RIDGEFIELD — To close out its very successful fourth season, ACT of CT has staged the enormously popular and moving musical Rent, with music, book, and lyrics by Jonathan Larson.

Directors Daniel C. Levine and Michelle Tattenbaum have adhered to the creator’s vision in every regard, allowing the power of his message to take center stage. With the help of a phenomenal cast, they have a genuine hit on their hands.

Every cast member has brought their exceptional talent to bear. The energy they produced provoked cheers and many tears as the story of pure love and heartbreaking loss unfolded. Based on the Puccini opera La Boheme, Rent has transported the story to the 1990s, at the height of the AIDS crisis. The characters reside in the bowels of the lower East Side, before the area became chic.

Unable to afford adequate housing, as they struggle to make careers in the arts, battle drug addiction and suffer with unbearable illness, the characters find a family in each other.

The cast of this gorgeous production is extraordinary. They are each fully engaged in their characters, delivering rich and powerful performances. Each actor is truly a standout, with exquisite vocal skill as well as a commitment to the themes of community, friendship and love.

The cast includes Joshua Bess, Ben Bogen, India Boone, Dalon Bradley, Paloma D’Auria, Nicholas Garza, Gordia Hayes, Paola Hernandez, Luis Herrera, Amber Hearst Martin, Natalie Lilavois Yusty, Jade Litaker, Justin Phillips, Devin Price, and Austin Turner.

Choreographer Ray Mercer is to be commended for the many edgy and relentlessly charged dance numbers. From beginning to end, this play vibrated with a plethora of movement.

This timeless and soulful musical doubles down on the power of community and love, in all its forms. It is a viable lesson on the ability to heal through understanding and compassion, letting us know that we only have today and that each day gives us the chance to measure our lives in love.

Performances continue Thursdays through Sundays at 36 Old Quarry Road in Ridgefield through June 19. Parents should note the play is PG-13 due to graphic language, explicit content, and brief nudity.

Visit ACTofCT.org for performance and ticket details, and other information.