525,600 Minutes…in the making

Feb. 19, 2010, 12:17 a.m.

The buzz has been heavy ever since Stanford Drama made the announcement last fall.

It’s finally here: Professor Harry Elam Jr. directs the Tony Award-winning “RENT.” The drama department’s first musical in decades plays at Roble Studio Theater for the next two weekends.

Based off of Biacomo Puccini’s opera “La Boheme,” Jonathan Larson’s musical chronicles a year in the life of seven friends living the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle of New York’s East Village under the shadow of the AIDS epidemic.

With the recent memory of the “RENT” national tour in San Francisco earlier in the school year, one may be tempted to draw unjust comparisons to Stanford’s production. However, the Stanford drama department puts on a thoroughly enjoyable show with capable performances and high production quality.

525,600 Minutes...in the makingThe sheer popularity of “RENT,” with a devoted fanbase of self-proclaimed “Rent-heads,” makes it a tricky musical to pull off. Its iconic nature speaks for itself: this past fall quarter, director Elam and Stanford Drama received unprecedented interest, with over 100 students auditioning for 18 parts.

The final main cast is solid overall, peppered with several brilliant performances. Much like an opera, most of the story of “RENT” unfolds through the use of song, and for that, plenty of raw talent is required.

Chris Kucharczyk ’11 plays Mark, the filmmaker at the heart of the musical’s narrative, with a refreshingly natural ease. Maureen, performer and diva extraordinaire, enters on a roaring motorcycle–and Brittany Vasquez ’11 backs up her loud entrance with strong vocals to match. Her rendition of “Over the Moon” is feisty, with appropriate amounts of sass and vitriol. Surprisingly, Ronnie Tisdale ’10 brings minor character Benny to life, giving depth to the friend-turned-landlord.

Sophomore Bronwyn Reed’s sweet and sultry Mimi comes alive in “Out Tonight,” and her vocal abilities are put to good use in the haunting ballad “Without You.” While senior Luke Taylor’s Roger can be pitchy at times, his portrayal of the laid back rocker with an undercurrent of torment is spot-on. He and costar Reed endow Roger and Mimi with a flirtatious and believable chemistry. Cameron Drake ’10, Jamie Cornejo ’10 and Anjarae Washington ’09 all put in fine vocal performances as Collins, Angel and Joanne, respectively.

While certain small numbers are lacking in dynamism, serving as plot progression rather than showstoppers, the strength of the production lies within scenes that make use of the entire cast. The ensemble is vocally fantastic, and their chemistry with one another is evident in “Santa Fe” and especially in the groovy, anthemic “La Vie Boheme.” The second act is marked with the most powerful pieces, including a brilliant staging of the church scene. In the intimate Roble Studio Theater, one is guaranteed an up-close experience of the tensions and unfiltered emotions swirling onstage. The orchestra, moved from pit to the stage itself, grants audiences full access to Larson’s powerful and thrilling rock score.

The technical crew does a spectacular job with set and lighting design. The graffitied walls, lone metal staircase and small tables retain the minimalist feel of the original Broadway production while creating an enclosed New York setting accessible to those new to the show. The lighting, from the striking colors to an impressive backdrop of Christmas lights, seamlessly enhances the onstage drama.

The musical takes a while to find its footing, but by the end of the first act, the audience will be incredibly charmed by these characters, and emotionally invested for the darker second act. The latter half takes off strong and never lets up in intensity until the last triumphant chords.

Elam successfully restages “RENT” and makes the gritty rock-opera relatable to the Stanford student audience. “When you think of college and Stanford, the world of these students is filled with that sense of temporality; so much of being here is about what you’re going to do next,” writes director Elam. “Time flies before their eyes. ‘RENT’ encourages us all to think about the day and the now.”

In 1996, “RENT” opened in Broadway theaters to buzz and controversy about its mature content–homosexuality, drugs and the threat of HIV are all prominent in the lives of the characters. While dark themes do pervade the musical, this Stanford production works in a way that reminds us that Jonathan Larson’s “RENT” is, ultimately, a celebration of life.

Tickets are sold out for all performances. Names may be placed on a wait-list in line outside the theater one hour before performances. For more details, visit the Stanford Drama Web site at http://www.stanford.edu/dept/drama/.

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