990s — the story of starving artists looking for love, inspiration and a place to live in a gentrifying city is timeless. Larson’s modern update on Puccini’s “La Bohème,” with hope and death battling for center stage, remains a passionate spectacle crowded with memorable songs.
It’s ultimately a rallying cry to embrace love and live in the moment. “Forget regret -- or life is yours to miss.”
Serious fans (they call them-
selves Rent-heads) applauded the entrance of numerous characters, who have themselves become iconic. Each comes with the memory of 525,600 minutes of CD-playing, theater-going and lyric-reciting reverence.
This production is particularly exuberant. The young cast, many on their first national tour, enlivens each scene.
While Idina Menzel’s pipes were a signature of the original production, their absence here takes nothing away from the whole. In fact, Lyndie Moe as self-absorbed performance artist Maureen gives her own lusty twist to the “Over the Moon” number. (Longtime Coloradans note: Moe is the granddaughter of coach Doug Moe and has graduated from singing the anthem at Denver Nuggets games to starring in a national tour.)
Aaron Alcaraz is a buoyant standout as Angel, the sweet soul of the show, although Alcaraz seemed winded on his physically demanding solo, “Today 4 U.”
Devinre Adams was particularly strong, stepping in on opening night as Tom Collins. Jasmine Easler was wonderfully affecting as Joanne. Her comedic “Tango: Maureen” with Mark (Sammy Ferber) is a high point, along with “Light My Candle” sung by Roger (Kaleb Wells) and Mimi (Skyler Volpe). Ferber is commanding as Mark, the wannabe documentary filmmaker who serves as narrator. Wells gains steam over the course of the show as Roger, the emotionally crushed guitarist trying to compose something memorable (“One Song Glory”).
The Company is powerful on both “La Vie Bohème/I Should Tell You” and “Seasons of Love,” although enunciation wasn’t crisp on the dense lyrics of the former.
The direction by Evan Ensign is based on the stripped-down original by Michael Greif. The junkyard-styled, tiered set is familiar, with the five-man orchestra onstage throughout.
“Rent,” which deeply touched a generation with its encapsulation of the malaise of creative youth, its call to live in the moment and its celebration of chosen family, is ready to touch new generations.