RENT is Coming to CM Performing Arts Center Main Stage in February

Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning rock musical RENT will take over the main stage at Long Island's CM Performing Arts Center beginning February 15. Performances will run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through March 8.

The production is directed by longtime CM Performing Arts Center collaborator Jess Ader-Ferretti and features Bad Mary's powerhouse vocalist Amanda Mac in the role of Maureen Johnson.

Ader-Ferretti shares her deep connection to the show, stating: "RENT has been my favorite show since it first debuted in 1996. I was 11. From there, I was fortunate enough to see it close to 30 times on Broadway (thank you, friends who worked as ushers in college and snuck us in) and even more fortunate to play Maureen twice. RENT taught me two things from an early age: women can sing rock, and being gay isn't a bad thing. It offered me comfort and confidence to find my own voice and allowed me to recognize and cherish my theatrical abilities.

In recent years, RENT has gained a reputation for not having a single likable character. That always makes me laugh and confirms my belief that this show is so very much in touch with realistic humanity that it's become polarizing. These characters are so well-known at this point that they're associated with gut-punch emotions and are typically played that way. This cast is working tirelessly to bring real people to the stage. It's an honor to direct my favorite show, but the true honor is working with this incredibly talented group, who are sharing their souls with us over the next few months."

About RENT:

As a group of young artists fight for justice and visibility during the AIDS crisis, they find solace in the beautiful bonds of friendship and chosen family. With its profound message of joy and hope in the face of uncertainty, this timeless musical - based on Puccini's opera La Bohème - reminds us to measure our lives by the only thing that truly matters - love.

RENT won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama; the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score; and the Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Book of a Musical, Outstanding Music, and Outstanding Lyrics. The production ran for 12 consecutive years, becoming one of the longest-running shows on Broadway.

Patrick Campbell will star as Mark, David DiMarzo as Roger Alisa Barsch as Mimi, Shiloh Bennett as Collins, Ruben Fernandez as Angel, Amanda Mac as Maureen, Shaina Stroh as Joanne, Steven Charles as Benny.

Ensemble: Ayana Franck, Kayla Stallone, Patrick Silk, Keith Jones, Thomas Gallagher, Bradley Berdecia, Anna Moceri (Dance Captain).

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