At my first ever showing of RENT, I was thoroughly impressed with the singing and dancing the MUSKET performers presented on opening night November 22 at the Power Center for the Performing Arts. As I sat down to take my seat, I noticed there wasn’t any specific stage designs or set-up, just platforms where cast members could climb up and down to sing at an elevated level. The simplistic stage design made me and other audience members intently focus on the music and lyrics throughout the entirety of the show. The one noticeable feature of the stage was Mark and Roger’s (played by Sam Yabrow and Ryan Vasquez) sofa, a raggedy representation of the late 1980s/early 1990s New York City lifestyle they lived in the heart of the city. I thought the decision to keep the stage so minimalist really fared well for the overall production.
As a tale of living through AIDs and poverty and temporary homelessness, RENT’s most touching scene was that for the funeral of Angel (played by Alex Miller) where the crossdesser’s friends told stories about him bringing them together through love. Indeed, the musical’s signature piece “Seasons of Love” captured the essence of that spirit, and the cast members performed it in the most simplistically beautiful way possible, lined up shoulder to shoulder facing the audience.
Seeing the play from a more mature perspective I picked up on themes that my adolescent self had no preconceived notion to pick up on. My favorite song when the play first came out was “Tango Maureen” because I liked the tango melody that oozes through the song. Little did I know it was a tale about how ex-lover Marc and current lover Joanne believe Maureen uses and abuses them and makes them “tango” around her.
Freshman Chani Wereley starred in her role as lost Mimi, where her solo number clad in lingerie and another scene where she shoots up heroin were performed with killer execution. Additionally, ensemble member Kevin Lee provides comic relief to the grim story line, at one point in which he rocks a cow costume. I could go on and on about the hidden laughter and special moments throughout the show, but you really need to see it yourself to appreciate the hard work the cast has put in to this production.
If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s still a performance tonight at 8 p.m. and a matinee show at 2 p.m. tomorrow. Don’t miss out on a fun-filled, musically engaging study break—RENT!
Tag: MUSKET
PREVIEW: RENT
Who: MUSKET
What: RENT: The Musical
When: November 22 and 23 at 8 p.m., November 24 at 2 p.m.
Where: Power Center for the Performing Arts
Tickets: $7 for students, call the Michigan League Ticket Office at 734-764-2538 or visit the box office at the back of the Michigan League.
MUSKET’s fall production of RENT comes to the Power Center this weekend for three shows. As the unversity’s only completely student-run theatre company, the musical will broadcast the talents of students from a variety of schools. I’m super excited for the hit after seeing the movie way back in middle school in 2005.
Visit MUSKET’s official website, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and RSVP to the RENT Facebook event page!
REVIEW: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
I really had no idea what to expect from this musical. Before last Saturday, I’d never seen it performed or heard any of the songs. Perhaps that’s the best way to go to a musical–with a completely open mind. Let the cast members do what they will with the story.
One of the first things I noticed, before the show even started, was how amazing the set was. Kudos to whoever designed it and set it up. The spelling bee was set to take place in a school’s gymnasium, complete with wooden floorboards, crappy metal bleachers, and even a basketball stuck between the hoop and the backboard. It was perfect.
The musical itself was a delicate balance between hilarious and touching. Much of it was lighthearted and funny–the definitions and sentences given for each word were my favorite part. The introductions of each contestant were great, too: someone was “writing an opera in Braille,” while another was “kicked off Project Runway for creating that outfit.” Audience participation was a huge part of the first half, but just because someone was brave enough to go on stage in front of hundreds of people didn’t mean they would get treated gently. Aside from the Project Runway line, someone was referred to as “Babycrombie and Fitch,” and the last holdout in the spelling competition was given the most difficult words possible, until he failed and left no one on stage but the cast members. I was really, really glad I hadn’t volunteered! I just laughed comfortably from my vantage point in the auditorium seating.
I thought there were a couple standout performances (Maddy Trumble, Jordan Harris, Tyler Jones), but the real magic came from how the cast worked with each other. In a musical that could have easily coasted on the hilarity and quirkiness of the writing, everyone on stage dug a little deeper and found a way to make each character’s story poignant and gripping. By the time the contestants are whittled down to Olive and William, the audience has felt the loss of each kid that dropped out, and doesn’t quite know who to root for to win it all. Even so, when one kid does win, all of a sudden it feels like that’s exactly how it should work out and everyone goes home happy. All in all, I felt like the show did exactly what a show should do: it was entertaining, and at the same time, it left the audience with some deeper issues to think about on the way home. If you ever get a chance to see it performed, I highly recommend it!
PREVIEW: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
In the mood for a musical this weekend? You’re in luck! MUSKET is presenting The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on March 25-27: Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 8 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm. All shows will be at the Power Center. It’s the first time ever that this musical has been produced on campus–we’ve got some really ambitious performers in our midst! It’s a Tony Award-winning, comical musical about 6 awkward adolescents competing in–you guessed it–a spelling bee, and the stakes are ridiculously high. The original recording was also nominated for a Grammy.
Tickets are $7 for students, $13 for adults, available at the Michigan League Ticket Office. It’s not sold out yet, but anything put on by the music school is pretty much guaranteed to be popular–grab a seat, and enjoy!
