The Tony Award-winning musical RENT is known for tackling the difficult subjects of poverty, drug addiction and living with HIV/AIDS in the 1990s. Which is why it’s hard to envision teenagers capably taking on the subject matter. However, the 33 students aged 13 to 20 at the Roberta Jones Junior Theatre have managed to do just that with self-assurance and maturity. In RENT: School Edition, we follow a group of friends through a year of their lives in New York’s East Village.
RJJT Director Jen Kohler didn’t shy away from the serious issues the friends faced; instead, she turned them into learning lessons for her teen actors.
“One of our production assistants, Olivia, was a history major, and the first day, our orientation day, she did a big presentation on the AIDS epidemic and the history of it, as well as LGBTQ community and how that arose in New York in particular,” said Kohler.
There was a library on set so the actors could explore the 90s references, and the staff set a serious tone.
“We kind of set that tone at the beginning that this is serious content matter and try to relate to them what it was like in the early 90s, especially with the AIDS pandemic going on,” said Kohler. “Just trying to explain to them what it was like, that there was no certainty, and diagnosis really did mean very grim things at the time.”
The actors took their roles seriously. Many of them watched stage versions to understand their characters.
They were also well cast. Charline Pelloux-Gervais, 20, returned to RJJT to work with Kohler this summer, and embodied the character of Maureen.
“At first, I wanted Mimi when I heard about the show. Then I watched the show. The second I heard ‘Take Me or Leave Me,’ which is the big number between Joanne and Maureen, I was like, ‘That’s the one I want,’” said Pelloux-Gervais. “I just loved how eccentric she was. I thought I could do a lot with the character.”
17-year-old Logan Watson concentrated on the underlying things driving his character.
“I’ve had a lot of fun diving into his character, diving into the nuances. Why does he do the things that he does?” said Watson. “When he pushes Mimi away, I’m like, ‘Why would he do that?’ I think, ‘Well, it’s because he’s heartbroken. It’s because he lost his girlfriend. Because he has AIDS, and he doesn’t know that she does as well.’ So, there’s a lot of complexities to his character.”
Opposite of Watson is 15-year-old Sira Valui of Santa Clara High School, who plays Mimi. She said even though RENT is about adult issues, there are things her peers can take away from the show.
“I don’t think there’s ever an age where we shouldn’t be learning about stuff like this. I think it’s good to expose yourself to … these are real world things that are happening. That’s why I really like doing RENT because it really educated me more about HIV, AIDS and stuff like that,” said Valui.
Watson said just because it was the 90s, it doesn’t mean it’s unrelatable.
“I feel like the overall theme of finding connection with others and finding love even in the hardest times is something that rings true even today,” said Watson. “I feel like no matter what era you’re in, that’s always a key point and key theme of this show. I feel like that’s super topical to today’s age, and it’s about today’s time.
RENT: School Edition is suggested for ages 13 and up. It takes the stage at the Mission City Center for Performing Arts at 3250 Monroe St. on Friday, July 31 and Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $17 per person. You can buy your tickets here.
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