Walking around in a pair of white go-go boots during rehearsal, second-year theater student Marco Ramos was unfamiliar with dressing in feminine attire.
For his role in the UCLA Department of Theater’s undergraduate production of “Rent,” Ramos made the transition to wearing dresses and heels to embody his character, Angel, a drag queen with HIV.
The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical will premiere at Freud Playhouse tonight, where it will run through April 30.
“Rent” tells the story of a group of artists and musicians who struggle with HIV, drugs and relationship issues while living in the East Village of New York City. Despite the characters’ gritty lifestyles, Cabrina Quesada, a second-year directing student and assistant director of the production, said audiences can still relate to the musical’s characters.
“Community (is a theme). … It’s about having people be there for you,” Quesada said. “I think everyone can relate to the characters even though they’re living their lives to the extreme. They’re at the extreme point of loss, and they still manage on trusting and loving each other.”
According to fourth-year musical theater student Melanie Fernandez, who plays Mimi, the success of “Rent” on Broadway and in theaters brings high expectations for their show.
“It’s an iconic (musical) that comes with a lot of expectations because people have seen the show and movie version and will always compare it,” Fernandez said. “I hope people come and enjoy what we bring to it, because it’s going to be different than what they expect.”
Third-year theater student Jon Eidson, who plays Collins in the production, said the musical will bring the characters to life in a way that is more relatable to audiences.
“The whole special thing about musicals is that you’re seeing it in person,” Eidson said. “It’s more raw ““ especially the way the show’s written. … It’s about real people, and real people are more than caricatures.”
Fernandez said that to embody her role as Mimi, a sexy club dancer and the love interest of Roger, she took extra dance lessons to feel more comfortable with her body while performing onstage.
“I’m more of a singer who can move, but taking extra dance lessons made me more in control,” Fernandez said. “I really wanted to showcase both parts of Mimi: the wild child and also a dancer with a heart of gold.”
Though Ramos found dressing in feminine attire for his role as a drag queen difficult, he said he identified with his character Angel’s personality.
“When I really … got into the core shell (of Angel), it’s really about loving the people in your life, not taking people for granted,” Ramos said.
Third-year musical theater and directing student Hunter Bird, who plays the role of Squeegee Man, also directed an 80-second film montage shown in the final scene of the play. The video features scenes of the characters through the eyes of filmmaker Mark, a character who films throughout the play’s various scenes.
“The footage brings the cast together and the lifestyle and movement they’re going through. It takes the whole show and condenses it into images and emotions,” Bird said. “We would start telling a story (as we were filming), and organically all the shots came from that. It was a great improv that helped us build these characters.”
Fernandez said that aside from enjoying the pop-rock music and talented cast, she wants audiences to understand the impact of HIV, which serves as an underlying subject of “Rent.”
“I hope that people connect with characters and understand the story of the AIDS epidemic. This show has taught me that we’re all very privileged … and to live each moment and make connections.
It shows you that life is too short,” Fernandez said.