He caught theater bug early, and the Broadway show that captivated him is coming to Marion

I caught the musical theater bug in the eighth grade at River Valley Junior High. After watching my sister perform in the high school production of “The Pajama Game,” I became obsessed with Broadway original cast albums.

Each decade I found myself fixated on one particular show, playing its LP repeatedly. Sharing a bedroom with my brother, who was a fan of Ted Nugent and AC/DC at the time, led to many moments where he would harass me for constantly listening to “A Chorus Line” in the ‘70s. In the ‘80s, “Evita” was my go-to, while in the 2000s, I couldn't get enough of “Legally Blonde” and “Next to Normal.”

But it was the ‘90s that truly stood out for me. When “Rent” debuted on Broadway in 1996, I became captivated by its cast album, memorizing every word. I frequently visited New York City during that decade and saw the original production four times.

“Rent” is a contemporary adaptation of Puccini’s 1896 opera “La Bohème,” depicting the lives of eight friends and frenemies, mostly artists, living in New York’s East Village during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. While tuberculosis afflicts many characters in “La Bohème,” “Rent” portrays the struggles of characters dealing with HIV/AIDS. This powerful production deservedly won four Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

They took the leap, and now 'Rent' is here

When I took over the Palace Theatre in November 2021, I vowed to introduce edgier material without compromising our family-friendly shows or junior productions. Producing “Rent” has been a dream of mine, even though I'm now too old to play any of its characters. I assumed it would be years before the board of directors would consider staging something as provocative as “Rent.” But they took the leap, and here we are.

Jonathan Larson’s “Rent,” directed and choreographed by Dustin Rawlins and musically directed by Jami Rawlins, will be performed at the Palace Theatre from Aug. 23-25. Tickets are available at the box office or at marionpalace.org .

August and September will feature a variety of entertainment at the Palace Theatre.

On Aug. 31, we welcome Marion’s own “Shovel City Improv” to the May Pavilion. On Sept. 8, we present a tribute to Taylor Swift with “Taylor Nation,” followed by the music of Pink Floyd performed by “Wish You Were Here” on Sept. 27.

Kirk Detweiler is the executive director of the Marion Palace Theatre.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: He caught theater bug early, and the Broadway show that captivated him is coming to Marion