RENT: 20th Anniversary Tour

In 1996 an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway, and forever changed the landscape of American theater. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson's "RENT" continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world.

"RENT" came along in my sophomore year of high school and was the first musical I found on my own. All the others had been introduced to me by my Mom, or my Uncle Char (who sadly passed from AIDS in 1994). RENT set a standard by actually bothering to include LGBT culture, the world of struggling artists and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It even captured feminine desire with Mimi's "Take Me Out Tonight." I would sing every character's line, having memorized the CD liner notes from cover to cover. It was the "Hamilton" of the '90s. The show won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical, as well as a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and is one of only five musicals to win both awards.

Grossly simplified, "RENT" is a re-imagining of Puccini's opera "La Boh�me," and follows a year in the lives of seven New York artists struggling to follow their dreams without "selling out." With its inspired message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters: "Seasons of Love."

For this emerald anniversary touring production, Evan Ensign is restaging the show based on the original direction by Michael Greif (who earned Tony and Drama Desk Nominations for "RENT"), while Marlies Yearby, will serve as choreographer (also a Tony Nominee for "RENT") .

Every Broadway lover knows someone from "RENT"s original cast, most especially "Wicked," "IF/THEN" and Disney's "Frozen" star, Idina Menzel, who played Maureen. But 20 years ago, they were all babies and virtually unknown. This anniversary tour offers an equally young, up-and-coming
cast, including 21-year-old David Merino, who is "thrilled" to be playing the role of Angel Dumott Schunard.

"I have played Angel twice before," Merino offered. "Once, I did it with a bunch of friends in Los Angeles, which is where I'm originally from. They put on the show and asked me to play Angel at a very small seventy-seat theater, it was a super-low budget, but it was a lot of fun. Also, this past year
as a junior at NYU, we did a full stage production and from that I got an audition appointment for the anniversary tour. Five callbacks later and three weeks of waiting and hearing nothing, I got the call. So, I have just a little bit of a history with Angel, and I have always loved him; it's always been a dream role."

Merino is a California boy who grew up in Pasadena and attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. He says he's been missing our beaches, but he isn't complaining too much. He knows landing the role of Angel as his professional debut is a "pinch me" break. Over the summer he decided to grab this incredible opportunity, rather than heading back to NYU's Tisch School of Arts for his senior year.

In early August, while Merino was fitted for Angel's costumes, "I was feeling the legacy as I tried on costumes of past Angels. Dreams come true, y'all...they really do." Angel is a standout role in "RENT," and truly requires a broad range of skills and emotion. He is a character whose arc ranges from very vibrantly alive, right through to his untimely death.

When asked about his familiarity with the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how he prepared for this character's journey, Merino said, "I was born in 1995; this show opened on Broadway in 1996, just a couple months after I was born. To prepare for the role, I immersed myself by doing a lot of research and watching documentaries. Everyone in the company watched a documentary too, about the AIDS epidemic and the effects of it. This one particular film had people talking about their experiences around what it was like being in New York at this time. It's been a huge lesson."

Merino continued, "One thing that affected me most, was when we had someone come and talk to us about the roles. They explained that Angel
represents everyone who was innocent and didn't deserve to die so young. So, I have the responsibility of representing a lot of amazing people who
lost their lives. I usually start crying at every single performance it's so intense, but at the same time, it's also very beautiful for me."

In addition to embracing the intensity of representing all the youthful beauty lost to HIV/ AIDS, Merino is already feeling the weight of Angel's impact on others and how her character helps people to live an authentic life. "I feel like it all becomes so apparent, when I meet people after the show. They come up to me at the stage door and share how meaningful the role is, or compliment how I portrayed her, which is a huge honor. Being so young and so new, to get complimented on my Angel is very crazy for me. Recently, one person was in tears saying 'Angel means the world to me. K'm trans and her character helped me come out and helped me realize who I can be... and who I'm allowed to be, just as a human being.'"

As a card-carrying member of the gayborhood, Merino gladly accepts the responsibility that comes with playing Angel. "If I can help or inspire someone, put a smile on their face or justify someone's coming out, I will take that responsibility. If I can help justify anyone's sexuality, just by existing on stage, I am sold," says Merino.

Perhaps that is Jonathan Larson's lasting legacy: Memorable characters who are so very human, people facing struggle and loss, up to and including death. "RENT" is equal parts hope, fear, kindness, squabbles and the desire for basic human dignity, a rock and roll reminder of our shared humanity.

Angel radiates nothing but love, and Larson demonstrated that through the foil of two lines he says: "Today for you, tomorrow for me" and "No day, but today," implying if we are to be Angels, we need to live in service to others and mindfully live in the moment.

Seeing (or re-seeing) "RENT" is a great way to kick off the New Year. Let Larson's message of measuring your life in love be a guiding light for 2017.

"RENT" runs Friday, January 6 through Sunday, January 8 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. For tickets and more information, call 714.556.2787 or go to scfta.org.

In honor of "RENT"'s 20th Anniversary, the original cast shared memories at playbill.com/article/20-years-later-rent-cast- remember-auditions-memories-and-mishaps