Entering into the Aronoff Center at first is daunting. Not knowing what to expect or what to think, I was a bit insecure when I made the trip downtown to see the hit musical “Rent.” Set in modern New York, this musical sets up common situations that normally do not make it to the mainstream. By this I mean cross-dressing, abuse of illegal drugs, homosexuality, and life in general for struggling common people.
These themes set up a twisting plot that forces the audience to keep its head on straight throughout the performance. Here is a little taste of what I am talking about. Say that you are an amateur film director whose girlfriend has left you for another woman and whose girlfriend plans to stage a protest against an ex-roommate’s campaign to renovate a local neighborhood. This has to be one of the juiciest plots there are, and this does not even include one half of the stratagem.
Overall, Director Michael Greif has developed an excellent production that I would definitely watch again–a treat for everyone. I can only hope that it will return to Cincinnati.