Broadway trailblazer “Rent” returns to the stage

Jonathan Larson's internationally acclaimed rock ‘n' roll opera Rent, which opened in 1996 on Off Broadway stages, has been revived at the New World Stages theater.

Written in 1989, Rent became a groundbreaking musical that showcased and made audiences across the world face humanitarian issues including living with AIDS/HIV, homosexuality, homelessness, over development and being transgendered.

Mimi Marquez (Arianda Fernandez) is a 19-year-old drug addict and HIV positive dancer. Roger Davis (Matt Shingledecker), a struggling artist and former drug addict who is in his first year of sobriety, is also dealing with his HIV diagnosis.

Mimi and Roger meet and fall in love, but issues like trust, sobriety and secrecy keep them from loving each other completely. Fernandez and Shingledecker do an excellent job at conveying the two very different characters, Mimi and Roger.

At the beginning of the show the on stage chemistry comes across as frigid. However, as the story line unfolds, so do the characters.

By the end of the show, Shingledecker and Fernandez will not only make you witness to their explosive love story, but also make you an active participant.

Transgender AIDS patient, Angel Dumott Schunard (MJ Rodriguez) is full of life, despite her diagnosis. Her vibrant character and positivity make Tom Collins (Nicholas Christopher), an AIDS positive adjunct professor and self-described anarchist, fall madly in love with her.

Unlike their counterparts, Mimi and Roger, Angel and Tom have a healthy, positive, and loving relationship that the others almost envy. Rodriguez's charisma and energy make for a perfect Angel while Christopher's relaxed and engaged persona make him a wonderful fit for the dynamic, refreshingly over the top, couple.

While watching Rodriguez and Christopher perform "I'll Cover You," one can only hope that they will find a love as true and special as Angel and Tom have found in one another.

Mark Cohen (Adam Chanler-Berat) is Roger's roommate and a struggling filmmaker, documenting real life in hopes to produce a groundbreaking short film.

Annaleigh Ashford plays Maureen Johnson, a modern art performance artist, whose romance with Joann Jefferson (Corbin Reid), a Harvard graduate and attorney, can best be described as fiery.

Strikingly relatable, these characters come from very different walks of life, but are bought together by art, love and adversity.

For two and a half hours, audience members from different social, economic, religious, and age groups come together to face and feel the naked account of life's emotions that many over look, suppress, and take for granted.

In the fashion of a true work of art, each audience member interprets Larson's lyrics differently. Friendship, love and dispelling regret to live a meaningful life are a few interpretations audience members walk away with.

The scene La Vie Boheme, describes the challenges young artists face, their relentless fight to keep their neighborhood and the social problems they face in the '90s.

During this high-energy performance, complete with table dancing, sexually descriptive language, and the chant, "FIGHT AIDS," the audience may forget that most of the characters are living with HIV/AIDS.

However, midway through the number, multiple beeper reminders go off and the characters pause to take their AZT.

Just like many living with the disease today, the scene is a reminder and showcases that although this diagnosis is critical, it does not and should not impair the quality of one's life.

New Jersey sisters Veronica and Elizabeth Valdeham are separated by an 11-year age difference, but united by their love of Rent.

"I have been enjoying Rent for 15 years now. I was in the audience when the original cast took the stage and have been hooked every since," recounts Elizabeth.

Veronica offers a different view of the newer generation of Rent fans, "Thanks to my sister I have been listening to the soundtrack for years. I fell in love with the soundtrack, watched the film and this is my first time seeing it on stage. I am blown away."

"I can feel and see myself in each character. So far I have laughed, cried and been in awe by the raw performance of the cast,"  Veronica states during an intermission.

Brianna McGovener is a newer fan of Rent that watched the film before seeing the live performance.

"After watching the film I have been listening to the soundtrack for years. I always feel that live performances are better than film but this is especially true for Rent," she said.

To Elizabeth, the classic musical still bears relevance today.

"Rent is about life and putting yourself in an other's perspective, it's timeless," she said.

Through putting these issues on a world stage they have since been addressed. However, the message to pay attention to others is always relatable and timeless."

Rent will continue playing at New World Stages through May 27.