Student production of 'Rent' causes concerns
Millstone, U.F. school officials to review project materials
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer

Is the popular musical "Rent" a suitable show for staging by AllentownHigh School students? At least one parent does not think so.

Kathy Toth appeared before both the Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education and the Millstone Township Board of Education to voice concern about Allentown High School's (AHS) planned spring production of "Rent: School Edition."

At the Nov. 9 Millstone board meeting, Toth said that "Rent" is "a very controversial show." She said Musical Theater International, the licensing agent of "Rent: School Edition," has given the production an "R" rating.

Toth, who has seen the film version of the show, said she does not think it is appropriate for children ages 14-17 to perform.

"It's adult subject matter, not something our children should be exposed to," Toth said. "I'm paying taxes to send my children to school and the school is doing a disservice to me and the community." She asked that both boards work together to change the decision for AHS to produce this play.

Musical Theater International describes "Rent: School Edition" as based on Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical "Rent," which is loosely based on Puccini's opera "La Bohéme." The musical follows a year in the lives of seven friends living the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle in New York's East Village. AIDS and both its physical and emotional complications pervade the lives of characters Roger, Mimi, Tom and Angel.

In the school version of the production, the character Maureen deals with chronic infidelity through performance art, and her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. The character Benjamin has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends, and the character Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general, always behind the camera recording the events but never playing a part, according to Musical Theater International.

Musical Theater International states that adaptation was "carefully done, working with the Larson estate to retain the dramatic intent of the groundbreaking rock musical," and "consists of minimal changes to language" and the removal of the song "Contact" to "make it possible for many schools to perform this piece."

Millstone board member Kevin McGovern said if the board has to deliberate on the issue, it would be "immensely helpful" to have a copy of the script.

Board member Laura Dreifus, the liaison to the Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education, said that the license for the high school version of the show only became available this past summer. She wanted to know where the show may have been performed.

Dreifus said the licensing agent rated the play "R" but has not defined what R-rated means.

Upper Freehold Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Richard Fitzpatrick said his school district's Board of Education has formed a committee to meet with Mark Megill, director of the Allentown High School musical. According to Fitzpatrick, the group met with Megill on Nov. 10 and agreed to investigate some of Toth's concerns.

"In addition, we had questions and items that we found worthy of further study," Fitzpatrick said, adding that he believes it is important to get immediate answers to the issues.

M

egill has agreed to give the

board and the community a presentation about the performance, regardless of any decision, according to Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick noted that Megill's perspective is profound and focused on integrating the high school's character education curriculum with community forums for students and parents and lessons about tolerance for the community.