Interview: Tommy Kaiser of RENT IN CONCERT

I caught up with Tommy Kaiser during a stop in Cerritos, California. Tommy is singing the role of Mark Cohen in the 30th Anniversary RENT in Concert tour.

Here is our conversation.

How did you first get into theatre?

Tommy: I just started doing the school plays, just throughout elementary school, all the way to high school. Then my first step into professional theatre was actually the National Tour of RENT, back in 2021.

Do you remember the first time that you encountered RENT and the impact that it had on you then?

Tommy: Yeah, so I was about 13 when I first watched the movie and I instantly loved it. I don't think I had heard rock and musical theatre together before. I think that was my first exposure to it, and... it really stuck with me. It's just something that I love. I love that genre. Then from there, I wanted to see, like, every production I could. So then I watched the pro shot that they have of the closing that on Broadway. And I would go around seeing community theatre productions, whether I knew the people in them or not.

You are singing the role of Mark. Is there anything that you've discovered new about Mark as you've stepped into the role?

Tommy: Yeah, I feel like I'm always learning something new and also just figuring out how to add more of myself into the character. I think just as I grow in this career, I just learn a little bit more because he's an artist. I learn a little bit more about, like, what it takes to be an artist, and how to add my own personality into the role to make it feel more authentic, and just kind of learning that there's not so much different about us, and just finding the ways that we relate could help my performance.

This production may be different for some people since it's not the full stage production, it's the concert staging. I'm sure this version really relies heavily on the cast and the music. How do you approach that differently than a fully staged production?

Tommy: Right. Well, we have the orchestra behind us. It's a 19 piece orchestra. And so they're playing right behind us, and then the singers are at music stands at the front of the stage. So, to prepare for that, we just have a sound check before every show where we just play through a couple of songs, just to make sure that we have the timing right, and make sure that the sound on the stage is good so we can all hear each other. So there's just a lot of trust between the singers and the orchestra members to be united in the music that we're performing.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of RENT. Why do you think people continue to connect with the show over the generations?

Tommy: I think it's a timeless message. I think one of them is that tomorrow is not promised. And everybody could use a reminder to live for today, because you never know when the day is gonna be your last. It's about forgetting regret, and, you know, the mantra of the show is “no day but today” and I think anybody could take that home no matter what walk of life you're on.

Do you feel a particular responsibility stepping into a show like this that means so much to so many people and carrying on the legacy of Jonathan Larson?

Tommy: I do, you know, I have such a respect for the art that he's created, and I want to honor that as best as I could. I'm sure I can speak for everybody in the production. We all are so aware of the impact that shows had on audience members and theatre as a whole, and we're all so honored to get to tell this story around the country. So we just are constantly reminding each other and ourselves that what we get to do is so special, and that we get to bring this story to different parts of the country, for people that maybe haven't seen it before, or have been waiting to see it for years. So it really is a very special thing for us.

Is there a number in the show that now hits differently when you're performing it then when you were just like listening to the music before?

Tommy: Hmm, that's a good question. I think probably “Goodbye Love”. Because it's not really that, you know, it's not a song that... people are usually playing in their car. You know, they're actually playing, like, “Seasons of Love” or “Take Me or Leave Me”, but with “Goodbye Love”, there's so much to listen to, and there's so much to listen for in terms of what the characters are really saying to each other. It's such an emotional turn in the show, where it's just, there's so much anger, there's so much sadness in it. I think just every night, I really do just find new ways to hear what is going on, and I let that kind of guide how I am performing that day, and just how I'm reacting to the number. So, yeah, probably that one.

Do you have a favorite number to perform?

Tommy: I’ve really been liking “Tango: Maureen” recently. I feel like it's always changing, but “Tango: Maureen” is such a fun one, and I perform that one with Candice Woods, which just is incredible. So that's something I'm always looking forward to.

Is there a moment in the show that still gives you chills when you perform it?

Tommy: Probably the “I’ll Cover You Reprise”. That is just such a beautiful piece, and just a nice revisitation from the “I’ll Cover You” proper, that we hear in Acts One. I just think it's a beautiful arrangement of a continuation of their story, Angel and Collins.

How does it feel performing “La Vie Boheme” since it's such an iconic theatrical moment?

Tommy: Yeah, I love that one as well. The audience is always so engaged at that point too. They're always like cheering or clapping along right when it starts. It's just a really nice way to fuel me. I mean, so much of performing is like feeding off the energy of the audience, and we've had such great audiences so far. So it's been really fun.

What was the rehearsal process like for this production?

Tommy: Our rehearsal process was actually right before we left for the road. So we had about a week in the beginning of February to rehearse just the cast with a piano. Then we came to our first location, and that was when we started rehearsing with the full orchestra. So it was a pretty quick process to dive into, but before every show we have a chance to run a few numbers with the orchestra and the singers. Obviously, every house is different, so the sound is always something to adjust to, so we give ourselves the opportunity to do that before a show, just to make sure we're on the same page.

How is it working with this cast?

Tommy: It's fantastic. We became a family so quickly, and it's such, like, a cliche thing to say, but, we really do all get along, and we love each other, and we're together on and off stage. So we can't get enough of each other.

For someone who knows the songs but has never seen the show live, what will make this version special?

Tommy: I think hearing the music is one thing, but getting to see the physicality behind it, as minimal as it is, because it is a concert version, I think you can really get a sense of the emotions that are being portrayed. Having it right in front of you and just seeing it live in person.

I'm sure for you guys, because you are just there with the music stand singing, you almost have to put even more into it.

Tommy: For sure, yeah. I think it gives us an opportunity to, like I said before, to really listen to the words we're saying. When you take all the other elements away, we really do get to see how powerful the music is on its own and putting that center stage.

What do you hope the audiences here in Jacksonville will take away from this experience of seeing the show?

Tommy: I have no doubt that there's a message for everybody to take away from it and to just go in with an open heart and an open mind and to let it change you, to let it help you discover things about yourself, about other people. It’s a very humanizing show and it's a great reminder that love trumps all, and there is really is no day but today and to not live life with regret. Because tomorrow's not promised, so live every day like it's your last.