by Amy Sinquefield
Michigan State News
March 17, 1999

Benjamin Coffin III, left, played by Carl Thornton, speaks to Mark Cohen, right, played by Scott Hunt. Angel Schunard, played by Pierre Angelo Bayuga, and Tom Collins, played by Dwayne Clark, look on during the opening night of ³Rent² at the Wharton Center on Tuesday. The production runs through Sunday evening.

Just a few minutes into the show, it’s not difficult to see why the intense and sassy rock opera “Rent” racked up such prestigious awards as the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for drama and numerous Tony awards.

“Rent,” which opened Tuesday night at Wharton Center, blows all other musicals off the stage.

Based loosely on the Puccini opera “La Boheme,” “Rent” is a riveting and high-energy story of a group of artists battling drugs, poverty and a greedy, money-hungry landlord in New York’s East Village.

From the beginning, the show is filled with contagious energy.

A short narration by filmmaker Mark Cohen, played by Scott Hunt, opens the show. Then the entire cast enthusiastically bursts into the heart-pumping tune “Rent.”

It is easy to forget the characters aren’t real people.

From Mark’s everyday mismatched maroon and blue sweater and checkered scarf to bluntly candid lyrics, everything about “Rent” is realistic.

One of the most indelible moments in the show is when HIV-positive Tom Collins, played by Dwayne Clark, tearfully reprises the song “I’ll Cover You.”

The spooky silence of the audience during Collins’ every breath was poignant enough to get the tears flowing.

The energy was strong enough to keep the audience on the edge of their seats even during the soft moments of the musical.

The show’s strength comes from its raw honesty and bold storyline. Each character has their own memorable situation that makes them distinct and unforgettable. The outrageous love-hate relationship between impromptu performer Maureen, played by Christina Fadale and lawyer Joanne, played by Danielle Lee Greaves, is one that accurately mirrors many of today’s relationships.

The only disappointment about Tuesday night’s performance was the absence of Julia Santana as Mimi, a sexy heroin addict and exotic dancer.

Her understudy, Yasmin Ennis, did an excellent job bringing the spunky vixen to life, but it would have been fun to see Santana play the role because “Rent” is her first professional theatrical tour.

“Rent” also sets itself apart from the rest of the theatrical world with its innovative musical creation. Unlike other shows, the music is played by a band cleverly tucked in the back left corner of the stage.

This makes the production feel almost like a live rock concert where Maureen, Collins and all the other performers are the lead singers.

At first glance, the fairly simple setting of Mark and Roger’s run-down loft with its dark, metallic rods doesn’t look like anything spectacular, but the voices and spirit of the characters bring everything into color.