Reviews

If you hear squeals coming from the Fox Theatre this week, they won’t be from Hannah Montana fans or Jonas Brothers groupies.

It’s the “Rent”-heads.

“Rent” has played the Fox before, but this tour is packing some extra star power: Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, who originated the roles of Roger and Mark on Broadway in 1996. They also starred in the 2005 film adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award-winning musical.

The squeals of delight commence almost immediately — even before Pascal belts out a lyric or Rapp busts one of his trademark moves.

If you’re worried that they might be too — errr — old to convincingly portray idealistic, young New Yorkers navigating life in the late 1980s with obstacles like poverty, love and AIDS, think again.

Pascal, 38, plays handsome singer-songwriter Roger with the same edge and charm as he did 13 years ago. And Rapp, 37, brings familiar energy and optimism to wiry filmmaker Mark. After all these years — or because of all these years — the real-life friends’ onstage chemistry is extraordinary.

And their voices? Flawless. The experience for the audience is surreal — like listening to the original cast recording.

But it’s not all about Pascal and Rapp. They’re joined by veterans of various Broadway incarnations of “Rent,” including Nicolette Hart (Maureen), Justin Johnson (Angel), Michael McElroy (Collins), Haneefah Wood (Joanne) and Jacques C. Smith (Benny). Gwen Stewart (Mrs. Jefferson and a “Seasons of Love” soloist) is also on the tour, but she’s taking a break during the St. Louis stop.

Hart’s playful energy and quirkiness (Amy Poehler springs to mind) makes us love performance-artist Maureen, even though she’s a bit too flirty to be trusted. She shines in “Over the Moon” and “La Vie Bohème.”

Lexi Lawson of “American Idol” embraces the complex Mimi, a dancer and drug addict who’s HIV-positive, like she’s been doing the show for years. It’s her first time with “Rent.”

Crystal Monée Hall ably fills Stewart’s shoes, most notably in “Seasons of Love,” where her impassioned voice cuts through the darkness at the start of Act 2.

The rock opera’s memorable music and the message of hope in the face of adversity make it clear why people love the show so much.

This is possibly the best tour of “Rent” you’ll ever see.

Read the full review in STLToday.com.