RENT

After taking our seats to watch The Company Theatre’s production of RENT, I heard the young ladies behind me saying how difficult it would be to refrain from singing along, having seen the movie.  This tickled me a bit; I briefly imagined myself as a staunch old man turning around and saying with indignation “In my day they did it Live!  And we waited in line for hours hoping to get a rush seat!”  This momentary indulgence of my imagination led me to reminisce of the years when RENT was on its meteoric rise.  My friends and I did devote entire days to seeing that night’s show.   RENT was the default soundtrack of any car ride anywhere.  We knew all the lyrics (I still know more of the lyrics by rote than I should probably care to admit).  We were assigned and sang our specific parts.  As these thoughts ruminated and I looked through the program I again was tickled by the thought that some of the very friends with whom I sang my heart out to the new and evocative musical of our youth were about to perform in the very production I was about to review.  This gave me pause; I tend to judge those I know with mite of severity.  Not to mention that RENT’s original production had such an impact that leaves little wiggle room.  The scarce set, the on-stage band, Mark’s signature sweater, and every vocal riff laid to track on the original cast recording; many expectations are conclusive.  It’d be a gross exaggeration to say that I compare to a real RENT fanatic; none-the-less each tour that came through Boston was like the photocopy of a picture. Though the costumes, set, and music never changed, each passing year carried less of the “je ne sais quoi” of the show’s inception.

And so the show began, with my old friend, Joel Maki, as Mark.  I have to say that I was pretty sure going into it that I knew what to expect from Maki’s performance.  I was a wrong.  While not as flawless as say Celine Dion, his performance demonstrated a vocal capability that took me a bit by surprise.  I was also quite impressed with Maki’s acting.  He centered his energy and channeled it into an engaging but contained performance.  Unfortunately I was not so taken with his counterpart Ken Bayliss as Roger. While Bayliss had some really beautiful vocal moments, there were crucial moments of deficiency — whether a result of some chosen vocal affectation or the notes being out of range.  I must say, however, that Bayliss’s performance of “I Should Tell You” and “Without You” took two of my least favorite moments of the show and made them enjoyable.  Jennifer Kenneally played Maureen with a sweetness that made the role more palatable.  Playing opposite Ms. Kenneally, Sara Seals was quite satisfying as Joanne.  With an acting style that I can only akin to Ally Sheedy, Seals sang powerfully and clearly. Shawn Verrier  and Joe Rucker Jr. were each spectacular as Angel and Collins, respectively.  Verrier played the love loving drag queen with a little bit of extra (adlibbed) sass.  He carried some of his melodies into a nice head voice/falsetto that worked well for him particularly in “I Will Cover You”.  Rucker as the bearish but biddable Collins sang tastefully.  Taxed with the burden of singing “I Will Cover You – reprise” Rucker made his own vocal choices to create something new and wonderful.    While Verrier and Rucker were each individually talented and entertaining, the mismatch in stature was such that it served as a distraction.

While the principles were essential to the plot, the company of this show was essential to its success.  The best moments of the show were when the company members enriched the texture of the sound and story.  Each time Dan Delaporta sang one of his several parts, I was left wishing he had more opportunity to do so.  Jessie Mullen was a joy to watch.  In each of the many tasks a company member is slated with – from itching for a fix to fixing to make a deal to dealing out some liberal love — Mullen was fully committed to each moment.  And once again from The Company stage Tracy Silva demonstrated her vocal talent and skill as she made a cakewalk out of the infamous solo in “Seasons of Love”.

The stand out performer of the evening was Charisse Shields as Mimi.  Shields gave this part a sound and feel that resonated volumes.  She gave Mimi a genuine and appealing juxtaposition of strength and frailty.  Through subtlety and many honest moments Shields had the audience under her spell.  Her vocal production was vibrant and easy on the ear while maintaining an appropriate rock edge.  I’ve seen RENT enough times to appreciate the lack of a poorly made attempt at mimicking Daphne Rubin-Vega.  Rubin-Vega commands respect in her own right for the origination of the role; but Shields commanded respect in her original portrayal of the part.  While I am praising Shields for these attributes in her performance, credit must also be granted, in part, to the casting team for the choice.

Despite some minor sound problems The Company Theatre’s production of RENT was all that I expected it to be.  With productions of the newly released show sprouting up like dandelions, I worry how other productions will compare.  I commend the artistic team for finding a balance between re-creation and creativity. The caliber of talent, the musical excellence, the original but referential set, and overall superior technical excellence make this production a tribute to the spirit and impact that RENT made on the LGBT community and, subsequently, the world at large in the 1990s.

Collins and Angel share a loving moment.