This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
What should I tell you about Pioneer Theatre Company's production of "Rent"? What can I say in this small space to capture its power and lust for life? As "Seasons of Love" suggests, and Ginger Bess' and Daniel Simons' big voices attest, it would take 525,600 words to do it justice.
Should I tell you that, like a musical version of "Angels in America," "Rent" eloquently captures the voice of a generation of young Americans living on the fringes of society, desperately trying to make their way in the world, coping with injustice, poverty and the specter of AIDS?
Should I tell you that when Fabio Monteiro's Roger sings "One Song Glory," you hear the voice of its playwright, full of longing and loss? Jonathan Larson, one week short of 36, died of an aortic aneurysm the morning the show was to open. In his desire for "one song to leave behind," "one song to redeem this empty life," he left a legacy he would never know.
Should I explain the many meanings of its title, point out the way it keeps cropping up in the lyrics: "You can't buy love, but at least you can rent it," an anguished Tom (Nik Walker) sings to the dead Angel (Jason Gotay). "I don't own emotion, I rent," Roger and Mark (Andy Mientus) sadly confess in "What You Own." Eviction, broken hearts, reluctance to commit are all part of the package.
Should I point out that exactly 100 years after Puccini wrote "La Bohème," Larson evocatively translated the story of its struggling Parisian artists to Alphabet City — Manhattan's East Village — where other young artists confront America's hollow materialism: "When you're living in America at the end of the millennium, you're what you own." Only Mimi retains her name, a victim here of drugs and AIDS, rather than consumption, but the parallels are clear.
Should we examine the contrasts in "Rent's" characters, the way Halle Morse's impetuous Mimi and Gotay's big-hearted Angel take risks while Mark and Roger hang back? In "Another Day," Mimi sings, "There is no future; there is no past. I live this moment as my last," while Angel flamboyantly struts his stuff in "Today for You." Or the way Joanne's (Adrienne Muller's) cautious practicality puts her at odds with Maureen's (Rachel Moulton's) militant outspokenness, outrageously apparent in "Over the Moon"? Or the way Benny's (Gregory Williams') present constantly conflicts with his past? Or the way the entire ensemble totally inhabit their characters?
Should I praise the free-flowing spontaneity of Karen Azenberg's direction? At the show's start, Mark tells us, "From here on in, I shoot without a script," and this production has the feel of being invented as it goes along, a seamless collaboration of director and actors. And the emotional responsiveness of Helen Gregory's musical direction?
Should I point out the brilliance of George Maxwell's set, which is both sterile and open? Or the moody flexibility of Michael Gilliam's lighting? Or the eclectic, thrift-shop look of Brenda van Der Wiel's costumes, which reflect both the poverty and artistry of their wearers?
Finally, should I compliment the good decision of putting the band upstage, behind the actors, so you can hear the voices and understand the lyrics?
I've really said nothing; you'll have to go see for yourselves. "Rent" is dynamite, easily the best production of this theater season and possibly several others.
facebook.com/tribremix —
'Rent' comes due at PTC
P Pioneer Theatre Company's exciting, electric, exuberant, life-affirming production of "Rent" is simply a knockout.
When • Reviewed Friday; continues through June 25; Monday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m., Saturday matinees at 2 p.m.
Where • Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. 1400 East, University of Utah campus, Salt Lake City
Info • $34-$54, plus $5 day of show; contains mature themes and strong language; call 801-581-6961 for more information, or visit pioneertheatre.org.
Video • To view director and cast interviews by Tribune photographer Francisco Kjolseth, find this story online at sltrib.com.
Running time • 2½ hours (including an intermission)