Interview: Ray L. Kloth of RENT at Emerging Professionals Ensemble

RENT follows a year in the life of a group of young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Collins, and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread of this groundbreaking musical.

Directed by Rob Thompson & Rachel Brady. Vocal Direction by Jimmy Deignan. 

We chat with Ray who plays Joanne in the EPE production of Rent. 

What do you enjoy most about playing your character? 

The role that I play is Joanne Jefferson and there honestly are so many different things I love about playing her. I love that I have the opportunity to play a queer woman, as I am a queer person myself and I have mainly played straight or sexually ambiguous characters in the past. Playing an openly queer person as an openly queer person has really been refreshing for me. Another aspect that I really enjoy is having a scene partner that I feel safe with. My Maureen in this show is Sophie La Fave, and playing opposite of them has been a dream. It was the best chemistry callback I have ever had and I am so grateful to be playing opposite such a strong actor like Sophie. A lot of the moments that we have on stage also feel incredibly genuine, because as most rehearsal processes go, the cast becomes closer and closer, and Sophie and I have gotten pretty close I would say within the rehearsal process. Also, playing a role made for a woman of color is really important for me. I'm Mexican and Indigenous, so playing a role that was made for a person of color feels really good in my bones. I feel like this character is incredibly important to the show, especially having a woman of color in a powerful position such as a lawyer. 

What is your favorite moment in the show?

"Tango Maureen" is my favorite dance in the show, by FAR. I work opposite the insanely talented Joe Klinker, who plays Mark, and the dynamic that we have brought to our characters is so so fun. We're pretty close outside of the show as well, so bringing the dynamic of our friendship outside of the space to the banter that Joanne and Mark have throughout the show is so fun. Plus this scene is just so much fun to perform, both vocally and physically.

"I'll Cover You" in act one, performed by both the incredibly talented John Brownell as Tom Collins and equally stellar Cris Sanchez as Angel. The way that these two perform this sequence is really beautiful and when we watched them perform it for the first time during a run of act one, people were tearing up about just how lovely and genuine their performance is.

On the flip side of that, "I'll Cover You (Reprise)" really hits home for me as well. The way that John sings this song is absolutely gorgeous and emotional and I cry every time we run it just from his voice alone. This is, while a very pivotal moment for Collins, a moment in the show that brings the entire ensemble together for the first time as a community, and the way that this has been staged is honestly really beautiful.

"Take Me or Leave Me" is I think one of my top, if not my favorite moment in the show. As I said above, working with Sophie is one of the best experiences I've had with a scene partner, and the dynamics that we bring to the scene and the revelations that we have within our characters and their stories are so important to us. It's also the song I think that I'm proudest of because Sophie and I have spent so much time finessing and fine-tuning it so not only do we look good, but sound good too.

What is your favorite song in the show?

My favorite solo that I perform is "We're Okay" as it shows the revelations that Joanne has throughout the act. It also feels really good in my voice and my range and brings a lot of opportunity to play, even when it is confined to two phones in the corner of the stage. I love the beat of it and the way that it feels and I just have the time of my life performing it.

My favorite solo I don't perform is "We'll See" performed by Jason Nyabuto as Benny. His range is INSANE, and hearing how he has created and made this song his own is so lovely. I think this is the song I'm most excited for audiences to listen to because he brings so much of himself to the performance and it just sounds so amazing.

My favorite duet of the show is "Without You" performed by the lovely Ani Tonoyan as Mimi and Paul Cushman as Roger. I LOVE these two in these roles and their voices complement each other so well. Plus the scene and the action around them during this moment are so vulnerable and I love the choices that they have made. 

My favorite group songs are obviously the titular "RENT" and "La Vie Boheme" because they're just so much fun to perform. It is that signature style that Jonathan Larson wanted to hone himself in on and they're also just really fun to perform. 

What do you hope audiences take away from this show?

I think the main takeaway I want the audience to have is that while these are moments of the past, they are also still prevalent in today's world. Discrimination against unhoused individuals is on the rise, the HIV/AIDs epidemic is still ongoing, and crimes against people of color and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are continually becoming worse and worse. While yes, these events were incredibly prevalent in the 1990s, they are still ongoing today. We must be cognizant of that fact and continue to better ourselves. These are stories that need to be told, and I'm truly honored that I have the chance not only to play in this space as this character but to educate the community by doing so.

What are your favorite local spots?

I'm going to be so real, I don't get out a ton as I have a full-time job outside of the show and continue to progress my artistic career alongside that. I think if I had to pick a favorite place, it would probably have to be Rockin' Tattoos in Eagan. I've gotten most of the art on my body done there and the team in that shop are really cool and really kind. That's my biggest recommendation if you're looking for new ink.

Thank you Ray for your time. 

For more ticket and show information, please click the ticket link button below.

To post a comment, you must register and login.