Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp Appear In RENT: The Broadway Tour At OCPAC 10/20-25

Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum and Allan S. Gordon have announced that Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp and Gwen Stewart will reprise the roles they originated on Broadway in RENT: The Broadway Tour when it visits the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a special one-week only engagement October 20 - 25.

Joining Pascal, Rapp and Stewart are Nicolette Hart (Maureen Johnson), Justin Johnston (Angel Schunard), Lexi Lawson (Mimi Marquez), Michael McElroy (Tom Collins), Jacques C. Smith (Benjamin Coffin III), and Haneefah Wood (Joanne Jefferson). The ensemble is rounded out by Toby Blackwell, Adam Halpin, Trisha Jeffrey, Joshua Kobak, Telly Leung, Tracy McDowell, Jed Resnick, Andy Señor, Shelley Thomas, Yuka Takara and John Watson.

Pascal, Rapp and Stewart originated the roles of Roger Davis, Mark Cohen and "Seasons of Love" soloist, respectively, at the New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway. Johnston, McElroy and Stewart were all members of the final company of RENT, which played its last performance on Broadway on Sept. 7, 2008.

RENT: The Broadway Tour is directed by Michael Greif, who received 1996 Tony® and Drama Desk nominations as well as the Obie Award for RENT. Marlies Yearby, who received a Tony Award nomination for her work on the musical, choreographs the show and Tim Weil, the show's original music supervisor and conductor, serves as music supervisor. Pascal received Obie and Theatre World awards and Tony and Drama Desk nominations for best actor for RENT. On Broadway, he also originated the role of Radames in the hit musical Aida and starred as the Emcee in the long-running revival of Cabaret. His film credits include Rent, School of Rock, SLC Punk!, Temptation and Goyband.

An actor since the age of six, Rapp has appeared on Broadway in Precious Sons (Outer Critics Circle Award), Six Degrees of Separation and the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. His films include Adventures in Babysitting, School Ties, Dazed and Confused, Six Degrees of Separation, David Searching, Man of the Century, Road Trip, A Beautiful Mind, Open House, Winter Passing, Danny Roane: First Time Director and Scaring the Fish. His book, Without You: a Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent, about his experiences on and offstage, was published in 2006 by Simon & Schuster and became a national bestseller.

Stewart created several roles in RENT, including introducing the solo vocals for the show's central theme, "Seasons of Love." Her other theater credits include the recent Tony-nominated revival of Big River, Starmites, Suds, Ain't Misbehavin', The Wiz, Avenue X and Abyssinia. Stewart's film and television work includes Notes From the Underbelly, Related, Law & Order, Charmed, All My Children, Moesha, 24, Strong Medicine, The Guardian, Down To Earth and Personals.

Hart's Broadway credits include RENT, Legally Blonde and The Wedding Singer. Her TV and film credits include Law & Order, Lipstick Jungle, Veronika Decides To Die, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits and Cherry Crush.

Johnston played Angel Schunard in the final Broadway company of RENT and can be seen with the closing cast in Rent Filmed Live on Broadway. McElroy played Tom Collins in the final Broadway company of RENT. His Broadway credits include Wild Party, Big River (Tony and Drama Desk nominations), The Who's Tommy, Miss Saigon, Patti LuPone on Broadway and High Rollers. McElroy's TV credits include Love Monkey, All My Children and Spin City.

Smith made his Broadway debut as Benny in RENT. His TV credits include CSI: Miami, ER, HBO's OZ, PBS's Emmy winning American Masters series Ralph Ellison: An American Journey, The Division and Law & Order.

Wood's Broadway credits include RENT, Avenue Q and Brooklyn. She originated roles in the workshops of Shrek and Good Vibrations. Her film and television credits include Freedomland, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Strong Medicine, and Days of Our Lives.

RENT, written by Jonathan Larson and directed by Michael Greif, opened at Broadway's Nederlander
Theatre, on April 29, 1996, following a history-making, sold-out, extended-limited engagement at Off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop. The musical went on to win every major best musical award, including the Tony Award, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for drama. RENT played its final performance at the Nederlander Theatre on Sept. 7, 2008 after playing 5,124 performances and 16 previews. RENT is the eighth-longest-running show in Broadway history and grossed more than $280 million during its Broadway run.

Tours of RENT have crisscrossed the country almost continuously since late 1996 and the U.S. national tours have grossed more than $330 million. The musical has been translated into every major language and been performed on six continents, including in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Tickets to see RENT: The Broadway Tour are $20 - $65 and go on sale August 30. They will be available at OCPAC.org, at the Center's Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236.

The TTY number is 714.556.2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, October 24 will be sign-language interpreted.

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