RENT Comes to the Fine Arts Center Stage

The Fine Arts Center Theatre Company will present “Rent,” live on stage May 2-June 2, 2024. The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical by Jonathon Larson, loosely based on Puccini's “La Boheme,” is an iconic rock opera, one of the longest-running shows on Broadway, and was further popularized to a worldwide audience after the film adaptation premiered in 2005. 

 

The production will be directed by Colorado Springs local, Marisa Hebert, who last directed, “It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” and “The Legend of Georgia McBride” on the FAC stage and has worked with the Fine Arts Center off and on since 2007.  

 

"Why ‘Rent'? Humanity is always in need of reminding that life is precious, and fleeting, and worth living in all the moments be they big, small, good, bad, happy, or tragic,” said Hebert. “Life is full of love, and grief, and friendships, and healing, and learning lessons over and over again. How lucky we are that 'Rent' packages all these things into one beautiful show? How lucky we are that we can watch humanity in all its unique forms played out on this stage in this town at this point in history?” 

“Rent” shows a year in the life of young, impoverished artists and musicians in New York's Lower East Side, battling HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and Pulitzer Prize for Drama.  

The cast of “Rent” includes Elton Tanega, making his FAC debut as Roger; Christian Robinson last seen on the FAC stage in “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” as Mark; Bobby Bennet, making his FAC debut as Collins; Micah Mims last seen on the FAC stage in “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” as Angel; Mark Autry, last seen on the FAC stage in “Barnum” as Benny, Rebecca Myers, last seen on the FAC stage in “The Sound of Music,” as Maureen; and Imani Gholson making her FAC debut as Mimi.  

 

The artistic team includes Stephanie McGuffin (music director), Josh Hemmo (lighting design), Frank J. Oliva (scenic design), Pheobe Boynton (costume design), Max Silverman (sound design), Bella Burne (props), Garth Moritz (stage manager), Nathan Petit (choreographer), and Kristen Wickersheim (assistant stage manager). 

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