'Rent' conquers barriers, promotes love

Rent is well known for "Seasons of Love," the number that begins "Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes," and continues with the instruction to measure a year "in love." This is the primary message of the show; that love should be respected, despite the barriers it might encounter. A classic rock opera, Rent is the story of a bohemian community dealing with jealousy, loss, and compassion.

Friends Select's production glowed with warmth, created by the all of the actors. Not only did they sing passionately and remain in character every moment, but they truly supported each other, working together through scenes of both heartbreak and celebration.

As guitarist Roger, Benjamin Abrams gave a soft performance, especially in scenes with Mimi, played by Mya Flood. The two had visible chemistry; from their first moment together, when Roger lit Mimi's candle and they danced, to the last, when Mimi recovers from a near fatal illness and they link fingers, the arc of their relationship was believable and touching.

Angela Bey, playing Maureen, dazzled. Her spark was apparent the minute she leaped onstage, welcoming the audience to her performance of "Over the Moon." Her charisma shimmying through the song made watching her fun, but it was her tender moments holding Joanne or her grieving friends which showed how fully Bey could develop a character. As Collins, Donnay Burden made his character earnest and lovable, especially in the reprise of "Cover You," in which he stood, shaking with grief, amidst a stage full of friends honoring his lover, Angel, who had just passed away. His final yearning note gave the audience shivers. Though some actors lacked energy near the beginning of the show, the entire ensemble seemed enthusiastic and committed by the second act, especially in these more emotionally challenging moments.

As stage manager, Clara Hughes succeeded in overseeing the technical aspects of the show; the lights were well-timed, making all of the actors easy to see, and the sound work, which included several body mics, was well done. In addition, she filmed "Mark's Movie," projected on the theater's wall in the second act. The short film was touching. Its clips of characters holding hands and laughing suggested their deep friendship and convincingly illustrated a year in their lives.

All in all, Friends Select's Rent intimately portrayed how people can take care of each other, even when facing their own struggles.