Queer musical classic in Zurich
The English-language theatre company ZEST is staging "Rent" in Zurich this autumn – and donating a portion of the proceeds to Queeramnesty. We attended the first rehearsal and spoke with the director and two of the actors.
Text: Copsi Schäfli Images: Oliver Knoll/ZEST
Gradually, the rehearsal room fills with a colorful group. Almost all 16 performers are present for the first rehearsal of "Rent" by the ZEST theater group. Jokes and banter are exchanged by those who already know each other; others introduce themselves, explaining which role they are playing and why they chose it.
After half an hour, things officially begin. The group sits in a semicircle around the piano, where director Oli Pont has taken his place. He opens the script and explains: "For now, I'm adopting the terms 'men' and 'women' from the score, even though I personally find this binary division—especially for 'Rent'—completely inappropriate, and I'm aware that these terms simply don't apply to some of us. Since we can't change the score, I'm using the printed libretto as a guide."
Before the rehearsal, Oli Pont and the lead actors Kira-Scypher Ryker (she) and Julien Jordan (he) took time for a chat. Software engineer Pont comes from London, has lived in Switzerland for 12 years, and has been with the association for 10 years, which he now also manages. He has already worked as a director in Great Britain and is now directing for ZEST for the fourth time with "Rent".
Voice actress Kira-Scypher Ryker is from the USA and has 17 years of theater experience. She has lived in Switzerland for eight years and is a new addition to ZEST. In the play, she portrays Angel. Also new to the company is Julien Jordan, who plays Roger. He is from Switzerland but spent an exchange year near Chicago in 2006, where he gained his first experience in a musical. Since 2019, he has performed in various theater and musical productions in Bern (including Pippin, Chicago, and The Normal Heart). Julien also works as a product and partner manager for stamps and philately at Swiss Post.
Why did you choose to collaborate with Queeramnesty this year?
Oli: One member of the ensemble, Jamie Langridge, was active with Queeramnesty for a long time; the idea originated with him. Furthermore, "Rent" is a perfect fit for this collaboration. It's a queer musical with an important message.
Why did you choose this piece?
Oli: At ZEST, it works like this: anyone who wants to can make a suggestion. Then we organize a test reading and vote. The feedback is incorporated into the decision-making process. I suggested "Rent" myself because this musical has a beautiful story – and it's also the fourth time I've been involved in a "Rent" production. I've even been on stage myself, as Mark and Angel. Besides, it was right around the time we were given notice at our previous theater, where we'd been performing for about 40 years. "Rent" is now being performed at Millers, and I think the brick walls and metal work really well with the "New York in the '90s" vibe of the show.
What is Rent about?
Oli: It's about the struggle of a neighborhood community during the AIDS crisis in 1990s New York. In 1996, it was the first Broadway musical to so radically focus on this topic, thus anchoring queer culture in the mainstream.
Is the message of the play still relevant for the queer community today?
Oli: Although it may be easier to be queer today, there's still a lot of stigma surrounding it. Furthermore, beneath the surface, "Rent" is about much more than just the fight against HIV. It's primarily about friendship and chosen family. About love regardless of gender or identity. This is also why we at ZEST can identify with it so strongly. Because we, too, are a community of people who—whether as migrants or as queer people—fall outside the norm in society and have found each other.
Is it a coincidence that there are so many queer people in the cast of the play and in ZEST itself, or did you specifically take that into account during the casting process?
Oli: It depends on how you look at it. Of course, theater and musicals do have a particular appeal for queer people, even if that sounds stereotypical, so it's no surprise. However, that wasn't a criterion for us when casting the show. With an open audition, we never know beforehand who will walk through the door, and we don't ask about age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Even though there's intense debate about authentic representation in the industry, for us, only talent, understanding of the role, and the chemistry within the ensemble count.
Kira: At the same time, the debate about representation is extremely important. I think it makes a huge difference whether a queer person plays a non-queer role or vice versa, because questions of privilege and discrimination come into play. It's difficult to compare the two sides directly, as queer people often face greater obstacles in their careers. Furthermore, it's about emotional authenticity on stage: if a group without any connection to the queer community were to perform a piece like "Rent," the necessary authenticity would quickly be lacking. That's why it's so wonderful that our open casting process organically creates a cast that naturally brings these experiences with it.
How did you choose your role and do you identify with it?
Julien: I was just about to take a break from theater when I saw the casting call. Acting in "Rent" was a lifelong dream of mine. I identify with Roger because he, too, withdraws significantly, especially at the beginning of the play, triggered by events in his life. He's an HIV-positive musician and struggles with drug addiction. His girlfriend committed suicide, and he's trying to recover from this loss. He no longer believes in love and isn't actively participating in life, but then Mimi comes along and shakes everything up. Roger shows how some people can change everything and how worthwhile it is not to give up.
Kira: I'm really excited to be playing Angel. She's a street performer and plays a central role in the group. She's a very gender-fluid character. I also strongly identify with this role, because I myself only came out as queer in early adulthood – and Angel also discovers herself over the course of the play.
In a musical, the actors also need to be able to sing and dance. How difficult is it to find competent people who will do all of that without pay?
Oli: The casting for "Rent" was the craziest and biggest we've ever had. Maybe because it's our third big musical and we've slowly become more well-known. Maybe also because many people can specifically identify with this show. In any case, we could have cast every role three or four times; the selection was extremely difficult.
Can anyone who speaks English apply?
Oli: In principle, yes. Most of the people on stage already have quite a bit of experience, but there are always one or two for whom it's their first time. Sometimes people only come to the auditions to test their nerves and practice, and don't actually want the role.
The number of English speakers in Zurich has grown significantly. Do you notice it?
Oli: Surprisingly, the opposite is true. When I joined in 2016, our performances were often about 80 percent sold out – today it's more like 60 percent. Although English-language theater is much more prevalent in Switzerland today than it was ten years ago – mainly due to the many large international touring productions traveling the country – our biggest competition comes from other leisure activities like cinemas, Netflix, and the like.
ZEST and «Rent»
The English-language Zurich theatre group ZEST has been around for 70 years. It consists of approximately 300 active and passive members between the ages of 16 and 95. The oldest member can still remember the group's founding in the 1950s. ZEST started out as a British theatre company that performed exclusively comedies. To this day, all plays are directed and performed by volunteers. Every year, a large portion of the ticket proceeds goes to a different NGO – this time ZEST has chosen Queeramnesty, a fitting choice given their selected musical, "Rent."
Jonathan Larson's play, which premiered on Broadway in 1996, was, according to director and ZEST president Oli Pont, the first mainstream musical to place the AIDS crisis at the center of its plot. It also cemented queer identities of the 1990s bohemian scene within the commercial Broadway repertoire.
ZEST performs «Rent» at Theater Millers in Zurich from November 27th to December 5th. Tickets are available here: https://www.thezest.ch/rent
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