May 4, 2012 / Jamaica NY / Dance & Theater in Queens / Queens Buzz. The York College Performing Arts Center is hosting performances of the musical, Rent, through May 13th. I had the opportunity to attend a performance of it last weekend, which includes an all-star cast of eighteen actors and actresses, most of whom have affiliations with York College.
The play is scripted along the same lines as the century old Italian opera, La Boheme. La Boheme is based upon a French novel entitled Scenes of the Bohemian Life, which was about the life of ‘starving artists’ living on the left bank of Paris during the tuberculosis epidemic of the late 1800’s. Rent is an updated version of that storyline - about starving artists living in the east village of New York City during the AIDS epidemic of the 1990’s.
Click to the Queens Events calendar and then click the theater link to obtain performance times and ticket information. And click here to view our review and photo slide show of Rent at the York College Performing Arts Center.
Rent At York College Performing Arts Center
The show opens with a musical number sung by five of the cast members, and is followed by the entire cast singing the song entitled Rent. From the outset I found the vocals somewhere between inspiring and haunting, depending on the musical composition. There were 33 songs sung throughout the production, some of which I’ll highlight, but it's worth noting that they were all performed at a level worthy of an NYC off Broadway production. In the photo to your left, you can see part of the cast singing a song at York College Performing Arts Center in Rent .
One of the friends, Collins [played by Solomon Peck], also falls in love, but with a drag queen named Angel [played by Daniel Anthony Hidalgo]. Angel provides some of the comic relief in this sad tale of poverty and illness.
Music at York College - Performing Arts Centers in Queens
Sabrina Thomas had a couple of solos, one of which was Out Tonight. She sang it so clearly, holding crisp clear high notes with a Whitney
There's a scene that includes an AIDS support group, showing how many people in the early 1990's came to face their imminent deaths. This is followed by a vocal solo by Miya Basso as Joanne that displayed some of the vocal fullness and depth that reminded me a bit of Aretha Franklin.
In another scene we see the room mates and friends go out with Mimi. Mark is missing his girlfriend, Maureen [played by Miya Bass], who has been dating a man of means who they run into at a restaurant. They manage to distract the wealthy man, and for a time Mark and Maureen get back together. The cast sings a few more tunes before intermission.
Second Act of Rent at York College Performing Arts Center
The set for the play, Rent, at the York Performing Arts Center used a modern, minimalist stage design. In doing so, they used lighting to showcase and accent the locales of the play - from Mark and Roger’s apartment just above the street; to the cafe / restaurant in the east village.
York College Vocalists Deliver Grand Performances in Rent
Maureen comes back some time later to tell Roger that she’s seen Mimi and Mimi has broken up with her wealthy boyfriend. Roger goes to Mimi, who has become very ill. Roger played by tenor, Taso Mikroulis, delivers a couple of emotion-laden tunes during the second act. In the photo to your right are Roger and Mimi singing a sad song.
The play ends with another chorus by the company, in tandem with Roger, who mourns the loss of Mimi.
As mentioned at the outset, the music in this theatrical production was of a consistently high quality. Some of the vocals were outstanding, the modern lighting and set design were a pleasure to watch, and the frequently the performance shook loose emotions, in a way only possible through a heart-rending musical.
Rent - York College Performing Arts Center - Production Credits
Photos of the Rent at the York College Performing Arts Center
Click here to view photos of Rent at the York College Performing Arts Center in Jamaica Queens NY, or you can view the photos below at your own pace by clicking on the arrows.
$element(ophoto,photo_slideshow,189,660,,5.00,fade)$
Jamaica NY Related Info
Click this link for promotions, discounts and coupons in Jamaica and Queens.
Click this link to go to the Jamaica Neighborhood News / Jamaica Restaurants Guide & Map / Jamaica Business Directory / Jamaica Shopping Center and Map.
Site Search Tips. 1) For best results, when typing in more than one word, use quotation marks - eg "Astoria Park". 2) Also try either singular or plural words when searching for a specific item such as "gym" or "gyms".
$element(bwcore,insert_search,N)$
Click this link to search for something in our Queens Business Directory.
Click the log in link below to create an ID and post an opinion.
Or send this story to a friend by filling in the appropriate box below.