Arts & Entertainment
Rent Redux
Photo by Joan Marcus
Pulitzer- and Tony-winning musical returns to Detroit
with original cast members from stage and film versions.
Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News
A
dam Pascal, touring the country
in the musical Rent, describes
himself as a self-taught per-
former.
Pascal, who holds Obie and Theatre
World awards as well as Tony and Drama
Desk nominations for his work as Roger
Davis in the original Broadway production
of Rent, learned guitar and bass on his
own and played in rock bands before try-
ing out for theater.
The musician-actor will showcase his
talents Feb. 17-22 at the Detroit Opera
House. The ensemble includes other mem-
bers of the stage and film teams, including
Anthony Rapp, who originated the role of
Mark Cohen.
"I never pursued an entertainment
career through education;' says Pascal, 38,
about to make his debut visit to Michigan.
"Singing and playing guitar became my
career path until I got the part in Rent.
"I had heard about the Off-Broadway
production being cast and knew they were
having trouble finding someone for the
role of Roger Davis. They were looking for
a rock singer, and I figured this would be
interesting and something I never tried
before.
"It just seems the show came along at
the right time in my life as I was open to
exploring new possibilities. I think I natu-
rally have the right instincts [for acting]."
Pascal, who credits observing fellow
cast members as a way of refining his
skills, is reprising the role of a down-
and-out singer-songwriter. His character
is struggling with depression after being
diagnosed as HIV positive.
"Audiences seem genuinely affected by
the show, and I'm proud to be involved
with something that reaches people on a
deeply emotional lever Pascal says about
the play, based on Puccini's opera La
Boheme.
"I believe Rent has maintained its suc-
cess because the messages are timeless
and universal even while the specifics of
the show may become dated or incidental.
The messages have to do with how people
question the way they live, how they deal
with adversity and how they come to
accept those who seem different."
Pascal, who grew up in New York,
Adam Pascal, right, and Anthony Rapp reprise the roles they made famous as Roger Davis and Mark Cohen in a touring
production of Rent coming to the Detroit Opera House.
started performing with young rock bands
when he was 12. Continuing with different
groups through high school, he moved on
to working in local clubs, writing his own
music and ultimately recording.
After being chosen in 1995 for a long-
term run in Rent, he originated the role
of Radames in Elton John and Tim Rice's
Aida in 2000 and starred as the emcee in
a revival of Cabaret in 2003. Film credits
include School of Rock and Temptation.
Pascal, who had a bar mitzvah, appears
in Goyband, a film about an Orthodox
woman who has a crush on a fading rock
star. The movie is set at a kosher casino
hotel, where traditions and romance enter
into the comic scenes.
"I'm not a particularly religious person,
and I don't have a strong opinion about
any religion," says Pascal, married to cook-
book author Cybele Pascal. "Although I'm
proud of the fact that I'm Jewish and my
two sons know what it means to be Jewish,
I don't practice religion in any substantial
way"
When Pascal stops in Detroit, he will
bring along for-sale copies of his newest
recording, Blinding Light. The songs were
written and recorded with Larry Edoff.
"My third CD is piano-based rock music
on the darker, melancholy side of the spec-
trum," Pascal explains. "We wrote about
the difficult and desperate times we're liv-
ing in, and it's our way of expressing our
feelings and thoughts about raising a fam-
ily in today's world.
"As I crisscross the country with this
tour, I see empty storefronts and out-of-
business signs, and I see how cities are
suffering."
Travels to Michigan bring Pascal to the
home state of Rent producer Jeffrey Seller,
who grew up in Oak Park.
"Jeffrey is an incredible producer, whose
motivation is a love for theater:' Pascal
says. "He wants his projects to not only do
well financially but also be artistically cre-
ative, expressive and innovative.
"All that makes him great to work with
because he pushes individuals and the
play to be as good as can be. We've been
extraordinarily lucky to have Jeffrey as our
lead producer."
Pascal also feels lucky to know Al
Larson, the father of Rent creator Jonathan
Larson, who died before the show began
rising to its far-reaching level of success.
"Poppa Larson" (as he's called by longtime
members of the show team) tries to meet
every cast and see every production to
keep his son's memory alive.
"When I'm not working, my time is spent
being a husband and dad',' says Pascal,
relocated to California to enjoy the warm
weather. "We explore different types of
activities, including things that don't par-
ticularly interest me, such as sports!' -7
Rent will be performed Feb.17-22
at the Detroit Opera House, 1526
Broadway. Times are 8 p.m. Tuesday-
Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
and 7:30 p.m. Sunday. $25-$58.
Information: (313) 872-1000 or
www.broadwayindetroit.com . Tickets:
(248) 634-6666; www.ticketmaster.
corn or www.broadwayindetroit.com .
February 12 • 2009
B15