‘Without You,’ – Written and performed by Anthony Rapp. Songs by Jonathan Larson, Anthony Rapp, David Matos, and Joe Pisapia. Directed by Steven Maler. Scenic design and lighting design by Eric Southern. Costume design by Angela Vesco. Sound design by Brian Ronan. Projection design by David Bengali. Musical Director & Orchestrations: Daniel A. Weiss. Presented by Ambassador Theater Group at the BCA’s Wimberly Theater, Tremont Street, Boston, through April 14.
By Linda Chin
Since childhood, Anthony Rapp has loved singing, playing the lead in musicals such as Oliver, and delighting audiences in his hometown of Joliet, Illinois – especially his biggest fan, his mother, Mary Lee. After moving to NYC, Rapp appeared in a host of roles his mother wished were more “normal.” While working at Starbucks to, uh, pay the rent, Rapp got his big break at age 22 when he landed the principal role of Mark Cohen (the filmmaker and narrator) in the off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Jonathan Larson’s ground-breaking musical RENT.
That was thirty years ago; Rapp, now 52, is in Boston performing his one-person show with music Without You, based on the New York Times best-selling memoir of love, loss, and the musical RENT. The love refers to that between lovers, parent and child, artists and their craft, and friends struggling together to navigate life in NYC in the ‘90s amidst adverse circumstances (e.g., addiction, poverty, HIV/AIDS). The loss refers to that experienced by so many parents whose children died too young, including RENT composer and lyricist Jonathan Larson, who died suddenly (at age 35) of an aortic dissection hours before the show was to open off-Broadway in 1996.
RENT rose to critical acclaim, and while it was going strong, Mary Lee grew weaker from cancer and died in 1997 at age 55. In her lifetime, she traveled to NYC, saw her son perform in RENT, and expressed her pride in his performance. In one of his many visits home while she was ill (thank you, understudies), Rapp told her – with some trepidation – about a new man in his life, and she expressed that while it was hard at first, but she had come to accept his sexuality. These scenes and a letter Mary Lee wrote to her son projected on the backdrop screen – with the words you add “light and gold stars” to the world and “I love you” written in his mother’s shaky cursive hand – made for heartbreaking moments.
Onstage at the BCA’s Wimberly Theatre, Anthony Rapp sings the song ‘Without You’ (from RENT) to pay tribute to these two influential people in his life – who supported him in living the life of an actor who does what he loves to do and a man who loves who he wants. But Rapp is not alone in this musical experience of love and grief. For the show’s 26 songs, which include ‘Seasons of Love’ and ‘La Vie Boheme,’ Rapp has the backup of a fabulous five-piece (keyboards, cello, bass, drums, guitar) band. At the show’s end, the audience showed their love with rapturous applause and a standing (and dancing) ovation. Without You is 90 of the 525,600 minutes this year well spent. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.bostontheatrescene.com/shows-and-events/without-you/
