Leslie Mizzell
Greensboro News & Record
December 18, 1998

The message of "Rent" is simple, even if it isn't new: Seize the day, for each one may be your last.

Winner of four 1996 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, the rock opera "Rent" achieved cult status even before opening night because of the tragic death of its 35-year-old creator, Jonathan Larson, from an aortic brain aneurysm on the night of its final dress rehearsal. The poignant irony is obvious, since "Rent" is a musical dealing with untimely death and the need to leave something behind.

A contemporary telling of Puccini's "La Boheme" set in New York City's East Village, "Rent" centers on a tight-knit group of artists, drag queens, drug abusers and other outsiders living in the shadow of AIDs and poverty.

Filmmaker Mark (Scott Hunt) is the narrator, somewhat detached from the action because he sees it through a camera lens. He's been dumped by performance artist Maureen (Cristina Fadale) for Harvard-educated lawyer Joanne (Monique Daniels). Mark's roommate is Roger (Christian Mena), a struggling songwriter who falls in love with exotic dancer Mimi (Yasmin Ennis). Both are HIV positive, but Mimi still suffers from the heroin addiction that Roger has beaten.

Mark and Roger's friend Collins (Dwayne Clark) is also HIV positive, as is his new lover Angel (Owen Johnston II), a street drummer and drag queen. And their former roommate is Benny (Brent Davin Vance), who has married money and is now trying to evict them -- and the homeless people in the vacant lot next door -- from their industrial loft in a building he's bought to renovate for office space.

From a purely theatrical point of view, "Rent" is a mixed bag. It's certainly earnest and energetic, but the characters are sketchy at best. Their self-destructive behavior, disrespect for the middle class and willingness to starve for their capital-A art also occasionally makes you want to shake them.

The music contains a few homages to Puccini (notably strains of "Musetta's Waltz" as Roger's composing), as well as everyone from Billy Joel to Burt Bacharach. In general, the musical numbers share a rosy glow that softens the edges of the struggles the characters are experiencing. Popping the rosy glow is the pumped-up volume, which occasionally distorts lyrics.

The cast members all have excellent voices, but occasionally some of the men provide more singing technique than honest emotion. At other times, the ensemble chorus is so beautiful it makes your chest hurt to listen.

The bickering byplay among Hunt, Daniels and Fadale provides a terrific foil for the intense love of the other couples. The songs "Tango: Maureen" (Hunt and Daniels), "Over the Moon" (Fadale), and "Take Me or Leave Me" (Daniels and Fadale) are highlights as well.

Although Mena ("One Song Glory") and Ennis ("Out Tonight") shine individually, there's little chemistry between them, which leaves "Light My Candle" and "Without You" a little lacking. Ennis's voice also seemed a little strained by the end of the opening night's performance, although, of course, her character is supposed to be ragged by then, too.

Clark and Johnston make a devoted pair, and "I'll Cover You" is very moving. Johnston, whose Angel needs to be the center spark of energy, could take the character even further.

Standouts in the strong seven-member ensemble cast are Wichasta Reese and the Triad's own Horace V. Rogers, who leads the refrains of "Christmas Bells" and solos with Reese in the show's most recognizable -- deservingly so -- number, "Seasons of Love."

While "Rent" finds it hard to live up to its incredible hype -- and any show would -- it actually improves on repeat viewing as you grow to know the music and characters. It's a show for and about young people, and while those of us over 30 might find the "us against them" mentality annoying, we can learn a lot from them, too, such as acceptance, compassion and dedication to ideals.