Highly Recommended **** For over 525,600 minutes ( the number of minutes in a year), in fact for 788.400 minutes we had no theater! Well, now it is back and Broadway in Chicago could not have opened their stages with anything better than the 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour of Jonathan Larson’s “Rent”. Directed by Evan Ensign with choreography by Marlies Yearby, Chicago is being treated to an energetic, talented cast to bring the stage of the CIBC Theatre alive. For you old theater-goers, this was the Shubert, back in the day.
I have seen this show countless times, but for all those performances sat on the main floor, center ( usually the 8th or 9th row)- tonight was unique as Jane and I sat in the Mezzanine, right side, 11th row. We were with a very young crowd, many who have seen the show as many times as we have and knew every song that Larson penned. I did see something special about the MERZZ. Since the seating is stadium style, we were able to have a clear and open view of the entire stage ( with the exception of the stage-left area in the “Light My Candle” number for a brief moment).
That was the only problem during the2hours and 20 minutes ( with an intermission, add 20 minutes) of a flawless production.
For those who do not know, “Rent” is based on the famed opera ” La Boheme” by Giacomo Puccini and deals with the lives and lifestyles of the “artsy community” in New York. The play deals with Larson choosing love over fear and follows one year in the lives of this struggling group. They are following dreams, never giving up no matter what fate placed in their way.
Each character is unique from Mark Cohen ( a delightful Cody Jenkins) to his best friend, Roger Davis (Coleman Cummings). Roger is a wan-to-be songwriter, Mark a film-maker and all of the other characters that are “family” also have dreams. The love stories contained are Roger with neighbor Mimi ( a delightful Aiyana Smash), who is a drug user and as we later learn, both have AIDS. Mark’s ex Maureen Johnson ( Lyndie Moe, who has played this role several times and who I interviewed on WCPT820 two weeks ago) who is now with Joanne Jefferson, an attorney/activist. They are in a protest of how the poor artists are being treated. I must tell you that Ms More’s rendition of “Over The moon” is a show stopper that drove the audience wild. I got goose bumps from the excitement.
Ex-roommate Benjamin Coffin III ( Jared Bedgood) has married a wealthy girl and now has purchased the real estate where this all takes place. He has become, in many ways “the Man”!
Tom Collins ( Shgafiq Hicks with the richest voice in the cast) another buddie gets mugged at the start of the show and is rescued by Angel Schunard ( played to perfection by Javon King) a trans that changes his life and then that of all of the characters.
It is a show filled with characters that might make you uncomfortable at first, but as the stories unfold and intertwine, they all meld into a series of love stories that bring all of these odd-balls together. This is a powerful cast with great zest and energy and if you have never seen the show, be prepared to hear lots of applause from those in the audience who have made this a “cult classic”. While they are saying this is a farewell Tour, I for one feel that they will come back as long as people want to watch this story. Remember, Larson died before it opened, so other than his other play “Tick Tick Boom”, this is the only major work he did ( and a masterpiece it is).
By the way, tonight, Jane and I had dinner down the street from the theater at The Italian Village ( where we also valet parked our car). This is the First and oldest Italian eatery in Chicago and while only the top floor is open now, I am sure in the near future, as the numbers go down, they will open up the first floor again. Dining there added a great deal to the evening for us!
“Rent” will only have the following performances:
The CIBC Theatre is located at 18 West Monroe
For more info contact www.BroadwayInChicago.com or call 312-977-1700
season tickets call 312-977-1717
Running Time: 2hrs, 25mins; one intermission
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