‘Rent’ Pays a Rockin’ Homage to Queer History

Beginning March 26, audiences of the intimate Newhart Family Theatre gathered to experience a wonderfully sensual night of pure musical bliss.

After waiting for what seemed like “525,600 minutes,” Loyola’s theatre department finally held  its debut performance of “Rent” — and the Broadway hit’s message couldn’t burn brighter.

“Rent,” a rock musical written by Jonathan Larson in 1996, follows struggling artists Mark Cohen and Roger Davis as they navigate life in late ‘80s and early ‘90s New York City amid poverty, grief and the growing AIDS epidemic. 

The show also features fellow urban residents Mimi Márquez, Maureen Johnson, Joanne Jefferson, Tom Collins, Angel Dumot Schunard and Benjamin Coffin III — all of whom navigate loss, sex and a passion to leave an impact on the world.

At the centerstage of the theater lies a sensational pipe-frame structure mimicking the dingy tenant buildings sprinkled throughout the hustle-and-bustle of urban areas.

No single character stays in the same place, whether it be Collins (Theron Abel) dancing swiftly across stage left or Mimi (Priya Gangasingh) belting harmoniously from the top of the student-constructed creation. While there are no major set changes between scenes, the audience is able to comprehend the passage of time and apartment scenes with ease.

With performances running the weekends of March 26 and April 9, the show features the artistic vision of director DeRon S. Williams — a staff member of both the Theater and Racial Justice departments at Loyola.

In his director’s note, Williams describes the performance process as a culmination of Jesuit values, promoting the musical as a story rooted in community collaboration and genuine care of the individual.

There can be little doubt that “Rent” — a story filled with sexual desire and authentic LGBTQ+ identities — pushed boundaries for Loyola.

As a Catholic university rooted in Jesuit tradition, the Department of Fine and Performing Art’s rendition of the groundbreaking show is something worthy of celebration. 

In addition to an iconic rendition of the lively, resilient hit “Today For You,” the brilliant representation pushed the historical theme that AIDS can impact all lovers — not just heteronormative ones.

The 1996 Broadway masterpiece has always served as powerful combat against the homophobic stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, but Loyola’s decision to stage the project provides an additional sense of value toward queer students on campus. 

“Rent” highlights several queer identities — from lesbian lovers Joanne and Maureen to the transgender powerhouse Angel — in addition to heterosexual characters. Individual identities are never truly degraded, the deathly sexually-transmitted epidemic instead being the source of each character’s discomfort.

Roger’s inability to cope with his previous partner April’s AIDS-related death provides internal conflict for the character, which is further amplified in his qualms on pursuing a relationship with his scandalous neighbor Mimi.

For the most part, the cast is paired into couples — each one experiencing some hindrance in regard to their relationships. 

A culmination of the New Yorkers’ confusion, self-critique and hormones surfaces in “Contact,” an eroticly entertaining number highlighting the sexual struggles of each of the lovers. 

The lustful lyrics combined with sensual movements among the cast crafted the perfect blend of discomfort and awareness — serving as a brilliant critique on the social stigma surrounding sex.

With a total run time of approximately two and a half hours, the sensationally sexual “Rent” shows the true impact of AIDS among a demographic largely overlooked in public health — low-income individuals. 

The stories of voices historically kept quiet come to light in Loyola’s astounding musical theater spectacle, an impressive feat for only 18 on-stage performers, a live backing band dwelling just behind the pipe set and a small gaggle of backstage crew members.

It’s this integral theme of “Rent” that keeps entrancing audiences, including the Ramblers, time and time again — proud resilience in dark times. 

From sensationally scandalous choreography, abundant vocal riffs, powerhouse ballads and excellent usage of bedsheets, “Rent” left viewers feeling moved from start to finish. In a glorious celebration of queerness, authentic LGBTQ+ identities unite with heteronormative ones to weave a cohesive time-stamp of life for low-income folk during the AIDS crisis.

Audiences can prepare to be enthralled in this queerly-profound Loyola theater experience of the year. 

And one thing’s for sure, nobody will be saying “It was bad for me. Was it bad for you?”

Tickets for the remaining performances of “Rent” can be purchased on Loyola’s ticketing website.