Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award-winning (it won 10 nominations including a Pulitzer Prize for Drama) rock opera, based on Puccini’s opera La Boehme, hit the Carlsbad based theatre, New Village Arts, running and never looked back. To some it sounded like a blast heard round the community.
According to Artistic Director and founder Kristianne Kerner, she has been trying to get the rights to the show for ten years.
Those in attendance on opening night showed their appreciation to the excellent cast (some newcomers to NVA) and the glorious production, under the deft direction of Kym Pappas, had the feeling of being special to have been witness to the playwright’s genius by clapping, weeping, cheering, and standing ovations. It is in equal terms, groundbreaking and heartbreaking as well as funny and smart.
Larson, who composed the music, wrote the lyrics, and lived the experiences (for over seven years) along with other East Village “bohemian” artists and enduring the AIDS epidemic, has to be smiling down at his work. He died in 1996 from an aortic dissection the day before its first preview performance of “Rent”.
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| Josh Bradford and Brennan Winspear |
Brennan Winspear has all the right tools and quite at ease as the narrator Mark Cohen, i.e., Larson, a film-maker documenting events and people of the neighborhood including his roommates, lovers and other strangers. His roommates, Roger, ( a disarming and brooding Josh Bradford), a talented musician with a beautiful voice is HIV positive and just off drugs. His new squeeze, Mimi (a dazzling and oft fragile Lena Ceja) also fighting addiction, sing one of Larson’s memorable duets “Another Day”. One of the most memorable however is “Seasons of Love”…
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| Brannen Winspear, Josh Bradford, Shannon McCarthy, Lena Ceja Van Angelo Xavier J. Bush and Eboni Muse |
(“525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan.
525,600 minutes - how can you measure the life of a woman or man”?) But when Collins (Van Angelo) and company sing “I’ll Cover You”, and “Goodbye Love”, my heart broke.
When the roomies find out that they are being evicted from their cold water flat by none other than their ex roommate, Benny (Juwan Stanford) who married for money, they ban together with the homeless in the neighborhood and stage a protest. Theirs is a story of survival, friendship, community, love and dreams.
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| Van Angelo, Shannon McCarthy, Lena Ceja |
The company is made up of at least fifteen members; all talented and spirited and deserve high grades. Not a one weak link in the cast. Having seen a few productions of “Rent”, I must admit this is by far the best of the best!
Musical arrangements by Steve Skinner, Original Concept/Additional Lyrics by Billy Aronson, Musical Supervision by Tim Weil, Tamara Rodriguez Choreographed, and Lynn Christopher Scott Murrilo designed the busy and functional set, Carter Vickers props and Thomson acted as Dramaturg.
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| Lena Ceja |
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| Cast |
“In these dangerous times, when it seems that the world is ripping apart at the seams, we all can learn how to survive from those who stare death squarely in the eye every day and we should reach out to each another and bond as a community rather than hide from the terrors of life” Jonathan Larson
Nuff said.
Enjoy.
See you at the theatre.
When: Runs through Dec. 24. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays
Where: New Village Arts, 2787 State St., Carlsbad
Tickets: $35-$80
Photo: Dupla Photography/Jason Sullivan
Phone: 760-433-3245
Online: newvillagearts.org
