Big issues were tackled in a small space Monday night when Bare: A Pop Opera was performed in the Pavilion Theatre.

Enough people attended the free musical that there was a shortage of programs and seats, leaving some audience members standing for the two-hour production.

Directed by Lizz Collins and produced by Brenden Rogers, Bare chronicles the lives of high school students at a Catholic boarding school during their senior year, beginning when the students return from Christmas break and ending with a bittersweet graduation.

George Heigel (junior-actuarial science) played Peter, one of the main characters who struggles with his sexuality. Heigel connected well with his character and harnessed the emotions Peter was going through to deliver each song with clarity and feeling.

Throughout the play, Peter wants to accept he's gay and needs to display his feelings for Jason, played by Matthew Moore (freshman-musical theatre). But Jason is afraid of what society thinks of him and tries to mask his feelings for Peter by having sex with Ivy, played by Alyssa Farrell (junior-theatre).

The musical, roughly 85 percent song, addresses many issues over grungy rock music without being preachy or creating overbearing guilt. At the same time, the production is like the lovechild of the Broadway show Rent and the movie Dead Poets Society, combining the societal pressure in a structured environment such as Catholic school with the struggles of loving someone of the same sex.

During the opening song, the music -- played by a guitar, keyboard, drums and a flute -- seemed to overtake the actors, but as the evening continued, they became more comfortable and gelled well with the accompaniment.

The music, ranging from a Catholic hymn in a church service to techno at a rave party, was enhanced by the production's choreography and actor placement.

The thrust stage of the Pavilion Theatre, with the audience on three sides of the floor space, was wisely used with small set pieces that createed easily identifiable spaces -- from beds for the dorm rooms to a confessional in the church.

Some lighting difficulties, which shadowed characters who were singing during one or two numbers, were the only distraction during this complex musical.

All of the actors took leaps to truly become the characters, convincingly taking risks such as the kisses and caresses shared between Peter and Jason, and Ivy's and Jason's undressing and simulated sex scene.

Even the actors with smaller parts stood out and embraced their characters. Reagan Copeland (freshman-theatre) played Nadia, Jason's chubby sister. She sang her featured songs, which dealt with body image and loneliness, with just the right combination of annoyance, humor and sadness.

The bold musical, taken on with great talent by these students, only mentioned the word "gay" one time throughout the entire evening -- perhaps as a suggestion that true love is more important than a label and taking risks is more important than living in fear.