A Play I Liked - RENT - Firehouse Theater

We went to Firehouse Theater on Broad Street (Richmond, Va) Friday night to attend "Rent". This is the third production we have seen there, and the best by far. The other shows have had very small casts, and although the actors always draw you into the characters the previous shows lacked a certain depth. You didn't feel drawn into the production.

Not so with Rent. The cast for Rent was very large by comparison, and the actors filled the character roles completely.

This is the first time I have seen this play in any venue, so I have nothing to compare it to. Also, this is community theater not broadway. So, with that in mind I had no preconceived notions going into this. I knew it was a rock opera, so I figured, "hey, how bad can it be?".

We were immediately struck by the vocal power of the actors. That combined with the small space (entire theater seats like 100) leaves you totally immersed in the production. The lighting was good, the band was okay, and the set was a bit confusing.

What really made this show work was the actors. I guess you can say that about any production. These actors seemed very polished and, well, just plain good, compared to the other two shows. They drew you in, made you care about the show, and left you thinking about the production and humming the tunes after it was over. At intermission, we just sat there for a second and said "wow".

At a $27 ticket price, I think this is a good deal. I like the thought of supporting local theater, especially when they turn out shows like this! Debbie is thinking about going back to see it again, it runs till August 1st.

They had sold out 6 consecutive shows, thanks to some great reviews. So, get your tickets early and order on-line at their website.

Another hint, the wine they serve at the concession stand is almost always very bad. Stick with the beer. One 15 minute intermission.

Check it out.

Barry