When a theatre company chooses to take on an iconic musical such as 'Rent', it becomes difficult to put a unique touch on things and avoid simply imitating the original Broadway show or the movie, released in 2005.
Northampton Community Colleges production was sometimes refreshing, though it generally felt more along the lines of young actors and actresses trying desperately to imitate the characters made legendary by performers such as Adam Pascal and Daphne Rubin-Vega.
The show, with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. is loosely based on Puccini's opera 'La Bohème'.
It tells the story of a group of friends (and not friends,) struggling to make a living and survive in New York City in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, also doing their best to remain strong in the shadow of HIV/AIDS.
The show opened on Broadway on January 25, 1996, and ran for an impressive twelve years before closing in 2008.
Its music has been covered by several artists and groups. Some of its best known numbers are Seasons of Love, and La Vie Boheme.
NHCCs portrayal of the young and struggling characters is little more than a reenactment of the original Broadway casts.
David Kunz, as Roger, gave a decent performance, but I constantly felt like I was watching someone walk around the stage pretending to be Adam Pascal, the actor who originated the role.
He certainly looked the part, but didnt seem totally settled. His voice was clear, but he seemed uncertain of whether or not he could hit the notes.
His counterpart, Kayla Mulkern (Mimi,) didnt have this problem. She was very sure of herself, dancing in little more than undergarments with surprising agility.
My only criticism of Mulkern is the same criticism I have of much of the show: The actors didnt seem to be listening to the words they were singing.
'Rent' is an emotional, evocative musical that deals with death, dying, freezing, and drugs. Watching this show with the sound turned off, you would have thought you were watching a Hallmark movie. The actors smiled, mugged, and sung brightly about each subject. Much of the dialogue is sung instead of spoken, and often the actors would begin to answer a question their co-actors hadnt even finished asking yet, simply because their musical cue arrived. I would have very much liked to see more genuine reacting to the subject matter, not just This is where Im supposed to talk now.
Thomas Kennebeck, as Mark, gave a charming performance. His interpretation of the character was refreshing, if not totally original.
His voice was clear and bright, perhaps too bright for the subject matter, but still very pleasant to listen to.
Another strong performer was Daniel Melo as Collins. Melos singing was very strong and his acting convincing up until he was supposed to interact with Angel, played by Carlos A. Rosario.
The pair were completely unbelievable as an in-love gay couple, though apart they were each very fun to watch.
My favorite, and (in my opinion,) the strongest member of the cast was the much underutilized Brent Schlosshauer as Gordon/Blanket Person/Restaurant Man.
Whenever Schlosshauer was onstage he was completely in character and 100% devoted to the story. His voice was clear and perfectly suited to the notes, and I found myself watching him acting in the background instead of being drawn to the main action on the stage.
There were some very strong points in the show that made the experience very enjoyable.
The set, designed by Jaye Beetem, served the show very well. The different levels and planes made it easy to picture the different locations of the show. At one point, snow began to fall from the ceiling, creating a breathtaking effect.
The choreography was nice, though I dont feel it was necessary. Sometimes less is more, and I could have done with slightly fewer synchronized movements.
All in all, it was obvious that this was a well rehearsed performance. Everyone onstage sang well and never seemed to be grasping for lines. I was very impressed with the quality of the staging and music, if not completely convinced by the acting.
Other notable performers include Kristina Haynes as Maureen, Alex Krasnansky, Ivan Cruz, and Rojae Brown.
The show runs October 24th, 25th, 26th at 7:30, and 27th at 3:00 at Northampton Community College.
Oh, And major kudos to the actor who collapsed on the steps and remained there, unmoving, for the better part of act 1. Remaining still is a difficult thing to do, and you surely pulled it off!