Jonathan Larson's Tony award-winning rock musical "Rent," exploded onto the Broadway scene in the late 90s and has since become a staple show for companies across the country to perform.
This fall, Penn State Centre Stage will put on its own production of the show, which will open on Nov. 15 at the Pavilion Theatre.
Director and choreographer Christine O’Grady discussed how “Rent” remains timeless because it brings “connection in an isolating age" — a line taken directly from the script.
“Moments of human connection matter the most,” O’Grady said. “It’s really incredible that this group of people have found a chosen family… that really speaks to students and people of all generations.”
Kris Carrasco (senior-musical theatre) and Minju Lee (junior-musical theatre) act in the Rent photo call in the Pavilion Theatre on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022 in University Park, Pa. Penn State Centre Stage will perform Rent November 15–18, 29–30; December 1–3, 2022.
“Rent” follows a group of young, broke artists living through the HIV and AIDS epidemic of the 80s in New York City, according to the Centre Stage website. Throughout the musical, Larson pulls personal experiences of losing friends to the disease, expressing his frustrations through the show's rock anthems.
Stage manager Maria Papadopoulos noted that there were challenges to tackling the stage’s setup, as the Pavilion Theatre provides a 360 degree stage with audience members on all sides.
“You have to think about a lot more things because we have so many entrances and exits,” Papadopoulos (senior- musical theatre) said, “Diagonals are your friends, we say.”
The audience is also a part of the production, according to O’Grady.
“I love theater that breaks the fourth wall,” she said. “I want to see [actors] ask ‘Will I lose my dignity?’ and really connect with people in the audience.”
One of the main relationships in the show sparks between the characters Mimi and Roger, played by Marlene Fernandez and Owen Smith.
Mimi is an exotic dancer at the Cat Scratch Club who struggles with HIV and a drug addiction. Roger is also HIV-positive, but gave up drugs and is dedicated to writing one last meaningful song before he dies.
Marlene Fernandez (senior-musical theatre) and Owen Smith (junior-musical theatre) act in the Rent photo call in the Pavilion Theatre on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022 in University Park, Pa. Penn State Centre Stage will perform Rent November 15–18, 29–30; December 1–3, 2022.
Fernandez (senior-musical theatre) and Smith (junior-musical theatre) worked on “establishing trust” between each other to convey the characters’ intense push-and-pull relationship.
“We both did our actor homework and talked to each other about where we think each of our characters are individually,” Smith said. “It just kind of came together naturally.”
The actors also discussed what the show’s most well-known song, “Seasons of Love,” means to them.
“It’s kind of like a life lesson for everyone,” Fernandez said, “[Life] is so short and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Everyone’s life matters.”
“Rent” will run at the Pavilion Theatre on Nov. 15-18, 29-30 and will return after Thanksgiving break for Dec. 1-3.
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