The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center’s interpretation of Rent now running through June 2

The 1996 Tony Award-winning musical Rent follows the lives of young artists, circa 1989, living in poverty on the lower East Side of Manhattan. Collectively, they struggle with drugs, sexuality, conflict and just paying the rent as their world is upended by the AIDS epidemic. Not for the faint of heart, there is gritty ugliness in the characters, yet humanity and grace, all of which collide to create a perfect storm of thoughtful theatre.

The cast features a diverse range of skills from the adequate to the showstoppers. While the lead characters take on a single persona, even more of the cast switches it up with multiple roles. The snappy, snarky dialogue is delivered with careful pacing and the choreography is well executed.

For the show’s opener, standout and FAC veteran Jon Rodéz takes on the role of Tom Collins with his acting as powerful as his pipes. Rodéz’ Collins hooks up with a drag queen named Angel, (played with sheer perfection by Micah Mims) as they learn that they are both HIV positive. This realization is a waterfall of the traumas to follow that both unite and divide.

Most of the action centers on Collins and his friends Mark and Roger (Christian Ray Robinson and Elton J. Tanega) and a cadre of sad souls living on the fringe. This is where the plot gets lost in seemingly needless complexities: who is doing who, right or wrong, where and when, and who knows what.

Long-time Springs thespian Rebecca Myers doesn’t disappoint as the manipulative Maureen. FAC newcomer Imani Gholson sparkles as Mimi who is wildly flirtatious to conceal her heroin addiction. There is the classic interloper, romantic trysts and dramatic partings, liaisons and longings and the inevitable declines into despair.

Photo: Isaiah J. Downing

Rich characters

Rent is heavy on the musical theatre side and light in dialogue, which tends to obscure the plotline. Act Tewo galvanizes the seemingly disconnected subplots in the sometimes draggy first act. Forget following the expected trajectory and instead bask in the rich characterizations. There are the druggies, LGBTQ+ folks and multiracial representation amid the issues of the day around HIV/AIDS. Rent is presented as a moment in history when resilience and hope prevail in the face of great adversity.

This reviewer is a keen observer of stagecraft, sound, lighting reflecting the collaborative and cooperative talent of the creative team behind the scenes. Among my favs in this show is the scenic design. It is simplistic with every space serving its purpose. The audience is transported to the dark, dirty, and desperate streets of NYC thanks to multiple platforms that stage the scenes.

The four-person band is cleverly shrouded in a deep corner of the stage as if part of the storyline hidden in a secret speakeasy. Keyboardist and musical director Stephanie McGuffin leads her ensemble in perfect pitch and pacing with the actors in what is clearly a difficult score.

Imani Gholson as Mimi and Elton J. Tanega as Roger in ‘Rent’ | Photo: Isaiah J. Downing

Rent ran on Broadway until 2008 and was adapted into a major feature film in 2005. The choice to mainstage Rent in Colorado Spring is a brave and bold act. Gone are the days of theatrical Camelots of white bread actors who look and live Broadway-bound cookie-cutter lives. This is a provocative experience to open the mind and embrace theatre beyond sheer entertainment. Hats off to FAC for ripping off the bandage and exposing real life on stage.