Company Carolina to stage outdoor production of “Rent”

When actors walk onto the stage at Forest Theatre tonight to perform “Rent,” they won’t have to fake the chilly temperatures of the musical’s setting.

Because the show is set in New York at night in midwinter, the cold air gives Company Carolina’s production a touch of reality.

“When we’re outside and you can see our breath, it’s really exciting,” said cast member Laura Page. “It really sets the mood and the setting for ‘Rent.’”

And despite the cold weather, the cast and crew remain optimistic about audience turnout.

“Rent,” written by late playwright Jonathan Larson, tells the story of eight New Yorkers whose lives intertwine through unemployment, love and AIDS.

Because the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning musical is such a huge production, Company Carolina prepared longer than usual for the show.

It all began in June. Director Jordan Coats and producer Stephanie Waaser have been working since then to get the show up and running.

“It’s been go, go, go ever since,” Waaser wrote in an e-mail.

The decision to do the musical “Rent” was largely based on its message and its recent popularity, organizers said.

“It’s something that is really relevant to our generation, and it’s particularly relevant right now,” Page said.

Although the play does not follow the recent movie adaptation exactly, Company Carolina members said they didn’t think people would be upset.

“If someone is coming to our show expecting to see the film, they will be pleasantly surprised that ‘Rent’ will have everything that they loved from the movie and quite a bit more,” Coats wrote in an e-mail.

For the past two months, the cast has been rehearsing every night for at least three hours, while the production crew has been busy creating sets, making costumes and setting up tech equipment.

“I want the UNC community to become reacquainted with Company Carolina as a legitimate theater group that takes its productions seriously,” Waaser said.

And cast and crew members alike hope the audience will walk away from the show with a deeper appreciation of life.

 “If you just let go and watch and listen for a while, this musical shows you things,” Coats said.

“It offers a new perspective on life, love, friendship and community — something that we all desperately need and all too often take for granted.”

Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.