Rent
Rent By Jonathon Larson
Directed by Derek Critzer
Musical Direction by Beth Atkins
Choreography by Derek Critzer and Cassidy Tompkins
Starring Aaron Vanderyacht, Tony Flaherty, and Gabriella Whiting
Clandestine Arts presenting at The Lowndes Shakespeare Center, Orlando FL</strong>
Interesting artistic choice – three Equity actors, and two of them end up in the chorus…hmmm… This show seems to get done every week, I know of one other running locally and have heard rumors of a third so I’ll assume everyone know most of the plot: Mark (Vanderyacht) is slumming in Alphabet City until he makes it as a film maker while his flat mate Roger (Flaherty) writes songs the would drive Brian Eno to desperation. I’m sympathetic to his medical condition, but he’s not much of a songwriter. Their friends are all street people, artists and hookers, everyone is taking drugs, starving to death, “finding themselves,” fighting AIDS or squeegeeing cars for beer money. It’s La Bohème, but sung in English.
Clandestine Arts put up a respectable production, the cast is well chosen and a live trio lurks under the set which beats the pre-recorded tracks. Vanderyacht has a smirky quality that lets you know he’s just hanging out for the atmosphere and he might run home to Scarsdale for a decent meal and a hot shower at any time. Flaherty is sullen and has some serious sound issues; I often had trouble hearing him. Mimi had the nicest voice of any of the principles, I loved her “Out Tonight” I hope to see her again soon on stage. The two equity folks (Jarvis Derrell and Injoy Fountain) had short solos in “Season of Love” that were gorgeous but I wish they had been given bigger roles in this aria-laden show. Maureen (Lindsay Lavin) had Mr. Vanderyacht’s smirk, she also got the best line of the evening when here girlfriend Joanne (Elaina Walton) questioned her fidelity: “There will always be women in rubber flirty with me.” Amen to that.
Director Critzer put this story on a well-conceived set that looked like it had been shoplifted from Lowes. Two levels, rickety ladders and a cinder block Stairway to Heaven made you feel like you were alphabet city, even if you couldn’t smell the stale urine. While Rent is closing in on Christmas Carol as one of the most overdone shows in the American Repertory there were solid performances all around and the live band was a nice touch. Clandestine Arts is based over in Tampa, and it’s good to see some cross I-4 corridor artistic interchange, there’s clearly some talent over in the Bay area and I’m glad they fought the traffic to visit us.
More information on Clandestine Arts may be found at www.clandestine-arts.com
