On Tuesday morning, a frantic and frenzied storm hit Eisenhower Auditorium.

Light flashed and a thunderous roll echoed as the crew of RENT set up for a downpour of performances.

The doors to the auditorium's loading dock raised, flooding the cement backstage area with the early sun's beams.

A crew of about 60 members unloaded four trucks that were systematically cluttered. The separate pieces merged to create the urban landscape of RENT.

The crew unpacked wheeled crates containing props and costumes -- from Roger's famous plaid pants to brick painted canvases.

"Coffee is the most important part of the day. . . . It can be a 19-hour day pretty easily if you're loading in or striking a show," said Susan Kelley, Center for the Performing Arts' production coordinator.

Within the long days, the crew lays the foundation upon which the company builds the show. Although the audience just sees the two-hour-and-12-minute performance, many goals must be met before the actors and musicians take over the stage.

"We started working on RENT in late August and the tour goes on the road continuously until next August," said Cody O'Dell, technical director of RENT. He is working on his seventh tour and explained his job by saying, "If it's not about an actor, it's my problem."

PHOTO: C. Davis Herter/Collegian A crew member pushes a crate in Eisenhower Auditorium.

"Overall, tech for us is fairly simple for this production," O'Dell added. "We set up the day of the show, the actors travel separately and come later. Load in takes six to seven hours and I don't even wait till the music stops to strike the set."

Aided by a touring crew of 11, as well as additional support at each venue, O'Dell ensures that all technical aspects of the show go as planned.

"I have to make sure my crew is getting their gig right and that all the equipment is working properly and if it's not, I have to replace it or get it fixed," he said. "I schedule work calls as well as advancing the show. Typically, two or three days before we move to a city, I call to make sure they have everything that we need. Really most importantly, I maintain integrity of the physical aspect of the play as much as the stage manager maintains that with the actors."

Although he works diligently to load in and strike the set, O'Dell laughs about playing video games and watching television while the actors entertain the audience.

While O'Dell's crew is laying wires and hanging lights, Alona Comito, wardrobe supervisor, is steaming shirts and pressing pants.

"I load in all costumes and make sure they get cleaned and ironed and that everything is taken care of before the show," she said.

"During the show, I make sure everyone gets to their changes on time and myself and my local crew of four help them change. If it's a load-out night, we put everything back in the boxes to get ready for the next night."

Comito, on tour for five years, said RENT is the easiest show she has worked with because "the type of costume is everyday clothing so there are a lot of jeans so they can just go in the wash whenever necessary."

However, she notes that keeping the leather clean and keeping the odor out of clothes is especially challenging. For those particularly smelly garments, Comito suggests soaking them overnight in vodka.

"Something chemical happens, but it has to be vodka -- charcoal-filtered vodka," she said.

Comito's assistant is responsible for the hair and make-up of characters Mimi and Angel, while the other actors prepare their own look.

"The actor can really use the costume and bring it to life and make it like a second skin. Their character will get into the clothing," Comito said.

For a show to be successfully mounted, it takes the work of a local crew as well as the touring crew, said Tom Hesketh, Center for the Performing Arts events manager.

"We're in charge of making sure that everything gets in on time and everyone is happy," Hesketh said. "The nice thing about RENT is that it's a tour. It's designed to travel and the professional crew knows what they need to do, so we just have to interface their show with our physical plans."

Eighty-five to 90 students comprise the majority of Penn State's stage crew.

"We help load in the shows that come in and out of State College," said crewmember Lauren Purdum (junior-art). "I got involved because I like theater and I've always worked in the theater and now I'm getting paid to work backstage so that's a lot of fun. Everyone in town is going to see RENT and I helped put it up."

Local and national touring elements unite to yield polished performances that delight audiences across the country.

"I'm hoping that the audience just gets the picture and enjoys the whole thing and is not thinking about anything technical," Kelley said.

She added "Maybe they'd leave thinking, 'How did they do that,' but I'd rather they go away thinking, 'Wow, that was a great show.' It is important that it's flawless, effortless and that the audience has a great time."