(Above) David Merino plays Angel, a drag queen percussionist with AIDS living La Vie Boheme in the RENT 20th Anniversary Tour coming to the Orpheum Memphis on June 16. Credit Carol Rose, 2016.
by Kevin Shaw
Do you remember where you were when you first saw or heard about the musical Rent? For me, it was 20 years ago (unbelievable) when my graduate theatre professor at the University of Memphis asked me what I thought about this new show that had just opened on Broadway. When I told her I had no idea what she was referring to, she looked at me with great disdain and said, “You best get up to speed with this show because it’s all the rage.” Boy, she was right! The show ran for 12 years, won 4 Tony Awards and won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Based on Puccini’s opera, La Boheme, the show chronicles the life of struggling artists and musicians living in New York’s East Village during the onset of the AIDS epidemic.
The musical is now out on a national tour as it celebrates its 20th Anniversary debut. Focus Magazine spoke with one of the show’s stars (David Merino) who plays Angel (the drag queen percussionist with AIDS) about life on the road and how he got one of the most coveted roles in this historic rock opera.
Focus: I understand that even though you are on this national tour, you attend school in New York?
Merino: Yes, I go to NYU.
Focus: How long have you been with this tour?
Merino: I started rehearsals in August of 2016 and then we started the tour in September. We’re almost done. It all ends June 25th and then I go right back to school to finish my degree. I’m majoring in drama.
Focus: When you originally auditioned for the show, did you want the part of Angel?
Merino: I went in once for the open call and wasn’t called back at all, but then I did a production of Rent at NYU and the casting agent for the tour saw me and brought me in to audition again for Angel. So, after five callbacks and three weeks of waiting, I finally got the call that I got the part! The most exciting day of my life!
Focus: How are you able to do this show so many times a week and still keep it fresh?
Merino: Because it’s this show! It’s so beautiful and so much fun! It’s like a dream come true! Sometimes it can feel like a “job,” since it’s something that I do every day, but with this role I can switch things up and experiment. I get to make it interesting whenever I need to make it interesting. I never get bored of it—it’s a really hard show to get bored of.
Focus: So, this is the 20th Anniversary of this show opening on Broadway? Are you even 20 years old yet?
Merino: I’m 21 years old! I’m the 2nd youngest in the cast.
Focus: What is life like for a 21 year old man traveling the country from week to week? Lots of late nights? Bars? Grindr meetings?
Merino: I don’t really travel around as a typical 21 year old gay man. I’m too tired to do anything too wild at night—I have to go bed because I’m so tired after the show. I also have a boyfriend at home.
Focus: So, you’re a responsible young man!
Merino: I’d like to think so!
Focus: If it’s possible that there are still people out there who are not familiar with Rent, what do you think they should know about the show?
Merino: What I think is so special about this show is because it’s the 20th Anniversary, you’re getting exactly the same version of the show that people got 20 years ago on Broadway. Even though the staging is the same, I think this cast brings a new and refreshing life to everything they do. It’s really cool to see this new generation bring so much passion to this story. I have to admit the reaction from audiences and critics have been incredible—much better than I could have even imagined!
Focus: How do you spend your daytime hours while on tour?
Merino: Actually, I try to sleep as much as possible (until noon every day) and eat! If I have time, I try and get some sightseeing in and explore the city and then get ready for the show each night!
Focus: Well, don’t sleep too much—you only have 525, 600 minutes each year to be productive…
