RENT Star Adam Pascal Featured on NorthJersey.com

Adam Pascal gave a brief interview to NorthJersey.com as the RENT Tour prepares to begin a 6 day run at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, with performances starting tomorrow, Tuesday and playing through Sunday. To read the feature click here.

Adam Pascal made his Broadway debut playing the HIV-positive rock guitarist "Roger" in the ground-breaking new musical, Rent. His performance in Rent was called "the golden-voiced, meditative soul" of the show and earned him a Tony nomination, a Theater World award, and an Obie Award. He went on to originate the role of "Radames" in the Elton John and Tim Rice musical Aida and play "Emcee" in the final Broadway performances of Kander and Ebb's Cabaret. Eventually, he ventured into the world of film to appear in SLC Punk, School of Rock, Temptation and reprised his role in the film version of Rent, directed by Chris Columbus. In 2000 Pascal returned to his rock roots with a solo recording contract on Sh-K-Boom Records. He released two solo rock albums, Model Prisoner - for which he wrote 10 of the album's 12 songs - followed by Civilian, inspired by his children and the effects 9/11 had on his family and the world. In 2006, he formed the band, "Me and Larry" with fellow musician Larry Edoff. The two musicians began composing and performing original material and reworked Broadway songs in small venues throughout the US which led to Pascal winning the 2007-2008 Golden Icon Award for Best Small Venue Concert. The band's first CD, Blinding Light, was released in May 2008 on Pascal's own label.

Rent, The Broadway Tour, features Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, and Gwen Stewart reprising the roles they originated on Broadway. Joining Pascal and Rapp who reprise their award-winning roles, 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 Karmine Alers, Toby Blackwell, Adam Halpin, Trisha Jeffrey, Telly Leung, Caren Lyn Manuel, Jed Resnick, Andy Senor, Yuka Takara, and John Watson.

Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, and Gwen Stewart originated the roles of Roger Davis, Mark Cohen, and "Seasons of Love" soloist, respectively, at New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway. Justin Johnston (Angel), Michael McElroy (Collins), and Stewart were all members of the final company of Rent, which played its last performance on Broadway September 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, and choreographed by Marlies Yearby who received a Tony Award nomination for her work on the musical. Tim Weil, the show's original music supervisor and conductor, serves as music supervisor.

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 September 7, 2008 after playing 5,124 performances and 16 previews. Rent is the seventh longest running show in Broadway history and grossed over $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 over $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, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Rent, The Broadway Tour, runs Tuesday, February 10 - Sunday, February 15 on the following schedule: Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30pm; Friday at 8:00pm; Saturday at 2:00pm and 8:00pm; Sunday at 2:00pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are $23.00 - $80.00 and may be purchased online at www.njpac.org or via phone at 1-888-GO-NJPAC. NJPAC is located at One Center Street, Newark, NJ.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in the heart of a newly emergent downtown Newark, New Jersey, is the sixth largest performing arts center in the United States. Home of the Grammyâ Award-winning New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, NJPAC has been widely cited as a catalyst in the revitalization of New Jersey's largest city, attracting over 5.5 million visitors, including one million children, in its first eleven seasons of operations.

Following its stop in Newark, Rent, The Broadway Tour will play Detroit, MI (February 17-22); Los Angeles, CA; San Diego, CA; Tempe, AZ; Minneapolis, MN; Chicago, IL; Pittsburgh, PA; Rochester, NY; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Austin, TX; Washington, DC; St. Louis, MO; Denver, CO; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Tampa, FL; Boston, MA; Schenectady, NY. For complete tour schedule and information visit www.siteforrent.com

Photo by Joan Marcus

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