By Rex Rutkoski
Freetime Magazne
June 18, 1998

That's when the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning American musical of the same name takes up residence at the Auditorium Center.

"You'll see a piece of theater that opens both your mind and your heart," says cast member Kirk McDonald, who portrays the character Mark. Mark functions as the narrator of this story, inspired by Puccini's La Boheme, that celebrates a community of artists as they confront the hopes and challenges of today's world.

It received the 1996 Tony for best musical, as well as the Pulitzer for drama. It is only the fifth musical to win both the Pulitzer and the Tony.

The show had its world premiere off-Broadway at New York's Theatre Workshop on Feb. 13, 1996 to rave reviews. It soon became a sold-out hit and moved to Broadway April 9, 1996 where it continues to play to standing room only audiences.

Newsweek suggests that Rent has "brought a shocking jolt of creative juice to Broadway."

The magazine added, "The homeless, the addicts and alkies move like oracular nomads among the 'artistes' - as a homeless woman scornfully calls them - who don't know where their next rent check is coming from, or their next inspiration for a song or a picture, or the next lethal raid by the specter of AIDS. Yet, Rent is a thrilling, positive show. In a rich stream of memorable songs, Jonathan Larson makes true theater music from the eclectic energies of today's pop, rock, gospel, reggae, salsa, even a tango."

Larson died unexpectedly of an aortic aneurysm on Jan. 5, 1996, just hours after Rent's final dress rehearsal off-Broadway, and 10 days before his 36th birthday.

The show's success serves as a spectacular legacy to Larson.

"One of the great things of this piece is I think it was written with so much love and performed with so much love, that it's really just uplifting and a life affirming piece," says McDonald. "We get so many letters from people living with HIV, and even received one from a mother who is married with two young kids and has three mortgages to pay. She said seeing Rent made her realize she needed to be living each day for what it is and not get bogged down. Sometimes it is easy to forget how much you can affect people in the audience. It made us aware of our job on stage."

McDonald believes Rent is helping build a new audience for theater, attracting people who might not normally attend theater.

"With the first look at the play, it seems very specific to New York or the East Village or artists," he says. "But it's like the old adage. The more specific you make something, the more universal it is."

The themes of Rent really are universal, he suggests. "They're about love and loss and acceptance. It doesn't matter if you have actual first-hand experience with what is happening. You can somewhere tap into those themes at some level or another. And the score, being rock-oriented, aids in drawing a larger audience."

He agrees with those who find Rent similar in spirit to 1960s' Hair. "Very much so," he says. "it's sort of the younger generation speaking their mind and making their points heard."

The Orlando native says the show allows him to go through many experiences in his role. "Especially in the first act, there are a lot of comedic scenes for me. In the second act, it's so serious. It allows me to exercise my chops in every way each night. I never get bored at all."

McDonald sees his role as "sort of the middle man between the audience and characters on stage." "He keeps the audience informed as to where the characters are in the story and who they are. He also functions as sort of a caretaker. He makes sure Roger takes his AZT and Maureen's performance goes off as planned. He is constantly gauging how everyone else around him is doing."

By the end of the show, McDonald says, he feels tired, but in a good way. "You feel you've accomplished something," he explains. "It is a challenge in the best possible sense of the word."

He says the cast is fairly close both on stage and off. "The main thing about this show is the sense of community that exists in the East Village. I think we bring that on stage. One of the strong points of the cast is it is seen as a unit rather than 15 people."

McDonald says a certain amount of raw energy is required to be a cast member. "That's why we are having a lot of open (audition) calls. We didn't want quote, unquote, actors or theater performers coming in whose energies were more refined than the piece called for. And the cast members need a sense of personality and energy as well. All the people in the show playing their parts are somewhat similar off stage to their character on stage. It's a great stage show to do. It's a blessing. Even on those days when you think, 'Will I make it through?,' when it starts something about it gives you the energy to do the show."

Capturing the East Village vibe wasn't difficult for McDonald, though he grew up in Florida. A 1995 graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, he says he went to school just blocks from where the production is set.

"There is never a time I didn't want to be a performer," he says of his interest in theater. "It was never a choice for me. It was what I had to do. I just grew up doing theater."

Prior to joining Rent six months ago, he had just completed the workshop of the new Hal Prince/Livent musical Parade. His credits also include Violet for Playwright Horizon; and the pre-Broadway workshop of Footloose, West Side Story and The Secret Garden.

He is thrilled to see more people embracing live theater. "It's a much more visceral experience than seeing a movie or TV show," he says.

"It's happening right there in front of your eyes. The spontaneity and possibility for anything is an amazing experience."