‘Rent’ fans drawn to play’s humanity, universality

With “Rent” opening tonight at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Dan Lucas has been rehearsing his part for weeks, though he is not a member of the cast that will perform the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical at the center through the weekend.

The 23-year-old Costa Mesa resident and self-proclaimed “Rent”-head plays the role of Mark — a filmmaker who hopes to use his art to change the world — in the elaborate productions he and a group of high school friends enact at home.

“In high school, I always played Angel because I was the only gay one, but as we all matured, I realized I was more of a Mark internally,” said Lucas, who missed his senior prom to see the show.

For Lucas, the closeness of the group of friends portrayed in the show — a modern-day version of the opera “La Boheme” set in an artist’s community in New York City’s East Village — has mimicked that of his own clique over the years, and the central message of living for today applies universally.

“Anything that a person has had happen to them in life, they can find it in this play,” said Lucas, who plans to see the show for the fifth time this evening. “I think the humanity of the show is what has made it so big and popular.”

Starring as Joanne — a gay, public interest lawyer — actress Chante Carmel Frierson agrees that the show has widespread appeal.

“It’s very difficult to come to ‘Rent’ and not feel anything or relate to any person,” said the 26-year-old Southern California native.

Moreover, she believes the show has an important message to share about HIV and AIDS, which affects four of the show’s eight main characters.

“There was a huge awareness in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that has kind of died down, but the disease is still going strong,” said Frierson, who has been on the tour since January of last year. “Young African American women, like myself, are at the highest risk for getting the disease than any other group in America.”

Completing her bachelor’s degree in theater at UC Santa Barbara and acting on television shows such as “ER” and “Boston Public,” Frierson said she feels she is a part of something huge with “Rent” — which premiered on Broadway in 1996 and continues to play at the Nederlander Theatre as one of Broadway’s longest running shows — adding that she never tires of signing autographs.

“The show is so well written, and it’s ability to sustain itself on Broadway, and on tour, for so long is just incredible,” she said.

Keeping with a long-standing tradition of offering discounted rush tickets for “Rent,” front-row tickets will go on sale at the center’s box office two hours before each performance for $20 each.

There is a two-ticket limit and purchases are cash only.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Rent”

WHEN: Now through April 29; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

COST: $22 to $55

INFO: “Rent” is not intended for audiences under 13. For tickets and information, go to www.ocpac.org or call (714) 556-2787.