Sony Unveils Mobile Rent Wallpaper and Charity Donation Program

Sony Pictures Digital has created the first ever mobile charity donation program based on the upcoming release of Revolution Studios film RENT!

Fans of the long-running Broadway show can download their favorite RENT characters to their mobile phone while, at the same time, be donating money to worthy charities. For each of the eight main characters, Roger, Mimi, Mark, Collins, Angel, Benny, Joanne and Maureen, a mobile wallpaper has been created and is available to Cingular and Sprint subscribers by sending a text message of "RENT" to 4SONY (4-7669) from a mobile phone. Each wallpaper will cost $2.50. A portion of all proceeds collected from the sale of these wallpapers will be donated to the following three charities:

The National Marfan Foundation, The Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids Foundation.

Based on Puccini's classic opera La Boheme, Jonathan Larson's revolutionary rock opera, RENT tells the story of a group of bohemians struggling to live and pay their rent against the gritty background of New York's East Village. "Measuring their lives in love," these starving artists strive for success and acceptance while enduring the obstacles of poverty, illness and the AIDS epidemic.

One of the longest running shows on Broadway, Rent was the winner of the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Obie Award, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, four Tony Awards and three Drama Desk awards. RENT will be released by Columbia Pictures nationwide on November 23, 2005.