“What’s a fourth wall?”
That was the question of the night at the final dress rehearsal of the Department of Performing Arts’s production of “Rent” before opening on Feb. 20.
This question arose because director and assistant professor in the Department of Performing Arts Carl Menninger decided to use the small, intimate black box of Katzen Studio Theatre instead of the sprawling theaters typically used for “Rent.”
“Jonathan Larson, the composer, said that ‘Rent’ is about community,” Menninger said, “and I thought if we put it in a small space and make the audience feel like they’re part of the community, then maybe we can experience ‘Rent’ in a way that we normally don’t.”
The rock opera based on Giacomo Puccini’s “La Boheme” takes place in 1990s New York during the height of the AIDS crisis and explores the themes of love, loss and art.
The black box was converted into the community of the show itself, lined on three sides with mismatched, worn-down chairs framing a main “stage” as well as a mess of stools and benches in the center of the room where audience members sat facing the center, forced to turn in all directions as the action took place. The walls were covered in graffiti and posters made specifically for the purpose of the show, creating an impressive and ambient atmosphere.
The cast then interacted with the audience throughout the show, forcing some of them to get up so they could take their chairs, offering to sell them “drugs” and having them complete their “Life Support” circle, all without breaking character.
Led by College of Arts and Sciences junior Carter Lowe and CAS senior Ryan Burke as Mark and Roger respectively, the strong ensemble cast performed effortlessly despite cut rehearsals due to snow days. Burke’s voice was close to flawless and Lowe’s acting brought new life to a character that’s been done too many times.
The small ensemble had a huge amount of responsibility as each member played multiple roles involving many costume changes throughout the show.
The only issue was the live band, which sounded muffled behind the walls constructed to keep them hidden and ultimately detracted from the energy of the music but emphasized the importance of the cast’s vocals.
Due to the size of the space and popularity of the show, “Rent” has already sold out all upcoming dates.
