September 19, 21, 22, 26, 28 & 29, October 2, 4 & 6, 2024
Pullman Yards
Atlanta, Georgia – USA
Jonathan LARSON: RENT
James Lowe, conductor; Tomer Zvulun, co-director; Vita Tzykun co-director, set & projection designer; Jpnathan Larson, composer & librettist. Cast: Heath Saunders (Roger Davis), Jake Levy (Mark Cohen), Jonathan Christopher (Tom Collins), Gerald Caesar (Benjamin “Benny” Coffin, III), Harper Miles (Joanne Jefferson), Christin Byrdsong (Angel Dumott Schunard), Chani Maisonet (Mimi Marquez), Bligh Voth (Maureen Johnson), Deborah Bowman (Ensemble: Mark’s Mom), Fenner Eaddy (Ensemble: Mr. Jefferson, Christmas Caroler), Stephanie Zandra (Ensemble: Mrs. Jefferson, Woman with Bags), Leo Thomasian (Ensemble: Gordon, The Man, Mr. Grey), Jacob Taylor Starks (Ensemble: Steve, Man with Squeegee), Benjamin Harding (Ensemble: Paul, Police Officer), Alexandria Joy (Ensemble: Alex Darling, Roger’s Mom), Chris McKnight (Ensemble), Bailey Jo Harbaugh (Ensemble), Brandon Nguyen-Hilton (Ensemble). Creative: Amy Sutton, costume designer; Thomas C. Hase, lighting designer; Lindsey Ewing, wig & makeup designer; Ricardo Aponte, associate director, choreographer; Greg Matteson, assistant conductor; Gregory Luis Boyle, assistant director; Parker Molacek, projection programmer; Natalia Carlson, associate lighting designer; Michael Lewis, assistant scenic designer, Joshua Reid, .sound designer
Mark Gresham | 24 SEP 2024
It was in the early 1980s that AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) emerged as a global health crisis. Caused by the virus known as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), AIDS was first identified in 1981 when clusters of rare diseases, including Kaposi’s sarcoma and pneumocystis pneumonia, were found in young gay men in the United States. HIV weakens the immune system, leaving individuals vulnerable to infections and cancers. Although the virus likely crossed from chimpanzees to humans in Central Africa during the early 20th century, it went unrecognized as an epidemic until decades later.
By the 1990s, AIDS had devastated communities worldwide, particularly affecting marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ population, intravenous drug users, and people of color. The social stigma and lack of understanding surrounding the disease further complicated efforts to control its spread, as many early patients were blamed for their conditions. The U.S. government’s delayed response led to widespread frustration, particularly among activists, many of whom lost loved ones to the virus.
It was during this time that Jonathan Larson’s musical RENT debuted in 1996, one of many efforts giving a voice to the AIDS crisis through art.
Patterned loosely after Puccini’s opera La bohème, RENT tells the story of a group of young artists living in New York City, grappling with struggles of love, poverty, and the looming presence of AIDS. It captured the challenges faced by those living with HIV/AIDS, as well as the emotional toll the disease inflicted on individuals, families, and entire communities.
Larson himself died unexpectedly from an aortic aneurysm on the eve of RENT’s first off-Broadway preview. Still, his musical became a cultural phenomenon, spreading awareness and fostering compassion around AIDS. The musical’s themes resonated with people across the globe, particularly in cities heavily impacted by the epidemic, including Atlanta.
With this powerful historical and cultural backdrop, The Atlanta Opera has brought its bold interpretation of RENT to life at Pullman Yards, turning a gritty post-industrial venue into a vibrant, immersive portrayal of New York City’s East Village. With co-directors Tomer Zvulun and Vita Tzykun at the helm, the production’s edgy atmosphere was matched by creative staging, dynamic lighting, and the palpable energy of its cast.
Heath Saunders’ portrayal of Roger Davis was raw and emotionally driven, pairing well with Chani Maisonet’s provocative portrayal of Mimi Marquez. Their chemistry helped fuel the overall drama, particularly during “Light My Candle” and “Without You,” with the the intensity of their relationship.
Jake Levy as Mark Cohen anchored the story with a narrator’s charm, while Christin Byrdsong’s Angel Dumott Schunard and Jonathan Christopher’s Tom Collins offered a heartfelt portrayal of love amidst hardship, particularly in the iconic reprise of “I’ll Cover You.”
As for the instrumental underpinnings, James Lowe led the six-piece band ably from the keyboard, making the through-composed rock, blues, and soul-influenced score the fundamental driving force propelling the drama forward.
Vita Tzykun’s set and projection design offered detailed layers of urban decay underlying the emotional highs and lows of the characters’ lives. Ricardo Aponte’s choreography increased the vibrancy, especially in the energetic “La Vie Bohème.”
However, the musical’s message ultimately had its best communicative reach in the ensemble number “Season of Love, which appears twice” in Act II. The song became popularized by the soundtrack for the 2005 film version of RENT. It is often associated with World AIDS Day and AIDS Awareness Month.
None of this is to say that this RENT is a perfect production by any means. There are significant ups and downs in the singing, which isn’t operatic in technique but instead reflects the vox populi of the American music styles it evokes, relying on theatrical “chest voice” and amplification, and not always in tune (particular;ly some vocal embellishments that went off-center). A good bit of the character movement (not the dance moves) felt artificial and over-choreographed. The latter half of the first act began to wear long, and the feeling was one of wanting it to end and allow for intermission. The second act redeemed the production in this regard, rejuvenating the dramatic energy and the viewer’s attention. In the end, it all came together, even if a “false end” could be implied in a couple of instances toward the end of the second act. Had it been as long as the first, the second act could have met the same draggy fate as its predecessor. Thankfully, it did not.
However, despite some modest shortcomings, the company’s message and gritty delivery were an overall success. It has an audience for which Pullman Yards was a drawing point as a venue. (One could easily imagine RENT working on a much smaller scale at the former La Maison Rouge, which burned down in November 2019, and having a draw for similar audience demographic.)
It must be noted that this production and the company’s modernized La bohème, a companion Discoveries Series production which alternates performances with RENT, pay tribute to those who have helped communities endure health crises throughout history. Most importantly, it serves as a sincere “hats off” and thank-you to some of Atlanta’s top medical institutions and leaders who guided The Atlanta Opera through the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing their other essential frontline work in epidemic medicine. ■
Performances of RENT by The Atlanta Opera continue through October 6 at Pullman Yards.
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- The Atlanta Opera: atlantaopera.org
Read more by Mark Gresham.
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