Justice Gage | Graphics Co-Editor
It will be another 525,600 minutes before the Buena Vista University (BVU) theatre department puts on a musical performance, but one particular musical that people are talking about is the rock musical, RENT.
The theatre department put on its last musical, Little Shop of Horrors, just last fall. According to Associate Professor of Theatre Dr. Bethany Larson, the department only puts on musicals every three or four years. However, with the hiring of a new professor, Associate Professor of Vocal Music Dr. Merrin Guice, musicals may become more frequent because of her passion for musical theater. The two professors have been discussing musical ideas, and while there is campus interest in performing RENT, no decision has been made.
“There is dignity of a human spirit, in every person. Validating that dignity, that is what I’m really interested in. That is a really important part of life. That’s why I think RENT would be an awesome choice,” Larson said.
Guice says she is optimistic about being able to put a musical together, whatever it may be.
Matt Schulz, a first-year student involved in music and theatre, says he doesn’t know much about the RENT rumor; all he knows is RENT would be a good show to perform.
“I think a lot of people would come see it,” Schulz said.
Guice agrees that RENT could draw a large audience because of its popularity.
“If we do RENT and we publicize it well, we can bring people from all over the area,” Guice said.
According to Larson, it is necessary to see if RENT is even achievable. Professors want to make sure that the musical they choose will be a success. The musicians have to be able to play the music, and the actors need to be able to sing the music. She noted that affordability is important as well.
“Our budget is limited, [and] the royalties are very expensive,” Larson said.
Although several students hope for RENT, the decision is ultimately the professors’.
“We kicked around ideas; we haven’t even approached the idea of perusal scripts,” Larson said.
A perusal script is a script theatre directors look over to decide which musical (or play) they want to perform. Perusal scripts, however, are only a small part of the entire process of putting on a musical. Once a perusal script is ordered and decided on many other steps follow which, as Larson notes, include applying for the rights, getting permission, and scheduling all the auditions and rehearsals.
According to Guice and Larson, the biggest obstacle in RENT (as well as in any other musical) lies with finances. It costs a lot of money to perform a musical of this magnitude. Larson says the theatre department budget is limited, and since Little Shop of Horrors was just performed last year, it will be a challenge to put together another musical in a relatively short amount of time.
“If all of that’s in place, RENT would be a potential,” Larson said.
According to Guice, the most important aspect would be to have students committed to being involved with the production. Guice, Larson, and Schulz have all talked with other students about RENT as a possibility for the next musical. Guice especially believes student interest is necessary for the production to succeed.
“Having students interested in doing it is worth 100 percent. Knowing people would be more interested in doing RENT instead of anything else, is great,” Guice said.
Both Guice and Larson saw the musical on Broadway with the original cast. Schulz, who enjoys the roles of Mark and Collins, is a huge fan of the movie and even sports a tattoo on his foot with a lyric from the musical: “No day but today.”
Larson says students should not be anticipating RENT for the next musical quite yet given that it has only been brought up in talks between students and professors.
Graphic by Justice Gage
