"Rent" review by broadwaysinger

The RENT is due...and is paid in Full!
Rating: 5

Rent
CenterSeason Theatre

A time of great turmoil as well as great life and love has been captured by Jonathan Larson's once groundbreaking musical RENT! Winner of several awards including Tonys and a Pulitzer Prize has a new life at the Centerstage at the JCC in Overland Park.

Director Mark Swezey has assembled a remarkable cast of 24 performers who sing and dance...but not just that, they tug at the very heart strings that most musical performers never can get to in the average audience goer. They all seem to inhabit the roles they have especially the 8 principles who move flawlessly from scene to scene whether they are singing a soulful lament or a rock song they each bring a form of professionalism to the table the likes of which rarely happens in a community theatre setting.

Annie Paglusch's choreography dazzles from scene to scene with a sense of both sexuality and fun...from dancing transsexuals to a young girl searching for fun and adventure in a provocative way to the raucous number "La Vie Boheme"...just goes to show that even in a show with minimal dancing it stands out for a delightful breath of fresh air!

Jeremy Watson and his band create a sound that makes this feel and look like a rock concert in all the good ways yet tells the story from the musical standpoint...always visible to audiences yet never a distraction, they become, in a way, the visual indicator of mood along with the lights by Alex Perry...there is beauty in this show that some would think lacks from a "Rock Opera".

Performers in this show are the staring factor though and must be given there due...each of the 8 principles as well as the ensemble show just what theatre can be. You believe that they are friends, lovers, rivals, junkies, homeless, roommates and in the end a real family. It comes across from the first time you see them till the last note...this is some of the best theatre that has been done in Kansas City!

Jake Borowski as the all present eyes of the show "Mark Cohen," independent filmmaker and narrator (at least through the lens of his camera) watches, listens and tries to help his friends while dealing with problems of his own...fuels every scene with an intense earnestness and heart that you forget you are watching an actor on stage and not an actual real life Mark. His songs and duets are sung sublimely and with a melancholy that fits with the role especially "Halloween" and his duet with Roger in "What you Own"...Jake is the driving force in this show and keeps it on track from beginning to end, keeping the audience with the story and keeping the actors in the moment on stage. Borowski is on a short list of performers in this area that are a constant reminder that you can do community theatre here with performers that are professional in their performance...stand out performance!

Adam Branson as the rocker turned recluse "Roger Davis," has a gift for making us believe that one can come back from the edge in time to find what we really love. From his haunting yet powerful "One Song Glory" to his emotional outburst in the second act, his Roger breaths in sorrow and finally exhales happiness when he finds the love of his life after thinking his life is over. His duet with MIMI "light my candle" shows just how playful Branson can be gives him a chance to come out from the brooding anti-hero and live a little. Seeing him in "Alter BOYZ" he gives an even better performance here than in his wonderful performance there. Solid strong and talented I'm sure we shall see more of this young man.

Emily Burns as the dancer with an attitude and problems but with a heart of gold "Mimi Marqueze" delivers a performance that one would not expect to see in OP. She dances, shines and thrives as MIMI, her small frame is perfect for the drug addicted dancer yet when she smiles she lights up the darkness...you feel like you want to feed the poor MIMI a sandwich and can understand why there is a love triangle for her with BENNY and ROGER. Her "Out Tonight" is a sexy and seductive shout out to night owls everywhere...and her "Without You" in the second act makes you feel like you were hit with a thundercloud of tears as you gear up for what's coming in the second act. This is a star making turn for young Burns.

Samantha Agron as the performance artist and recent lesbian "Maureen Johnson" gives one of the funniest performances in the show as well as one of the tightest duets too. "Over the Moon" is a stand out for its creative drive and range showing why her character has to make an entrance! Funny and quick witted in its writing, Agron breathes life into something that could be very stagnant. I noticed it was hard for other performers to keep from laughing during the song as well. Her "Take me or Leave Me" with JOANNE in the second act shows why people do musicals: it's strong, powerful and fun! This is a performer to watch out for!

Kathryn McCreary as lawyer turned roadie as well as girlfriend to Maureen "Joanne Jefferson" brings a polished edge and a refinement to a role that calls for just that...her singing is wonderful and she is an entertaining character...blasting through "Take me or leave me" as a battle of wits with MAUREEN or her first act "We're OK" where she talks on multiple phones in quick tempo shows why she is a professional on all levels...a great addition to the show as well as this theatre community.

Joshua Pulos as the cross-dressing drummer and lover of COLLINS "Angel Dummont-shunard" dances and sings with heart and makes you fall in love with him/her...the time you meet her til we lose her Pulos gives us a lesson in love more than anyone..."I'll cover you" his duet with COLLINS makes you just want to hug him...and there is a true sadness with his passing...though his singing in the song "Contact" is an amazing blast and a worthy "death" to a character we come to love. His introduction in full drag "Today for you" will have you dancing in your seats and excited to see where the road takes us next!

Darin Parker as the calm cool and collected "Tom Collins" who as with ROGER, MIMI and ANGEL has AIDS delivers an amazingly warm performance. From being beaten up to finding the love of his life, from reconnecting with friends to losing his love...Parker becomes the backbone of the show. The heart-achingly soulful "I'll Cover You: Reprise" is a show stopping number that had audience members all around me weeping. You truly feel like he loved her and that tears you up even more. Both playful and serious when he needs to be...this is an amazing performance.

Bradley J. Thomas as the former roommate and friend to ROGER, MARK, COLLINS and MAUREEN and now landlord "Benjamin Coffin III" plays the "bad guy" with an easy grace and a demeanor you wouldn't expect from the "enemy of avenue A"...both charming and disarming you can see why MIMI would be attracted to him. Villains are never easy to like yet Thomas has that ability. From yelling into his cell phone to his ability to hold his own even when every one on stage hates him to his "You'll see" the vision he has that will help his friends realize their dreams too. He manages to give us someone to place blame on and yet you know they'll come through in the end. Rare does one of KC's "nice guy" actors get a chance to be bad and Thomas does just that...powerhouse actor who will be a force to be reckoned with one of these days.

Last but certainly not least the ensemble of this show is a delight from beginning to end...16 talented and diverse performers round out what is one of the best shows I have seen in years...not wanting to break any hearts I will just say that there are performances that wow and make you laugh, and there are performances that make you think and feel...all of which are in a good way.

If you get a chance: SEE THIS SHOW!!!! you owe it to you yourself to get to the JCC before it closes...this is the best production of RENT I've seen since I saw the Broadway production in 2000...Bravo to the cast and crew for a night of amazing theatre.

read the review at kcstage.com