Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended
"...The strengths of the Corti production, which features a cast nicely removed from Broadway homogeneity, include Andrew M. Mueller as a strikingly alienated Mark - the main storyteller and, in Mueller's hands, a half-involved young man who very clearly has no clue who he is or what he is doing. Michaels is a broody, rocker Roger, with shaggy hair and a certain earned misery about him, and yet he's clearly very young, which is as it should be. Andrea Prestinario makes "Over the Moon" (which is the weakest part of "Rent," generally) entertaining. But the best work of all is from Evan Tyrone Martin, who has been impressing all over town, and whose Tom Collins, and his "I'll Cover You," are very real and true."
Chicagoist - Highly Recommended
"...The gritty, heartfelt musical that is Larson’s legacy follows a group of young artists—songwriters, filmmakers, actors—scraping by in the urban grit that was the Lower East Side in early ’90s New York City. There’s Mark (Andrew M. Mueller), the narrator who finds comfort behind his camera, and his roommate, Roger (Adam Michaels), an HIV-infected ex-rocker still mourning his dead girlfriend. Their other roommate, Collins (Evan Tyrone Martin), is an anarchist computer professor who gets his first real taste of compassion after meeting the cross-dressing street drummer Angel (Sawyer Smith). Their burgeoning love story serves as the gooey center in a musical otherwise filled with uneasy relationship woes. The three live in a converted loft without heat, burning old band posters and long-forgotten screenplays to stay warm. Kevin Depinet’s industrial, highly detailed set is hugely effective, with multiple points of entry for the actors and enough visual interest to claim its own stake in the storytelling."
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...The fixed gray set was in keeping with a bleak cold winter of New York. The themes concern drugs, AIDS, death, poverty, hunger, protests, homosexuality, and various pairings won and lost…but little focus on causes or viable solutions. Rent speaks much of love, but shows few actual manifestations of it. At one point, one of the actors says, “Break all the taboos.” and they strive to accomplish just that…except for murder…but even off stage, a dog meets a mysterious demise."
Chicago Stage and Screen - Highly Recommended
"...Shawn Stengel’s Musical Direction is impeccable, as are Adam Rosenthal’s Sound Design and Theresa Ham’s costumes. Mike Meyer’s film is the final miracle in a truly magical night. I really enjoyed Katie Spelman’s beguiling choreography, and was happy that much of it was upstage in the shadows, an excellent component of this great production that did not need to be down-stage center to make an impact."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Every time I see “Rent”. I walk away asking myself what would have happened had Jonathan Larson lived. This musical has won award after award and has been a jumping post for many young actors. It is also a play that has a large “cult-like” following, who, despite knowing every word of every song, buys that ticket so they can once again take part in one of theater’s true “theatrical experiences”! That being said, the latest rendition of this Award winning play is now on stage at the Paramount Theatre, that gorgeous refurbished venue in downtown Aurora as part of their third year of offering the Broadway series to the local followers and the suburbs surrounding the second largest city in our state."
Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended
"...With a show that’s taken on a life of its own, spawning legions of fans
affectionately known as Rent-heads, it can be difficult to find a fresh
new way to tell Larson’s story. Jim Corti has succeeded, not only in
making this popular musical feel new and exciting but he has, once
again, raised the bar a little higher for other area musical theatres.
There can be no doubt that Paramount Theatre has proven itself a worthy
contender for Chicago audiences, offering the finest in live theatrical
entertainment, creative and professional production values and
mega-talented performances. Definitely worth the drive to Aurora, this
is a production Jonathan Larson would’ve been proud to experience."