MISSOULA — For almost three decades, Rent has been one of the more popular Broadway musicals, and for the first time ever, the show is coming to Montana.
The Missoula Community Theater will be the first theater in the state to show the full musical Rent. More than the musical performance, MCT is using Rent as a way to give back to the community.
Rent premiered on Broadway in 1996, dealing with queer themes in a way that was ahead of its time.
“Its one of the very few shows, especially at it’s time, that feature LGBTQ characters as leads in a play,” Andy Nelson, one of the Rent actors says. “It was a cultural phenomenon. It shown a light on the LGBTQ community and those who were impacted by HIV, AIDS in a way that had never been touched on before.”
MCT artistic director and co-director of Rent, Joe Martinez, has been involved with the theater for almost 30 years. This musical was a dream show for the director.
“You know, Rent is something that I have been trying to do here in Missoula for a lot of years,” he says. “I have never been so excited for a show in the many years that I've been here, than I have been for Rent.”
Despite being a dream musical for Martinez, he was doubtful if Rent would ever come to Missoula. Primarily because the show needs both a diverse cast and highly talented vocalists.
But in 2023, Martinez and the rest of the crew at MCT decided it was time.
“We talked about it every year, we talked about like you know, is Missoula ready? Is MCT ready to present something like this? And I think as dialogue has changed in the community and in the world, it was time,” he says.
Almost 100 people showed up for the audition in November, an unusually high turnout for a Missoula Community Theater production. Out of the 100 potential actors, 22 were brought onto the show.
Rent is a rock-heavy musical, with barely any dialogue. For many theater actors like Nelson, it is a bucket list show.
“Rent is a beloved piece of musical theater,” he says. “It's a challenging show to do, especially in a small community theater in, you know, a fairly rural state because it requires diversity, and it requires, obviously, talent. We've got a ton of talent here, don't get me wrong, but yeah, it requires that diversity aspect, and people who can, like really play the parts genuinely. And I think we've nailed it.”
Nelson says every actor had a personal reason for trying out for Rent, reasons that often related to the history of the HIV and AIDS crisis.
“A lot of people know somebody, whether it was an uncle, or a cousin– it can hit close to home,” he says. “And you know, there’s other storylines in this production as well. People that are suffering from drug addiction, people who are not able to literally pay their rent… and just trying to make ends meet, and as a Missoulian, we know. A lot of us can relate to that.”
Every actor in the musical wrote a personal note describing the why behind their audition.
One read “My uncle danced for Bob Fosse and toured in numerous shows. While on tour, he was diagnosed with an illness, and then died of AIDS in 1987. I’m doing this show to honor my uncle who I’ve never met.”
Martinez was excited to see the musical come together– one he never thought would happen– and he is hopeful that Missoula will appreciate Rent as he does.
“These stories are really really important to tell, and people need to be able to go ‘I understand or I know those people,' and that's what's exciting,” he says. “You know, it's just, it's acceptance, and that's what it is, and we're hoping that the community will come in and accept it and accept these characters for who they are and for the message that they're conveying to everybody.”
In cooperation with the themes present in Rent, MCT is hosting a variety of community events, an effort that Martinez says is a part of the theater’s mission.
“The community gives back to us so much,” Martinez says. “We are a nonprofit... We are The Community Theater, so we feel like not only do we have to create community, but we also have to be part of the community and anytime that we can do something– an aspect with a show, with a children's show, we do it. We try to work with different organizations to make sure that things like that happen.”
On Friday, Jan. 19, and Jan. 26, The Western MT LGBTQ+ Center is hosting free HIV and STD testing in the lobby of MCT from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. While medicine has evolved since the premier of Rent, HIV still exists in the United States.
Testing for HIV takes about five minutes, with instant results. The process includes a bit of paperwork and a finger prick. The Center is also giving Missoulians who come to the MCT testing a $10 incentive.
The Center's booth will be present at each Rent performance throughout the week to ask for donations and provide information on their organization.
“It aligns with our mission of spreading education and advocacy, and people can be educated by this show," Nelson, who is the executive director of The Center, says.
MCT is also hosting a winter clothing drive in partnership with Housing Humans. Winter clothing donations– hats, mittens, gently used coats and even blankets– can be dropped off during any Rent performance or to the MCT box office Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.
“Just kind of give back to the community and work with some of these community nonprofits together and you know, just try to make at least a couple of weeks in January a little bit better for people,” Martinez says.
There is a split-the-pot raffle running until Jan. 28 titled “Get Your Rent Paid.” Half of the pot goes to the winner, while 25% goes to both MCT and The Center.
Tickets for Rent are selling out quickly, but can be purchased online or in-person at the MCT box office.
Rent is rated R for explicit language and adult situations.
“It's very exciting that we're able to represent a community like that, that, obviously is in Missoula, that is obviously everywhere in the state of Montana, that’s obviously everywhere in the country," Martinez says. "The opportunity that we get to be a representative of theirs for two weeks, that's really exciting.”
