For ‘Rent’ Manila stars, speaking up on HIV/AIDS, important issues matter
The stars of “Rent” Manila. Image: Courtesy of 9 Works Theatrical
Jonathan Larson’s “Rent,” which tells the story of adults struggling to make ends meet in Manhattan’s East Village amid HIV/AIDS, has built a cult following among theater fans since its inception in 1996.
Apart from the musical’s beloved song “Seasons of Love,” it witnessed many interpretations on stage and film through the years, including its first staging featuring an all-Filipino cast in Manila in 2010. The musical runs until June 1.
Fourteen years later, the rock musical is revived for a new generation of viewers in Makati. But the cast is armed with the newfound determination to spark conversations that matter, especially when it comes to the topic of HIV/AIDS.
(From left) Anthony Rosaldo, Markki Stroem, and Red Atadero during the gala night of “Rent” Manila 2024. Image: Courtesy of 9 Works Theatrical
Information matters
“Information, in a way, is conservative. We get to learn from school, and what’s good about this is that when you go to a theater, you’re not going to learn. You’re going to see us sing, dance, and enjoy yourselves — and hopefully pass that on to you. Let it be our responsibility,” Vyen Villanueva, who stars as Life Support group head Paul, told reporters at a cast preview.
But while the cast started the preview with a passionate rendition of “No Day But Today,” the lighthearted banter turned serious, with them relaying their thoughts on why they want to bring topics such as HIV/AIDS out in the open through theater.
The cast of “Rent” Manila. Image: Courtesy of 9 Works Theatrical
Markki Stroem recalled moments where he was asked to “not talk about HIV and using protection” in his radio show “The Morning Rush.” Despite this, he “doesn’t care” and continues to talk about it, saying the public deserves to be aware of such information.
“I need people to know these things. We need to understand there’s no sex education in schools. We live in a society where guns are considered PG-13, but sex is R-18,” he said. “[Talking about] sex is very important. The age prevalence of HIV has gone down to 15 years old. If we want to protect ourselves, we need to know these things.”
‘HOW DO YOU MEASURE A YEAR?’ 🎶
WATCH: The preview night of “Rent” Manila last April 18 caps off with the 2024 and 2010 cast performing the beloved song, “Seasons of Love,” with special guests and the audience. #RentMNL2024 | @HMallorcaINQ pic.twitter.com/EOqULVXMs5
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) April 19, 2024
Touching on how information on sex and other related topics is shared in a “conservative” way, Stroem stressed that it should be “right in our face” to be understood by the public.
“It’s very, very important for it to be right in our face. A lot of us are scared to tell our parents and friends because we live in a conservative society,” he said. “But ‘Rent’ is here to let them know that while it’s hard to look at and discuss these things, we must understand why we need to learn them. So we can protect ourselves in case the problem arises within our families or circles.”
Justine Peña, who stars as Maureen Johnson, echoed Stroem’s remarks, saying that being open about “conservative information” is a way of being responsible as well.
“A lot of information out there is actually accessible to the younger generation. A lot of it is unfiltered, I like to think that ‘Rent’ wants to provide the reason why we have to know these things. You need to be responsible for the community you’re part of,” she said.
The cast of “Rent” Manila. Image: Courtesy of 9 Works Theatrical
Through a father’s eyes
Guji Lorenzana’s case was different. He has children who are four and three years old, with his daughter Cassidy cast as one of the Tams in the Manila staging of “Miss Saigon” which runs until May 12.
This led to Cassidy being aware of the LGBTQIA+ community, as Seann Miley Moore redefined the role of the Engineer into someone who’s “EnginQueer.”
“My daughter is in ‘Miss Saigon’ and she had the chance to work with the EnginQueer (Seann Miley Moore) and one day, she asked me what is a lesbian?” he recalled. “Me and my wife sat her down and educated her about this, and to be in love [with someone of the same gender].”
“Even though she’s four years old and hasn’t fully understood it, experiencing things like ‘Rent,’ it shows that this information is important. Information is hard to find, but having ‘Rent’ weaving this information in is important, as it shows why it has to be there,” he continued.
The cast of “Rent” Manila. Image: Courtesy of 9 Works Theatrical
Lorenzana, however, said he has to censor his kids from seeing “Rent” for now, but he believes in the power of thought-provoking shows especially in a conservative country like the Philippines.
“I think what’s nice about having something [like ‘Rent’] in the forefront, is it shows us that we have to be responsible. This information is very precious for them,” he added. “We have to do our best to be able to educate them by showing the information they need to see. One day, I’ll tell my kids about ‘Rent’ and have them watch it.”
Also part of the cast are Abi Sulit, Adrian Lindayag, Paul Valdez, Kai Banson, Fay Castro, Jordan Andrews, Misha Fabian, Chesko Rodriguez, Lance Reblando, Jasmine Fitzgerald, Mica Fajardo, Reb Atadero, Thea Astley, Molly Langley, Garrett Bolden, Anthony Rosaldo, and Ian Pangilinan.
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