by Cheryl Perkins
Marquette Tribune
October 20, 2000

It's "Rent."

If you think of musicals as people in extravagant costumes belting out cheesy songs at inopportune times, then you've never seen "Rent."

The show, running now through Sunday at the Riverside Theater, began its run in 1996. It tells the story of struggling artists living in a warehouse in the East Village of New York. They deal with everything from substance abuse to AIDS, to trying to pay the rent.

"Rent" is the masterpiece of the late Jonathan Larson. His is a story almost as interesting as "Rent's" plot.

As a struggling New York playwright, Larson wrote the script as an attempt to involve the MTV generation with Broadway theater. Tragically, he never got to see his dream come to life; he died of an aortic aneurysm just days before the show opened on Broadway.

He also was not there to receive his Tony Award for Best Musical, or his Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1996.

The musical versatility of "Rent" is amazing in itself. While yes, most of it is sung, it lacks the cheesy, obviously scripted sense of many other musicals. Some of the songs make you want to rock, while other emotional ballads have you reaching for the tissues.

The audience Tuesday night at the Riverside was nothing if not unique. Of course there were the middle-aged people dressed for a night at the opera. But surprisingly enough, the majority of the audience was college-aged kids. Complete with piercings and bright pink hair.

No, this is definitely not your parent's musical.

This show will pull on your heartstrings and not let go. When these friends deal with diseases like AIDS, it forces the audience to deal with it also. The actors pull it off with such flair that, when tragedy strikes, it feels like your own tragedy.

The musical is centered on roommates Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, and Roger, a musician with AIDS. Other characters include Mimi, the HIV-positive junkie who falls for Roger, and Angel, everyone's favorite transvestite.

The performance Tuesday night brought the audience to its feet. The brilliant script by Larson sprung to life exceptionally and the cast included amazing singers and dancers.

If you shy away from musicals because they all seem cheesy and not directed at a younger audience, then go see "Rent." If there's one musical that it's okay to like, it's "Rent."