This past Friday, the Connecticut Repertory Theater premiered their spring musical “Rent” at the Fine Arts Center on the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut. Attendees were treated to a wonderful performance delivered by current and former UConn drama students. The audience was quickly transported to the urban neighborhoods of New York City in 1996 through the immaculate stage design crafted by third-year M.F.A. scenic design student Elizabeth Olson.
The production design was the first thing that hooked the audience, especially with it expanding through the aisles and even covering the walls behind the seats. The show became an immersive experience before it even began. But it was the actors and their powerful performances that really delivered on opening night.
“Rent” follows an ensemble of poverty-stricken friends as their relationships with each other change over the course of a year. Themes of financial stress, diverse sexual identities, addiction and politics are prevalent throughout the musical.
Unexpectedly, one of the lead ensemble characters, Roger, was played by B.A. theater studies junior Danny Kelly, the understudy for Carlos Fruzzetti. Kelly slipped into the character quite well and audiences could tell he had worked hard to bring his character alive. His talent was particularly dazzling in the musical numbers which allowed him to belt out powerful and provocative notes.
Kelly wasn’t the only standout performance though, as M.F.A. acting student Kiera Prusmack also displayed her incredible singing, acting and choreography skills as Mimi, Roger’s love interest in the musical. In her solo song, “Out Tonight,” she stunned the crowd with her emotional vocals and elaborate dance that brought her from the back of the theater, through the aisles and ending in center stage. The aisles were used quite frequently throughout the performance, which was a powerful factor in making the audience feel like part of the show.
The lead role — who also acts as somewhat of a narrator — is Mark, who was played by the immensely talented B.F.A. senior acting student Robert Liniak. He mesmerized audiences with his shocking vocals and expert acting range. As a character, Mark has many instances where he has to be quite serious and other moments where he is allowed to deliver his comedic timing. Liniak wonderfully balanced these aspects in a very well-rounded performance. The “Tango Maureen” duet between Mark and Joanne (M.F.A. acting student Katelyn Trieu) offered a great comedic tone in part of the first act.
Performances by Owen Ing, a recent graduate of The Hartt School, as Angel, the nonbinary love interest of Collins (played by M.F.A. acting student Tony King), also deserves praise. The couple stole the show with their chemistry and impactful voices during their duets in “I’ll Cover You.” Ing delivered a wonderful performance, and said the role of Angel is very close to their heart.
After a 20-minute intermission, the second act proceeded to blow the first one out of the water.
It opened with the most popular song from the musical, “Seasons of Love,” which was performed by the entire cast making heavy eye contact with the audience. The number “Contact” was excellently executed by a majority of the cast and acted as the emotional center of the musical. Artistic director Nate Bertone’s vision was best encapsulated in this number, as the characters’ relationships and their personal struggles mirrored the difficulty Collins was feeling in Angel’s final moments.
Notably, Elizabeth McManus as Maureen and Ammon Downer as Benny, both senior B.F.A. acting students, also stood out among the ensemble. The weeks of preparation and midnight rehearsals seemed to pay off on opening night. However, Downer described the added commitment a show like this can have on a performer’s daily schedule.
“The labor hustles were definitely something that can be taxing when you’re trying to manage your classes at the same time and for me, I also have a job,” Downer said. “But being at rehearsal so late allows us to really spend the time that we need on making the show as grand as possible. Like I don’t know if the show would be where it is now if we didn’t spend every waking moment that we did working on it.”
More showings of “Rent” are scheduled for April 26-30. Visit CRT’s website for more information and to purchase tickets.
Thank you for publishing this review of our project! We are so proud to share RENT with the UConn community. I’d like to recognize our professional guest director, Nate Bertone, whose vision drove the production, and MFA student Elizabeth Olson who designed the scenery, with mentorship and support from Professor Alexander Woodward.