It was bold. It was brassy. It was rowdy. It was brazen. It was "in-your-face." And for much of the time, it was musically quite loud. Perhaps it was those collective elements that resulted in a substantial portion of the Theater Under the Stars audience frequently cheering enthusiastically during the current production of Jonathan Larson's successful off-beat Broadway musical, Rent. Or perhaps it is the fact that there is often an underlying atmosphere of affectionate caring and sweetness that threads its way among this odd collection of youthful ne'er do wells, "hippies" and "free spirit" rebels living on Manhattan's sleazy Lower East Side during the early days of the dawning HIV/AIDS epidemic in the last century. The play struck a close chord for me, as I had briefly lived in that same unsavory neighborhood when I first came to The Big Apple to study theatre at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts after graduating from the University of Texas ages ago. But enough about me.
This particular production could not have been more enthusiastically introduced than was the case when TUTS Artistic Director Dan Knechtges stepped forward to greet the audience, while himself visibly bursting with excited anticipation of the opening curtain. He concluded by giving the audience a short video treat screening a well-done promo for the TUTS Organization's renowned Humphreys School of Musical Theatre. Since 1972 it has been Houston's outstanding training ground for young people following a performing arts path. After that, it was on with the show!
Loosely based on Puccini's opera, La Boheme, the often-challenged characters in this sometimes-dizzying musical drama are a Bohemian group of struggling young artists. They are collectively furious at an unscrupulous local landlord who is locking tenants out of an apartment building. Their mood of protest is reinforced by the spirit of rebellion that was already widespread in a war-weary nation increasingly unhappy with the escalating conflict in Vietnam. The opening Christmas Eve scene gives us roommates, Mark (Scott Redmond as a would-be cinematographer), and rock guitarist, Roger (Adrian Lopez).
Bad news begins to abound as we learn (via hard-to-hear answering machine messages), that Mark's girlfriend, Maureen, has left him. Meanwhile the guys' gay friend, Tom Collins (Will Mann), a very left-wing professor at NYU, announces he is coming to visit, but finds himself mugged enroute. If that is not enough bad news, the guys' landlord, Benny, (Jamal Houston) is shutting off their power and demanding the prior year's back rent, which they had previously understood to be forgiven.
But injured Tom is discovered and helped by cheerfully flighty cross-dresser, Angel (Tomás Matos as a scene-stealing cutie who lights up the stage singing, "You Okay, Honey?"). The two hit it off, and soon learn they are both HIV positive. Oh, and Roger is also infected, having caught it from his last girlfriend who took her own life upon learning she was positive. Courageous director Tye Defoe had a mammoth task to weave together such a complex number of characters and plot lines. And that's just the beginning of Act One.
So, by now you have probably figured out that this is not your grandma's Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. But it is a profound recognition of a world health crisis, the gritty details of which may make it a no-go for some. I was reminded of this by a pleasant father-and-son pair was seated near my guest and me in the theater's Diana Restaurant before the show. The two were avid Broadway musical fans and had recently attended the Hobby Center's production of Moulin Rouge. They were so captivated by it, they bought pricey tickets to return to see that show again the very next night. On this occasion, though, we passed them during intermission as they apologized that they were unhappy with the production and were heading for the exits. They would not be alone, as there were certainly sprinklings of newly empty seats as Act Two began with a dreamlike, full-cast performance of one of the show's loveliest tunes, "Seasons of Love." But for the many who remained for the second act, this energetic young cast would offer numerous knock-out solo and Ensemble performances that would bring cheers and loud applause, notwithstanding the various depressing plot lines that follow.
Funky costumes from Colleen Grady, equally funky choreography from Monica Josette, back-wall video projections from designer Katherine Freer, and eye-catching lighting from Brian Tovar, would all contribute to the impact. Sound designer, Andrew Harper, managed the volume levels well for the several explosive, full-cast numbers. Meanwhile, with Charlie Alterman's musical direction, and the prize-winning history of the piece (Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score), one can easily be reminded of Linda Loman's legendary last line in Death of a Salesman: “Attention must be paid!"
