Carrollwood Players Theatre’s RENT is a Must-See Pride Month Celebration

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Now through June 27

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I can give you five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred reasons to go to Carrollwood Players through June 27th, and David J. Valdez’ directing, Lisa M. Chase’s musical directing, and Devan Bittinger’s choreography are only three of them. On Saturday night, Jonathan Larson ’s RENT hits just as hard in 2026 as it did when it debuted in 1996. I saw RENT in a massive theatre space nearly twenty years ago. Carrollwood Players is not a huge stage, and that intimacy is what makes this particular production so powerful.

Larson transformed the spirit of Puccini’s La Bohème into a story rooted in the East Village during the height of the HIV and AIDS crisis, creating a world where filmmakers, musicians, dancers, professors, and performance artists fight to hold on to love, purpose, and community in the middle of uncertainty. The neighborhood he wrote about was overflowing with creativity and activism while also carrying profound loss as friends and chosen families disappeared. That mix of beauty and instability shaped RENT, and it is why the show still resonates today.

From the first cue, the lighting by Todd J. Wiener and Lily Sanford becomes an emotional compass, shifting from cold urban grit to warm pockets of connection, then dropping into shadows that mirror the characters’ fear, longing, and resilience. It feels like a visual heartbeat that keeps time with the story.

The costumes and wigs by Alexandra Rios, Jonathan Virga, and Alli Lynn Thomas are beautifully curated, textured with personality and history. Nothing feels like a replica. Everything feels like a choice rooted in character.

The set by Krista Virga, Jonathan Virga, and cast/crew is one of the production’s most striking achievements. Instead of relying on traditional scenery, Valdez uses the actors as set pieces, creating a living landscape that rarely leaves the stage. It creates a sense of constant presence, as if the community is always intertwined.

Movement drives the show as much as music. The choreography throughout is sharp and expressive, but La Vie Boheme is a standout, wild and joyful and rebellious, and incredibly fun to watch. Mimi’s (Natalie Whitlock) Out Tonight is choreographed with a prowling, feline confidence that lets her command the space with ease.

While Mark (Alex Markoulis) serves as the glue connecting the different character storylines, his performance with Joanne (Aaliyah Saint Charles) in Tango Maureen becomes a highlight of its own. Their voices blend with playful tension, and the choreography turns their back and forth into a clever, rhythmic duel that the audience cannot help but enjoy.

Benny’s (Adrian De La Rosa) performance of You’ll See adds another layer of texture to the evening. His presence is firm and grounded, and the number lands with a clarity that sharpens the stakes between him and the rest of the group. It is a moment that reminds the audience how complicated loyalty and survival can be in this world.

Maureen’s (Kristin Brazzell) performance of Over the Moon becomes a full room event the moment she calls for the audience to moo. And they do, loudly and gleefully. It is the kind of communal silliness that only works when a cast has the audience completely with them.

Angel (Michael Vega) is breathtaking. He makes her beautiful in every sense of the word, with a warmth and radiance that fills the room the moment she appears. Her Today 4 U becomes a burst of charisma and precision, delivered with such joy that the audience cannot help but lean forward. Every beat lands. Every flourish sparkles.

When Tom (Christian M. McLaurine) steps into 1000 Kisses with Angel, the production finds one of its quiet triumphs. Their chemistry is immediate and sincere, and the number unfolds like a conversation between two people who see each other fully. McLaurine’s grounded presence gives Vega’s brilliance an anchor, creating a duet that feels both joyful and fragile in the best way.

Emma Beckman is hysterical as Mark’s Mom on the answering machine. Her timing is perfect and the audience loves her.

The Seasons of Love ensemble is stunning, every voice blending into a sound that fills the room and settles right into your chest. But it is Beckman's solo in Seasons of Love that stops the room. The notes she hits are astonishing. It is one of those moments that lifts the entire show.

And then there is Roger (Tony Capizzi). I could not look away when he sang. His voice filled the auditorium with raw power and aching vulnerability. One Song Glory, Light My Candle, I Should Tell You with Mimi, and Goodbye Love each land in a different emotional place, and he navigates every shift with clarity and force. Roger’s voice alone would be a reason to see this show beyond all the incredible vocals surrounding him. Absolutely phenomenal.

Carrollwood Players’ RENT strength lies in its closeness, in the way the performers breathe the same air as the audience, in the way the story feels less like a show and more like a shared moment in time. It is a production that honors Larson’s legacy by making it immediate, human, felt, and deeply needed in today’s hateful political climate where lawmakers continue to advance efforts that harm and marginalize LGBTQ+ community. RENT has always asked audiences to look at each other with more compassion, more understanding. This superb cast makes that invitation impossible to ignore.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/tampa/article/Review-RENT-at-Carrollwood-Players-Theatre-20260608)._