There are pros and cons to being familiar with a Broadway musical before seeing a local production. On the one hand, you know when your favorite number is coming up, but on the other, you’re bound to compare everything to the recording you know. Fortunately the Asheville Community Theatre (ACT) version of Rent is so well cast and the performance quality so high, this isn’t a problem.

Folks who aren’t familiar with Rent may need a bit of forewarning. For starters, it’s a rock opera. Like Hair, Grease, and Chess, the performers are backed not by a pit band but a full-fledged rock-and-roll outfit. This presents challenges for both the singers and sound people, but hopefully they’ll work this out over the course of the run.

Rent also pushes the envelope content-wise. Set in New York City’s Lower East Side during the 1990s, the characters include two roommates—a filmmaker and musician—a drug-addicted stripper, a cross-dressing street percussionist, and a bisexual performance artist—many of whom are HIV positive. Based on Puccini’s opera, La Bohème, the show follows a year in the life of these down-on-their-luck bohemians.

As managing director Susan Harper said in her introduction to the show, it was a risk to choose to include Rent in ACT’s 65th season, but they did so because they believe in its message of acceptance and tolerance. In fact, after each performance donations are collected to support the Western North Carolina AIDS Project.

Cast members demonstrated their passion for the work, as well. Joseph K. Wilton’s portrayal of Roger was particularly outstanding, imbuing depth in a character who can come across as whiny and raising the bar vocally for the whole cast. Jeffery Hyde Thompson could’ve played Mark in the original cast—he slipped into the role like it was made for him, sang like a pro, and gave new life to funny bits previously heard dozens of times.

Kimbery Tzakos and Mary Kathryn Lyerly as Maureen and Joanne were a match made in heaven and put a lot of heart into the lovers’ quarrel duet, “Take Me or Leave Me.” Taylor Loven’s performance as Mimi wasn’t quite as solid, but anyone brave enough to dance in her skivvies and belt “Out Tonight” deserves plenty of respect.

Any review of the show would be remiss without a mention Trevor Perry as Angel. It was delicious suspense to wonder: is it a he or a she? He deserves mad applause, both for a triumphant performance and for standing on various benches and tables in those crazy high-heeled boots.

Ty Shelton did a great job as "Benny the turncoat," and Andre Ellerby delivered an emotional performance with his beautiful baritone in the role of Tom Collins. There were also some standout members of the ensemble. Nana Hosmer’s solo in “Seasons of Love” was an absolute joy, and James Meador’s part in “Will I?” was particularly moving. And the whole cast was brilliant in its ode to the artistic life, “La Vie Bohème.”

Take the opportunity to catch Rent before the end its run at the ACT on March 6. The show won four Tony awards and a Pulitzer Prize for a reason. Plus, ticket prices are stunningly reasonable at $12, $19, and $22.

For more information, call 828.254.1320.