TheatreUNI recently produced Jonathan Larson’s rock musical, “RENT” at the Strayer-Wood Theatre; it was a production for the books, tugging on your heart strings and leaving a powerful, impactful feeling with the audience.

“RENT” has won a Tony award, a Pulitzer prize and was adapted into a film. Most of the shows were sold out, indicating the show’s popularity. While the show had never appealed to me, this specific production has changed my previous feelings toward it.

The first thing that struck me was the set. A tip of the cap is due to scenic designer, Mark Parrott. It is large and grandiose, but humble in a way. It is meant to look like a seedy, abandoned studio in Alphabet City, New York. Trash and candles scatter the apartment. All action that doesn’t take place in the apartment takes place on two large, scaffolding structures positioned at either sides of the stage.

Perhaps the best part of the set was the screen hanging above the main set. It acts as the window to the studio apartment where Mark and Roger live, changing color to accommodate for the time of day and the season. In the end, it is also used to present Mark’s film that he had been working on for most of the show, which is a compilation of shots of the cast. This final vison certainly tugs at the heartstrings and reminds the audience of the biggest theme of the show: family.

Something must be said for the costumes as well, credit due to costume designer Amy S. RohrBerg. The show is set in the early 1990’s and the costumes perfectly reflect that, from Roger’s leather jacket to Mark’s sweater vest and Mimi’s fishnet stockings.

“RENT” is a musical with virtually no speaking lines. So the actors had the difficult task of singing and acting at the same time. There were no bad performances in the show. All the actors did extremely well under the direction of Jay Edelnant. However, there were a few that stuck out.

Samantha Reece played Maureen, a lesbian performance artist. She really epitomizes the idea of La Vie Boheme, the celebration of Bohemianism, which is a major theme in the show. Reece’s vocals are powerful enough to reach the audience’s stomach and make them laugh, cry and even moo like a cow. There is an energy to her performance that can best be described as uninhibited, which is a stark contrast to the cold, icy demeanor of her girlfriend, Joanne, played by Erika Bailey.

Mic Evans plays Mark Cohen, a young filmmaker and narrator. He is also one of the few characters not to be HIV positive. To put it simply, Mark is the glue that holds this de facto family together, and it is conveyed well through Evans’s performance as he is genuinely concerned for the well-being of his friends. Evans also has natural chemistry with Sam Wiegers, who plays Mark’s roommate and best friend, Roger, who struggles with AIDS.

Lauren VanSpeyBroeck plays Mimi, Roger’s love interest, giving a performance that was nothing short of perfection. Her voice fit the part, and her portrayal of a drug addicted stripper with AIDS was realistic right down to the dragging of her feet and the itching of her arm. Mimi is a difficult person to portray without being overly campy, slutty or gimmicky, but VanSpeyBroech pulls it off wonderfully.

Michael Alexander plays Tom Collins, an anarchist college professor with AIDS, who falls in love with the drag queen, Angel, played by Gary Mayfield. Without giving too much away, Alexander’s performance can best be summed up as heartbreaking. His voice has incredible resonance and range shown in the reprise of, “I’ll Cover You”.

“RENT” is a show about finding love in a hard world and finding a foster family, a tribe that you fit into. Love is a central theme, but it’s not the “Romeo and Juliet” love that we expect. It is a love that can only be found through a sense of belonging. The feeling of “I’ve been here and you’ve been here and we’re together right now”. The show seemed to be over too fast and left you wanting more. To quote the show, “no day but today.”