After achieving success on Broadway with 4 Tony Awards and 1 Pulitzer Prize, “RENT” the musical arrives in Buenos Aires, with the artistic direction of Fer Dente, with its premiere scheduled at the Opera Theater on May 3. Ángela Torres, actress and singer, is preparing to dazzle as Mimi. And the actor who became famous by winning the reality show “High School Musical”, and today shines as host of “Noche al Dente”, is betting on direction after starring in several musicals: “Spring Awakening”, “Sweeney Todd” ; “Tango Feroz” and “The Sound of Music”.
– How do you imagine this RENT reversal?
Well the original version is a version from the early nineties, the story is going to be the same, we are going to keep the book and it will be the same songs of course. I think the versions have to do with the focus, where the focus is actually placed, what one prefers to illuminate more. In our case we are working on putting the focus on the characters’ bonds, on the situation that they have to live as young people who cannot pay rent, I don’t know if it sounds familiar…and who live with the constant dilemma of understanding how much they are willing to give in to be who they want to be and how much they are willing to value that “enduring” of the community in which they live. There is one thing about this resistance to giving up: giving up on dreams, giving up on the place where one wants to live, we can give it whatever title… it seems to me that this is an issue that crosses all roles. How much are you willing to pay to be who you want to be.
-How do you approach the strong themes that run through the work?
The themes for me are all strong in general, I do not divide the themes between strong or weak, it seems to me that on the contrary, today the most interesting thing is that what RENT tells is very relevant for the situation in the world and for the situation in the country. So I don’t take special care with certain topics. We will tell this story by relying on the wonderful cast we chose, trusting that too, and doing our job.
– What is your work methodology like?
Well, at this moment I am in the entire pre-production process, finishing putting together the creative team together with Vanesa García Millan, our choreographer, and Eugenia Gil Rodríguez, who is our vocal director. We have been doing work for several months now where we are building our own universe of sound language and movement. Now I am with the visual universe of the work that I think is going to be what is going to stand out the most from the previous versions that existed. We are investigating a stage device with an identity, I think, quite different from what is in the heads of everyone who has ever seen RENT. I find it very interesting, I like it, because it focuses on the visual stimuli and the actors’ interpretations. Now and until rehearsals begin in March, we will be working with the adjustments of the adaptation as well. And yes, once they start, we will rehearse 6 times a week, 8 hours a day for 2 months, to reach the premiere on May 3. I really like working.
-What will Angela be like in the role of Mimí? And the rest of the characters?
Well, Angela, it’s an absolute hunch that I had, like an impulse in the middle of my belly, one night, awake because I couldn’t think of anyone. Before I start doing open auditions, I always want to have one or two roles selected, because that dictates the rest of the cast that I have to choose, the energy, it also shows me where I am vibrating when telling the story. And Angela was like a blow to the heart and saying “it’s her.” And well, it was a beautiful one that she accepted instantly and that was divine.
-How do you dream of the public’s reaction?
I don’t know, I’m not going to lie to you, I can’t imagine the public’s reaction. I haven’t gotten to that part yet, I think I first want to start imagining what my reaction is going to be like. And well, afterwards one wants to believe that the public is not going to react differently. But as I always say: the works are put together by their audience, the public ends up deciding what is funny, what is emotional, what is boring, what is entertaining, what is what. What we do before that is play like a Tetris, a guessing game: based on the team’s own and common criteria, we put together something that entertains us, something that excites us, moves us, amuses us. The most important thing at the end of the day is that whatever is on stage is something that we as a team like, that makes us proud and that represents us. And then well, if the magic happens that the same thing happens to the public… it’s an absolute party. We are on that path…
by RN
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