Rent

The Keegan Theatre is presenting a vibrant and energized production of Jonathan Larson's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning (1996) musical Rent, designed to raise the rafters and hopefully our consciousness at its Church Street home (to 1/17). The slimmed-down version, featuring 15 actors and 5 musicians, creates a compact performance piece which allows the superb choreography, solid musical score, and total ensemble effort to unfold fluidly. Co-directed by husband and wife team Mark and Susan Rhea - with a big assist from choreographer Kurt Boehm - this well-paced, seamless show glides along with nary a dead spot.

While Rent is billed as a Rock Opera, you're liable to find that there are many melodic lines and numbers - tuneful pieces as well as showstoppers - along with paired and cast dance routines that are positively Broadway. "Tango Maureen," "La Vie Bohème," "Seasons of Love," and "Take Me or Leave Me," as examples, will please both your ears and eyes. Rock numbers interspersed throughout give the appropriate dissonance to the plot. And if Mr. Larson does not always succeed as a lyricist, the rhyme and the rhythm of the words blend nicely enough to hold your interest. Only the operatic through lines or recitative sound a little strained, as the decision to keep the musical and narrative storylines going continuously comes at a price.

In case you just returned to Earth after 14 years, Larson's (music, book, lyrics) Rent re-imagines Puccini's La Bohème in New York City's East Village in the 1990s. The characters' artistic resumes are updated for the times, genders bent, sexual proclivities reassigned, and the silent killer has moved from TB to HIV/AIDS. Assuming the narrative stance is filmmaker Mark played with suitable detachment by John Loughney. At stake, as the play opens, is the living, warehouse space - given a nice industrial embodiment by George Lucas - inhabited by Mark and his crew. Their former classmate and landlord Benny, played with Uptown savvy by Edward Daniels, has changed the deal on the lend lease for his buddies and wants his back and upfront rent, or it's out on the street. (Unless you're a Rent-Head you might want to Google-up a synopsis of the play since the plot is convoluted. The personal aspects will require no syllabus.) Around him swirl three relationships: Roger and Mimi (Juan Carlos Sanchez & Emily Levey), Angel and Collins (Parker Drown & Michael Robinson), and JoAnne and Maureen (Katie McManus & Maureen). The latter two, while fraught with difficulties, basically go for it: Messrs. Drown and Robinson play a doomed pair (both with AIDS) meant to be, while Ms. McManus and Ms. Woodley's characters - a lawyer and performance artist - are a battling comedic duo worthy of a Carson McCullers novella.

Mr. Sanchez and Ms. Levey's courtship, proceeding tentatively, is a bit more stylized; Roger and Mimi have baggage (not the least of which is HIV) they are each initially unable to disclose. This slow ignition sits like a question mark when they pair up in the early going. Individually, though Mr. Sanchez, who comes across as the slow, silent type belts out a powerful "One Song Glory," while Ms. Levey is positively feline as she stretches and gyrates through "Out Tonight." At the finale, when the façade is gone, a sudden reversal robs the pathos of the moment; it seems that no musical (excepting Stephen Sondheim's) can have an unhappy ending.

Mr. Drown as the empathetic Angel is the centerpiece of the play: he's living his life "Outloud" and everyone, including the floundering and dreaming Collins, who is given a musically evocative portrayal by Mr. Robinson, is drawn into his orbit. When he dies, tellingly, the "family" begins to fall apart. Ms. McManus is a delightfully fussy JoAnne joined at the hip for eternity it seems to her alter ego, the wonderfully disinhibited Ms. Woodley playing Maureen. These two disagree to agree!

Mr. and Mrs. Rhea make good use of the well-cast ensemble, bringing them into the action as voices of parental concern, choristers, support group, and Village People at-large. Although they all had something to offer, Julia Fanning is most impressive in her vocal range and on-stage presence.

Musical director Aaron Broderick and his five talented musicians (several also act) are commendable in realizing the essentials of Larson's ambitious and eclectic score, delivering the pizzicato and blue note (in particular, a phrase from "Musetta's Waltz") where indicated. Eamon Coy directed the multitude of sounds capably and Shadia Hafiz and Kelly Peacock stretched themselves to the limits in garbing this diverse group. The lighting design was fittingly credited to the "company," a collaborative effort of the first order.

Rent's affirmative message of "a community celebrating life, in facing death and AIDS, at the turn of the century" seems as timely today at the end of the first decade of a new millennium, perhaps more so in these days of vastly diminished resources. The challenges appear greater, but so are the stakes: for us there's no day but today.

Additional cast for 12/27 included: MaryLee Adams, Shayna Bass, Mickey DaGuiso, Nick Lehan, Christina Sanchez, and Dan Van Why

Sound check: Bring your ear plugs!

Program notes: Good, with input from the dramaturg; would have benefited with inclusion of a playlist identifying singers/songs, actor head shots, and directors' notes

Applause meter: Highly recommended, 3 1/2 hands. If you haven't seen it, now's your chance; and if you have, you'll find plenty to enjoy in this enthusiastic production

Runtime: 2 hours and 40 minutes with an intermission

Photo credits: James Coates