by Michael Miendl
UWM Post
October 18, 2000

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One of the most talked about shows in Milwaukee is the musical RENT. The show, created by Jonathan Larson, is mentioned by many people with a lot of enthusiasm.

True, this is one of the most popular musicals today, and some even say the most influential and meaningful of all musicals ever written.

Unlike a lot of people, I joined the fan train relatively far from its beginning. The only song I knew from it was “Seasons of Love” and had never really felt a strong urge to go see it. But my time to finally see the wonders of RENT came when I got the chance to interview Brian Love, a cast member of the touring group here in Milwaukee, over the phone a little earlier this month.

From the moment I received my assignment I hit the articles and websites hard. One of the first things I did was buy the soundtrack. From the first note to the very last I enjoyed every minute I spent listening to the songs.

Hit after memorable hit poured through my speakers and touched my heart. I also read many reviews and articles about RENT and soon came to see what the big fuss was about. And after all of this came the moment I was waiting for. After allowing Bryan Love time to recuperate after a golfing accident, we started talking about him and the show.

Love grew up in the Cleveland suburb of Lorain, OH. He then went to college at John Carroll University, where he studied mass communications and journalism. His hopes were to become a sports journalist, but he got into the sports marketing aspect instead. In 1995 he interned as a sports marketer for the Cleveland Indians. After that he worked for an ad agency for a couple of years.

Theater, though not very strong at first, was present for a long time in his life. He participated in shows in both high school and in college. But for him, sports, and later on his job, were more important to him, so theater remained a mere hobby for him. He would work during the day and then afterwards go and rehearse at regional theaters in Cleveland.

One of the things that made his theater ball pick up speed was his role of Jim in a production of Big River. During that show Love “got the bug all over again.” Some of his credits include Ain’t Misbehavin’, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and a couple of cabaret shows. Then came his big break.

During the summer of 1998, while on medical leave, Love went to an open audition for RENT. He carried with him no big realistic hopes of getting in, but just wanted to have the experience and learn from it. In July he was called to New York to audition once again. And finally in August he received the message that they wanted him as Benjamin Coffin III (Benny). And he’s been Benny ever since.

The story of RENT is sometimes a complex one to understand. It took me a couple times listening to the recording and following the notes I had before I “got it.” The main idea of the show is about struggling artists in the Lower East Side of New York City. Mark Cohen (Matt Caplan) and Roger Davis (Christian Mena), who share an apartment together, are constantly harassed by their old roommate, now landlord, Benny. Benny hopes to be able to evict the homeless that live in a nearby lot, which he wants to turn into a multimedia studio.

This main storyline is surrounded by many more subplots that include the rest of the cast: HIV+ computer genius Tom Collins (Mark Richard Ford), performance artist Maureen Johnson (Maggie Benjamin), lawyer and Maureen’s lover, Joanne Jefferson (Jacqueline B. Arnold), HIV+ transvestite street drummer Angel Shunard (Shaun Earl), and AIDS- inflicted S&M dancer Mimi Marquez (Saycon Sengbloh).

This variety of subplots and characters are the reason why Bryan Love thinks that the show is “so biting and relative to so many people.” “It’s one show that touches on social issues that people try to get away from by going to the theater; issues like homelessness, drugs, HIV+ people, and relationships of all kinds,” he said. These issues are also presented in a way that they are confronted with obstacles, but succeed in overcoming them with love. As Love puts it, “Live your life in love and you can cope and make it. ‘No Day But Today.’”

Bryan Love says that working in the show has had a great impact on his life: He is more open-minded now, he understands different lifestyles, his spirituality is strengthened, and he can now love people more for who they are. He also points out that fact that “at any given moment everything you have, or your family has, can be gone.”

Love has also been able to learn about and even relate to his character Benny. He says that Benny is probably the most misunderstood character in the show, but is also one of the characters that have lost perspective on his priorities as far as friendships and relationships. He also mentions that Benny does have a good heart. On the other hand, his total character is an exaggeration of the arrogant pompous rich guy everyone knows.

The two areas that Love can relate to are Benny’s habit of being meticulous and truly caring but hiding it (or in the case of Benny, he goes one step further and puts up a front).

By talking with Bryan I gained a whole new view of the show. I think it’s great to have shows like RENT where everyone can relate to some part of it, even though RENT does have its share of critics. I for one can truly identify with the feeling of wanting “One Song” to make something meaningful out of my life and the need for love in my everyday life in order to survive. But no matter if you are new to the world of RENT or a long time member, you will find that the music Larson wrote has such passion and need to be shared with the whole world. The values and morals many of the songs tell us about are ones that are true for those people of the past, those of the future, and especially for us today.

RENT is being performed at the Riverside Theatre through Oct. 22. Tickets are available at the Riverside box office or at all Ticketmaster outlets.

Another great thing to look out for are the numerous seats in the first several rows of the orchestra being offered for only $20. These tickets start selling ONLY two hours before the show. They are cash only and there is a limit of two tickets per person. Ordinary tickets are $55, $45, and $35. For any general ticket information please call (414) 224-3000.