RENT Still Pays On Time
Although the bohemian residents of Avenue A proclaim they're not going to pay "Rent," we would happily pay to hear them sing it again after Tuesday’s solid opening night. Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal are reprising their original 1996 Broadway roles as Mark and Roger in the famed rock opera by the late Jonathan Larson in RENT: The Broadway Tour.
Anthony Rapp as Mark and Adam Pascal as Roger in RENT: The Broadway Tour
Our first time seeing RENT was at the Nederlander back in 1998; alas Rapp and Pascal had already moved on. Since then we've seen various touring companies around the country over a handful of times, but the current production at the Paramount (June 16-21, tix $20-$83) is definitely one of the most memorable. Rapp is perfect as documentary filmmaker Mark and was definitely the highlight of the show. Although originating the role over 13 years ago, he has the chops and zeal of a younger, break-out actor in a new role. The other Marks were just impostors compared to Rapp--he was truly born to play this role. Pascal's Roger was not as charismatic, but he was pitch perfect in "One Song Glory" and "What You Own," and has aged very well.
Lexi Lawson's take on Mimi was more aggressive than we're used to seeing. Instead of playfully vying for Roger's affection in "Light My Candle," she had more of an attitudinal approach. It felt like the two never had any real chemistry by the play's end. Haneefah Wood was delightfully refreshing as Joanne, making the role her own by giving the character more of a nerdy side. Justin Johnson's Angel deserved the cheers for his leggy moves in "Today 4 U," and Michael McElroy was a poignant as his lover Collins, still making the audience weepy in the eyes during "l'll Cover You: Reprise."
The audience was clearly full of fans (Rentheads) on opening night as the applause began before most numbers were over, ours included. For first-timers, we'd recommend brushing up on the plot and even giving the the soundtrack a listen, as the lyrics are dense and will probably be lost if you're not somewhat familiar with them.
A story (p. 19 of the program) about the history of RENT reveals a local connection to Jerry Manning, currently the Seattle Rep's artistic director. He was a friend of Larson and helped cast the original Broadway production. Manning was there on opening night, his first time seeing the show since its original opening night.
$20 rush tickets are still a tradition and available for the two front rows of the orchestra. The tickets go on sale at the box office, on the day of performance only, two hours prior to the show and are available to anyone, cash only, with a limit of two tickets per person.
