‘Rent,’ the award-winning, off-Broadway musical
combines social issues and a ’90s sense of humor to create a work
of emotional significance that
is more than just a song and dance
By Rory Carroll
Oregon Daily Emerald
Part Broadway musical, part rock
music video, part social commentary,
Jonathan Larson’s critically ac
claimed “Rent” delivered all of these
with passion and precision Tuesday
night at the Hult Center.
The 1996 Pulitzer Prize-winning
story traces the lives of a group of
artists over the course of a year, as
{ { / want to honor the
artist's work. Jonathan liter
ally gave his life for this
work.
Horace V. Rogers
‘Rent’cast i
they struggle to survive the hopeless
ness of living in New York’s East Vil
lage.
The group is attempting to save
their dilapidated apartment building
from building owner Benny (Brian
M. Love), who has threatened to turn
it into a cyber arts studio and evict
the current tenants.
When the musical opens, it is
Christinas Eve, and Mark (Matt Ca
plan) is attempting to lift the spirits
of his HIV-positive roommate Roger
(Joshua Kobak), who is mired in de
pression after his girlfriend’s suicide.
Roger has all but given up when he
meets and falls in love with Mimi
(Saycon Sengbloh), a drug-addicted
S&M dancer.
Notable performances included
Erin Keaney as Mark’s overly dramat
ic ex-girlfriend Maureen. Keaney’s
rendition of “Over the Moon” had
the audience in stitches. Shaun Earl’s
performance as Tom Collin’s drag
queen lover Angel is also outstand
ing.
“Rent” has always existed under
the dark cloud of creator Larson’s un
expected death of an aortic aneurysm
on January 25, 1996, less than a
month before the play’s world pre
miere.
Larson never knew the success his
work would achieve.
Although the cast gets tired from
touring, Horace V. Rogers, who plays
Mark and Roger’s ex-roommate Tom
Collins, says that it takes little more
‘Rent’
What: A Tony Award
winning modem re
make of La Boheme,
centering around the
lives of several East Vil
lagers who are coping
with AIDS, drug addic
tions, and relation
ships.
Where: Silva Concert
Hall, Hult Center, One
Eugene Center.
When: 8 p.m. April 6
7,2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
April 8, and 2 p.m. and
7 p.m. April 9.
Cost: Tickets are $25 -
$50; student discounts
are available.
Rormore information:
Call Hult Center’s 24
hour information line
at 682-5000.
than the thought of author Larson to
get him inspired.
“I want to honor the artist’s work.
Jonathan literally gave his life for
this. It was the last work he did. I
think for someone to give that much
to a project, you owe it to that work
to give the best,” said Rogers, who
has been with this cast for almost a
year and a half.
Social issues including AIDS, drug
addiction, homosexuality and pover
ty are at the heart of “Rent.”
“Many of the social issues we
haven’t resolved, like hopelessness,”
Rogers said. “In any given city you
can go and you’ll see that.”
AIDS is an issue that is not receiv
ing the same attention that it did
when Larson was penning the musi
cal, Rogers said.
“The face of people who have HIV
and AIDS has changed since Brian
White,” Rogers said. “He looked very
haggard and wasting away. Now we
have the poster child of Magic John
son and the like who look fairly
healthy and are living pretty quality
lives. But that is an economical
thing. How can you pay for those
drug therapies if you don’ have the
money or the insurance to pay for
them? These issues have not gone
away. HIV has not gone away, AIDS
has not gone away.”
The play is based on Giacomo Puc
cini’s 1896 opera “La Boheme.”
“Rent” examines bohemian ideals
when faced with the grim realities of
poverty and disease.
The mantra “No day but today,” is
similar to the Latin phrase “carpe
diem.” It is in this message that the
characters find hope.
The strength of “Rent” is how it ef
fectively combines weighty social is
sues with a witty sense of humor
without coming off as trite.
Any one of the characters has the
surface persona of an MTV veejay,
but still manages to reach deeper to
reveal their human side.
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37th Annual
international
International Week
Monday-Friday, April 10-14
EMU, University of Oregon
M: Africa Day
TU: Asia/Oceania Day
W: Americas Day
TH: Europe/Middle East Day
F: World Forum Day
Night
Sunday, April 16, 2000
Ball Room, University of Oregon
6-12: $11 ($13 at the door)
Admission: $14 ($16 at the door)
(FREE admission for children under 5)
Dinner Times: 5:00 pm, 5:45 pm. 6:30 pm
Preshow/Exhibition in the EMU Fir Room: 5-7 pm
Performance starts in the EMU Bail Room: 7 30 pm
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