by Liz Tramer

In the 1930s, families were going through uncharted territory as they paved their way through economic hardships at home and enemies abroad. Woody Guthrie advocated for the people and used their own words in his songs. He observed and reported, refusing to be quiet or be threatened by labels like “communist” or “socialist.” In an ironic twist of fate, the themes of the theatrical musical, Woody Guthrie’s American Song, still ring true today.

The play retells Guthrie’s life through a series of vignettes that emphasize his need to make people feel better … his desire to show that all people are equal. Actors in the show each take on Guthrie’s persona at different times in his life. Songs like Do Re Mi, Grand Coulee Dam and The Sinking of the Rueben James are just as powerful today. His brilliant lyrics are historical retellings of tragic events. Yet, somehow you feel the need to sing along and feel better for doing so.

The first half of the show is both lively and entertaining. The second half is a bit slower and couldn’t keep the same pace. Perhaps the show would have benefited from putting more fast-paced songs in the second half. The cast did a great job of rallying attendees to sing along. By the grand finale, the audience members were singing, swaying from side to side and smiling, while taking part in a rousing rendition of This Land Belongs to You and Me.

Guthrie inspired future folk singers like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. He also impacted singers like Bruce Springsteen. Woody Guthrie’s American Song is both a tribute to an American icon and a musical history lesson rolled into an entertaining theater performance.

by Liz Tramer

It’s been more than 525,600 minutes since Rent debuted in New York. It’s been more than 10 years since this show touched audience members around the world. Jonathan Larson’s musical is a modern-day remake of Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème – the central characters are a group of friends, (musicians, lawyers, filmmakers) struggling to get by in New York. Many of the characters have contracted the AIDS virus, and the show faces this issue head on. Although there have been many changes in the world since its 1996 release, the themes of struggling to find love, friendship and personal fulfillment are just as strong and impactful today.

As audience members filled the Dallas Music Hall at Fair Park, an energy emanated throughout the theater. It turned to excitement and anticipation as the curtains opened. From the moment Mark and Roger – original cast members Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal – sang their first notes, it was obvious that theatergoers were in for a memoable evening. As the show continued, attendees began to rock in their seats and mouth the words to each song. When the performers concluded a scene, the audience broke into huge rounds of applause and whistles and cheering could be heard in surround sound.

Many theatergoers are passionate about their favorite Broadway shows. They will speak about Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Jersey Boys or other performances. What makes Rent (Broadway’s seventh-longest running shows) so special is the way its characters, plot and music seem to move and touch individuals. In an age filled with political correctness, nothing is too taboo or risqué in Rent. There are cross-dressers, homosexuals, homeless people, poverty and AIDS. Yet, crowds have flocked to the theater for 12 years, many repeat attendees.

This is the little show that could and did! Numerous members of the original cast are household names – Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Jesse L. Martin, to name a few. This show has achieved phenomenal success by crossing the societal acceptance lines to portray how one simple emotion can fuel desolate and lonely people – the act of love. Be it love of friendship or passion, it is what helps this cast survive “in the age of a new millennium.” Its story of friendship and courage in the face of adversity is inspiring and uplifting to all in attendance.

After more than years, Pascal and Rapp may not be able to hit the same high notes, and new members have joined the traveling troupe, but it is still evident that audiences will keep packing the house and cheer for the underdogs in this phenomenally moving and emotional show.