Anachebe Asomugha has been trying to let Tom Collins die. The task has been difficult, and two weeks after the closing show of USI’s ‘Rent’ he is still clutching on to Collins.
“It’s difficult to have that character present in my everyday life,” Asomugha said. “He’s filled with so much deep-seeded emotion, and I still have to go to work and classes.”
Asomugha played Collins in “Rent.” For two weeks, Asomugha played a man who watched his lover die slowly on a hospital bed and had to be in character the whole time. Just as he was finally letting the character die inside him, USI’s Theatre Department received news that brought the character back to life.
The USI production of “Rent” was selected regionally to move on to the American College Theater Festival (ACTF) in Illinois.
On Jan. 5 the cast and crew of ‘Rent’ will cram about a weeks worth of work into four hours. Starting at 9 a.m., 45 pairs of hands will be set up the entire, preparing the lights, sounds and video for the production.
“The judges are looking at how fast and how safe we set up,” theatre Assistant Professor Eric Altheide said. “It’s going to be challenging to set up such a complex set in that time, but it’s all about putting on a good show.”
After the set up, the cast will perform their show twice, once at 1:30 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. The theater they’re performing in sits 697 people. The entire two weeks at USI, only 800 people saw the play.
“If both shows fill up, around 1,400 people will see our production in one day,” Altheide said. “That is nearly double the total amount of attendance we had in 8 days.”
“Rent” is not the only thing being showcased at the ACTF. Four USI students are competing individually in acting competitions. Patrick Litteken, Caleb Sullivan and Bridgette Hoover will join Asomugha in performing two scenes and a musical number in hopes of impressing the judges for the Irene Ryan competition.
Hoover searched through many scripts and workied with Altheide to find the scene that both fits and challenges her. It’s what acting is about, she said.
“It’s amazing to reach the goals that I set for myself in such a short amount of time,” Hoover said. “I’m looking forward to show everyone what both myself and USI have to offer.”
