by David-Edward Hughes
Backstage/Drama-Logue
September 24, 1998

Whether you are a Rent groupie or someone like myself who views it as a promising if overpraised and imperfect work by the undeniably talented author/composer/lyricist Jonathan Larson, who died on the eve of the show's mega-success, the outstanding young national touring cast will win you over.

Basically Rent spans a Christmas to a Christmas in the lives of three
couples, one heterosexual, one gay, and one lesbian, as chronicled by their single videographer buddy (once in love with one of the lesbians). Paul Clay's urban trashheap setting, a sort of Cats for people, is the backdrop for an evening of tears and triumphs, ever so loosely based on Puccini's original.

Ater a particularly uneven and mostly fluffy first act in which all the
characters are put in place, the more solemn and affecting  second act puts them and occasionally the audience through an emotional wringer, thanks largely to some excellent Larson songs, and the splendid cast directed by Michael Greif.

Though some of these performers may have already shuttled to other Rentcompanies by the time this review is run (or by the time this tour production reaches the Shubert Theatre in L.A. in January), I must particulary applaud Andy Senor's heart-tugging yet uncloying performance as the doomed HIV-positive drag queen/musician Angel, Adrian Lewis Morgan's <note: That's supposed to be Scott Hunt> warm and vulnerable documentary filmmaker Mark, Leigh Hetherington's high-octane turn as Maureen, nicely counterpointed by the sublety of Monique Daniels as her lawyer/lover Joanne. Scott Hunt brings truth to his character's pain as Roger <note: That's suppose to be Adrian Lewis Morgan as Roger> (the Rodolfo surrogate from Boheme), and HIV-positive musician, but even the strong singing voice of Julia Santana fails to make the role of his junkie girlfriend Mimi work, one of the script's biggest failings.

D'Monroe as the yuppie landlord Benny and Mark Leroy Jackson as Angel's lover, Tom Collins, contribute solid performances, and the rest of the company sounds good and moves well to Marlies Yearby's lively but ultamately repetive choreography.

With such good and varied numbers as "Today 4 U", "Tango: Maureen", "I'll Cover You", "Without You", "What You Own" and the rousing "Seasons of Love", Rent shows off the late Larson's talents quite handily, and we grieve at his loss the American musical theatre.