In just a few short weeks, the cast has nearly memorized all of the music, dialogue, and blocking for the entire show. Director Michael Donovan and music director Bekkah Willey have given the cast all the basic guides they need. Having that in place, the cast members are working on developing deeper characters and emotions. For those who are unfamiliar with the show, the leads as well as the ensemble are playing characters who are homeless, drug addicts, homosexuals, afflicted with AIDS, living in poverty, or any combination of the above. The struggles of their characters may be similar to their own or to someone they know. And dealing with such modern and realistic struggles is a challenge for many cast members. But so far, they are doing a great job expressing the pain and hardships the show calls for. They have three weeks to experiment with these character traits and will no doubt have them polished for opening night.
The multi-level set is being used nightly and just needs a few finishing touches to give the show as a whole more character. RENT takes place in various city locations, including an apartment building, at pay phones, on the street, and in a cafe. The stage itself is very limited, so the multiple levels help to create a sense of disconnection when needed. The unique decoration of the set also helps set the tone of the show by providing a sort of visual character to the audience.
Costumes are being pulled together to give each character their own identity. As many of the ensemble members are playing several different characters, it is important to make sure each character is distinguishable. But costumes do so much more than just clothe the actors. Some of them find inspiration from their costumes and find them helpful in developing their characters.
In the next few weeks before opening night, lots of additions will be made to the show as a whole. The cast will have time to get accustomed to the set, lights and costumes will be added, and they will have some rehearsals with a full band (as they are currently working with one musician, music director Bekkah Willey on the keyboard). The cast and crew have put in a lot of work already, but still have quite a bit to do before opening night on February 18th!
Tickets for RENT are on-sale now, and are selling very quickly! Show dates and times are:
Friday, February 18th, 8pm
Saturday, February 19th, 8pm
Sunday, February 20th, 2:30pm
Friday, February 25th, 8pm
Saturday, February 26th, 8pm
Sunday, February 27th, 2:30pm
Friday, March 4th, 8pm
Saturday, March 5th, 8pm
All seats are $20 and can be purchased online, by phone at (207) 799-1421, or via email. More information as well as box office hours and show times can be found on the Lyric Music Theater website.
