This year, I chose "Rent" staged by Iron Crow Theatre in Baltimore. Iron Crow is a scrappy little theatre company with a performance space located in a 19th century office building adjacent to the Meyerhof Concert Hall--home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. It's a juxtaposition mash-up of David/Oscar Madison versus Goliath/Felix Unger, if Oscar where the gay one. Because Iron Crow is also pointedly and unashamedly QUEER. It's slogan says it all: "A Queer Theatre for a Queer City". As such, Iron Crow stages productions with a queer/outsider frame of reference, and "Rent" seemed like a perfect fit.
Immediately upon seeing the opening sequence, I was reminded just how important it is for Rent to be done by young people. Of the 13 cast members, I think all but two were making their debut with Iron Crow. Lots of fresh faces, fresh energy. And all but one, Nicholas Miles, were in their mid-20's (or believably so). And here in lies the rub. Please don't misunderstand, Nicholas Miles is the Iron Crow Theatre's "resident artist". He's been in everything I've seen there. He's a very talented singer and I'm sure he knocks 'em dead with his Drag Queen performances. What he is not; however, is 25...hell, he's not 35. Surrounded by a younger, much more athletic cast, his inability to even attempt to dance--and as the character of Angel no less! was uncomfortably sad. To compensate, he sashayed a lot... And what's even more regrettable about this is that within the cast (because all five of the understudies were given ensemble roles) were five other actors who would have been superior in this role. Watching him sashay among the others, and, in particular fawn over the character Tom Collins, was such an unnecessary distraction.
Of the rest of the cast, there was energy to spare. Young actors excited to be part of something exciting and fun. Stand outs include: Jeremy Allen Crawford as the neurotic Mark Cohen, Jeremy brought a boundless dedication to the character, and his phone call impersonations of his mother throughout were moment of honest levity. Carter Crosby played his HIV positive roommate, Roger Davis. Besides looking like a 20-something Alec Baldwin, (the pre-"Homocide: Life on the Streets" years when he was too cute for words), Crosby had the vocals and the soulful glances of the tortured artist down pat. His chemistry with Natalia Fyfe who played Mimi Marquez was also heartfelt and compelling. Speaking of Natalia, she was a wonderful Mimi from dark candle to final death/not-dead-yet scene. Finally, Breanne Sensenig, as Joanne Jefferson brought some of the finest vocals of the show along with wonderful comic timing.
Others were good, even very good, but struggled at times. Undoubtedly the cutest member of the cast was Terrell Chambers who played the third "musketeer" Tom Collins. An amazing voice and powerful energy. Unfortunately teamed up with the aforementioned Mr. Miles as a love interest, his portrayal suffered from trying to make something that felt creepy seem sincere. His final number, the "I'll Cover You" reprise, was so over the top that it was borderline bizarre. I blame this on the director. Chambers should have had the less is more conversation. The understudies where an amazing ensemble, and I want to highlight one: Sam Slottow. Tremendous stage presence and my pic for Angel. The show was that close to being truly special.
The sets deserve a shout out to Thomas Jenkeleit. The sound design was a bit of nightmare in the space that has no intentional acoustical anything. Ergo, even miked, the little ensemble often overplayed their role dominating the actor's best attempts to sing above the instrumentation. As to lighting, the range of options is somewhat limited. For example when more than two actors needed a spot, the rest where side-lit. It was detracting and regrettable.
Bottomline: I saw a show full of potential and did my best to ignore the flaws. Overall, it's kinda an Iron Crow M.O.
No comments:
Post a Comment