A Raw, Resonant 'Rent' at Players by the Sea Proves Why the Musical Still Matters

Players by the Sea’s production of Rent arrives with the pulse and grit that changed the trajectory of musical theater in 1996. Jonathan Larson’s story of struggling artists in New York’s East Village gave Broadway a jolt of raw sound and real life, pairing rock music with a candid look at poverty, queer identity, addiction, illness and chosen family. It helped pull musical theater into the modern era and gave a generation of performers and audiences a voice they recognized. This production honors that legacy while delivering a fresh reading shaped by a cast that understands the material and a director who refuses to let the show sit in nostalgia.

Zach Rivera anchors the night as Mark Cohen, giving the character sharp wit and restless curiosity, yet avoiding turning Mark into a detached narrator. Rivera builds an entirely new version of the role that still carries the same comfortable familiarity longtime fans expect. His Mark feels present, invested and alive.

Landing with grounded intensity, Allyn Bessee delivers a standout Roger Davis. His vocal approach carries clear emotional weight and often channels an uncannily accurate Adam Pascal impression. For readers that aren’t quite Rentheads, Pascal originated Roger on Broadway and helped define the show’s signature sound. Bessee pays tribute without slipping into mimicry, and the blend works beautifully.

A surge of energy arrives each time Mia Vazquez steps in as Mimi Marquez. She threads confidence with sensuality and balances it with optimism and vulnerability. Her scenes with Bessee gain real momentum, especially in “I Should Tell You.” The pair accomplish something rare. They turn a song many listeners treat as a skip into a moment worth replaying. Each repeated line lands with its own meaning, shaped by the emotional shifts between the characters.

Devante Mills and Elijah Simms form the emotional center of the production as Tom Collins and Angel. Simms brings Angel to life with striking clarity, shaping her as a source of warmth, humor and instinctive compassion. Every gesture and line reflects a character who chooses joy despite hardship, which deepens the impact of her relationship with Collins. Mills meets that energy with a grounded sincerity that gives their partnership real weight. Together they reveal layers of affection, devotion and joy that deepen over time, as if the characters discover new forms of love each moment they share. “I’ll Cover You” radiates trust and tenderness. Mills destroys the room with crushing emotional weight on the Reprise. The final lines, especially “when your heart has expired,” land like a blow, leaving not a single dry eye in the house.

Alyssa Billings and Annamaria Iglesias tear into Maureen and Joanne with fierce commitment. “Take Me or Leave Me” lands with power and precision, fueled by the kind of frustration that only surfaces when deep affection and sheer exasperation collide. Billings leans into the absurdity of “Over the Moon,” shaping it into a sharply timed burst of comedy that earns every laugh. Iglesias, together with Rivers, adds another standout moment in “Tango: Maureen”, delivering a hilariously awkward mix of restraint, irritation and reluctant empathy that brings fresh humor to a number often overshadowed by the show’s bigger set pieces.

Brandon Hines gives Benny unexpected humanity. Instead of playing the role as a simple antagonist, he reveals the character’s conflicting motives. The choice makes the story land with more weight.

Lindsay Curry’s costumes ground the show in the era. To a young Gen Xer or Elder Millennial, it feels like someone raided the back of the closet and put the pieces on stage. Daniel Dungan’s brooding and intense lighting sharpens emotional beats without intruding, and Anthony Felton’s musical direction keeps the ensemble tight and responsive. The iconic “Season of Love” fills the theater with a wall of sound that feels both massive and intimate, a reminder of how powerful the ensemble can be when every voice locks in. It is a moment so full and resonant that it justifies the ticket on its own.

The cast deserves every ovation, yet Bradley Akers’ direction provides the backbone. He shapes the production with clear intention and treats the text as something still alive. Scenes move with purpose. Relationships breathe. Familiar moments feel new rather than stuck in place.

Players by the Sea delivers a Rent that respects the past but thrives in the present. It honors Larson’s impact with performances that carry heart, bite and authenticity. It is a staging that understands why Rent mattered then and why it still matters now.

Rent runs Friday, December 5 through Sunday, December 21 at the Players by the Sea's John McManus Mainstage Theatre.

For more information, full cast and crew credits and links to tickets, visit the Rent page here on JaxPlays.