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| L - R Eddie Vona, Ricky Abilez and Mitchell Johnson - Photos by John Klopping |
By Joe Straw
One has been to The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles one other time to see a terrific production Nice Fish written by premier Shakespearian actor Mark Rylance and author/poet Louis Jenkins.
Parking is a little difficult, so it is best to come early.
Entering the theatre, one notices the stage surrounds the seating. Office chairs with no arms (the kind they give temporary workers) are used to view the action all around with instructions not to go beyond the green stars on the floor. A first thought was that patrons would push themselves in and around the circle, but everyone was polite and stayed within their own circular motion, using the one-foot swivel turn, or the bunny hop turn, the silly spin, or simply moving their necks to uncomfortable positions. All works and all moves are allowed. One thinks a younger audience, more involved, would participate more to the actions on stage.
Jonathan Larson’s Rent at the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles is a wonderful work of art and the folks at Courage Ensemble do justice to his legacy. It is an inspired movement of the creative forces that survive and thrive from the lower east side on Manhattan, bohemians saturated in garment district clothing, barely subsiding in tenement buildings. If you have or haven’t seen it in any incarnation, you should run to see this production.
No one is shy about adapting someone else’s art to their own styling, Rent is an adaptation of La bohème by Giacomo Puccini, which was also based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger. Be that as it may, in the world of art all is accepted.
So as the story goes Mark (Eddie Vona) is a filmmaker, or a storyteller of sorts, and he is filming himself and his roommate (Roger) just to get something artistic down on film. The tenement they live in does not have heat so they resort to burning manuscripts for heat knowing at any time the electricity will go off.
Mark’s Mom (Carrie Madsen) calls just to check up on him. Mark doesn’t answer her call. And just for that mom says she found out that Maureen (Shanelle Darlene), his girlfriend, dumped him and ran into the arms of another woman.
L - R Nicole Ledoux and Shanelle Darlene
Collins (Mitchell Johnson) a friend calls from a payphone outside his window and Mark throws down the key to his apartment. But then Collins gets seriously mugged.
Seconds later Benny (Kevin Matsumoto) calls wanting to collect the rent. It’s money they don’t have and probably will never get the way they are going. They reminded Benny they were once roommates, before he married up, and remind him that he said they would never have to worry about the rent. Things have changed. But, catching up he finds that Joanne (Nicole Ledoux) is Maureen’s new girlfriend.
And then the electricity goes off.
A beaten Collins picks himself off the street and meets Angel (Ricky Abilez) a street drummer. There is an immediate attraction, and they both admit to having AIDS. And, then the relationship starts.
Roger, Mark’s roommate, also has AIDS, notified by way of his girlfriend April who left a note saying, “We’ve got AIDS.” and then slits her wrists in the bathroom. Now, he takes his AZT and besides not having any money he will not go out of the house. He stays home to write that one great song and happens to meet Mimi (Allie Aviles) dying from the cold and needing heat for her candle. But once she sees Roger there is an immediate attraction.
In their struggles to be someone, to do something significant in their lives however brief that might be, they try to overcome the conflict in their lives to achieve those goals. Two sources of conflict are rent and eviction. Some make it, others don’t. For today a temporary fix, to find an ounce of hope in a 16-ounce box of misery.
Reena Dutt directs an incredible cast giving life in 360-degree view. It is an inspired vision that has actors in and out and using every space imaginable. Despite the misery, their goals are beautiful, and Dutt has them singing and dancing their hearts out.
Vicki Conrad’s work as Costume Designer gives us the exact time and place 1989 in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Rebecca Graul is the Musical Director, and her work is off the bohemian charts! On this night, due to unforeseeable circumstances, she calmly filled in the gap to a rousing and enthusiastic audience. Dan Graul and Tom Zygmont added to the supreme enjoyment of the musical night.
Front L- R Graham Kurtz, Sofia Bragar, Ricky Abilez, Mitchell Johnson, Sean Cruz
Eddie Vona is exceptional as Mark. Carlos Padilla, Jr.’s vocals on Glory were beautiful and set the tone or this musical in the right direction. Ellie Aviles (Mimi) lent love in all the right places. Mitchell Johnson (Collins) brought knowledge to the game. Ricky Abliez (Angel) is very sympathetic and with nothing to lose gains the most. Kevin Matsumoto (Benny) despite being the bad guy is prophetic when he says he will help. Nicole Ledoux (Joanne) is very angular and does a very nice tango. Shannnell Darlene (Maureen) puts everything into her performance despite being pulled in two different directions.
Sofia Bragar, Sean Cruz, Graham Kurtz, Carrie Madsen, Nicole Monet and John “Rusty” Proctor all fill in and in spectacular fashion to move the musical along as significant beings in the life of the people who live on the Lower East Side.
This is a huge undertaking for Kirk Wilson, Scenic Design, as the stage in 360 has been elaborately designed and works wonders to all that magically play on its stage.
The alternates that did not perform the night I was there are Ary Auxais, Shanna Beauchamp, Sofia Bragar, Nyx Ciel, Graham Kurtz, Danni Moreno, William Norris, Janet Song, and Danni Spring.
There is more to write, but little time to do so. Rent is a show that presents so many gifts that it’s impossible to accept them in one viewing. Suffice it to say that Rent is a monster of a show that begs for you to come back again and again!
Other members of the crew are as follows:
Azra King-Abadi – Lighting Design
Dean Harada – Sound Design
Felicia Rein – Prop Design
Talya Camras – Production Stage Manager
Pedro Armendariz – Assistant Stage Manager
Tasheena Medina – Choreographer
Ellie Aviles – Associate Choreographer
Jo Ann Mendleson – Fight Choreographer
Carly DW Bones – Intimacy Director
John Klopping – Production Photographer
Ken Werther Publicity – Press Representative
Sara Holder – Dei Consultant
Kyle T. Hester – Graphic Designer
Darrell Morrison – Lead Carpenter
Matthew Case & Kaspar Abbo – Audio Engineers
Run! Run! Run! And take a very special friend.
And if you can’t make it consider a donation to this wonderful company at www.coeurage.org/donate, or through the VENMO account: @Coeurage. Coeurage is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible.