Call me behind the times, but Thursday evenings's performance of RENT by Tympanium Euphorium was the first time I'd ever seen the Pulitzer-Prize winning musical in person. The show opened to a sold-out Carl J. Shapiro Theater filled with a bustling audience. I had heard the story, had listened to the buzz surrounding it and was ready for my first experience with the phenomenon that is RENT. Fortunately, the Tymp did not disappoint, providing powerhouse performances and poignant songs that managed to impress me even though I had seen both the 2005 film version and the 2008 live-on-Broadway version (was I becoming a RENThead?).

The set was constructed with industrial dilapidation in mind. It was highly reminiscent of the Broadway set, complete with stairs that crossed across the stage and rusting rails around the perimeter of the lofted area. Director Andrew Litwin '11 spoke to justArts about how challenging the show was to put on. "RENT is huge. It's everywhere. . Balancing trying to make the show our own with what people are used to seeing from RENT was a little difficult. The set from RENT is pretty iconic. . Trying to balance how much of my vision I wanted to shine through versus how . true to the show [we should be] was difficult."

The cast was an eclectic one, made up of both UTC veterans as well as newcomers to the theater. The refreshing talent that the new actors brought to the stage stirred an electricity within the theater that I'd never felt before. Never had I heard a Brandeis ensemble so in tune or comfortable with each another. One could see that this was not just an on-stage cast-it was a family.

"This is the best show that I've ever worked on. We have an unbelievable cast. RENT is a show where [people that have done lots of UTC shows and people that have never done one before] can really contribute," said Kelsey Strouse '13, the show's stage manager.

Ultimately, all of the actors were bound together emotionally by the powerful and universal themes that RENT encompasses: Discovering oneself, overcoming difficulties and finding love. The cast embraced these themes with sympathy and delivered riveting performances. Harrison Bannett '11 was fantastic as Mark, and fellow cast member Jason Dick '14 memorably played the iconic character of Angel. The whole cast was exceptional, though there was one voice that blew me away-Stephanie Johnson '13 performs the solo that everyone listens for during the most iconic song of the show. "Seasons of Love" is RENT's most memorable song, and Johnson gave an electrifying and soulful vamp that made my hair stand on end.

Though the voices were wonderful, it was often difficult to hear them. The orchestra would overpower them many times and more often than not, in the melee of fast-paced music and quick-spoken lines, the words were lost and the meaning was impossible to take in.

Also, some of the staging felt awkward and uncomfortable. For example, when Mimi (Ellyn Getz '13) is being cradled by Roger (Dotan Horowitz '12) at the end of the second act during an emotional moment, the pair was staged in a tight, cramped corner with a small, circular table as part of the setting. The sadness of this scene is supposed to be overwhelming, but the UTC actors' faces were blocked by the railing, the lighting was brash and the visual of them being forced into a corner was clumsy.

A few issues aside, the UTC's RENT is one of the most entertaining productions of theater I've seen this year. Jonathan Larson's captivating book and music is one that speaks to all on many different levels and the talented cast truly delivered.