RENT
Dir. Nadya Lopez
Costume Design
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Media Design
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Costume Design * Media Design *
I am absolutely thrilled to have gotten a chance to work on SCAD MT’s production of Jonathan Larson’s RENT, stepping into my first costume design role! For this production, I independently designed and sourced over 55 costumes for a cast of 20 performers. Additionally, I had the pleasure of working as the media designer, creating all of the promotional graphics for the show.
Directed and choreographed by Nadya Lopez, this production sought to challenge audiences’ preconceived perceptions of RENT by reimagining the musical within the early 2000s. The AIDS epidemic, although less spoken about, continues to disproportionately impact marginalized communities— Nadya’s directorial choices aimed to emphasize the persistence of these issues by framing this beloved musical in a more present context.
Growing up with this show, I was determined to create a look that was fresh and unique, especially considering the nature of this production’s reimagined setting. My design approach leaned heavily into color symbolism— Specifically, my designs had a recurring emphasis on the color red as a symbol to represent the spread of HIV/AIDS among impacted characters, paralleling the red ribbon of awareness.
