RENT: THE BROADWAY TOUR Adds Additional Performances at Toronto's Canon Theatre, 1/12-1/23

Jeffrey Seller   Kevin McCollum  Allan S. Gordon have announced an extra week of performances in Toronto of RENT: The Broadway Tour, starring Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp and Gwen Stewart, reprising the roles they originated on Broadway. Scheduled to play Toronto for only one week, the announcement of the tour’s visit caused such a flurry at the box office (without any advertising whatsoever), that a large percentage of the tickets were already purchased. The producers have now added an extra week of performances in the week before the originally scheduled run. RENT will now play January 12 to 23, 2010 at the Canon Theatre. Tickets are now on sale.

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, Shaun Earl, Adam Halpin, Trisha Jeffrey, Joshua Kobak, MiRi Park, Andy Señor, Caren Tackett, Shelley Thomas, Brandon Uranowitz 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. Justin Johnston, Michael McElroy and Gwen 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 theatre 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.
 
Nicolette Hart’s Broadway credits include RENT, “Legally Blonde,” and “The Wedding Singer.” Her TV and film credits include “Law and Order,” “Lipstick Jungle,” “Veronika Decides To Die,” “Love and Other Impossible Pursuits” and “Cherry Crush.”
 
Justin 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.”
 
Michael 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.”
 
Jacques C. 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 and Order.”
 
Haneefah 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 and 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 United States 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, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
 
The Canadian Premiere production of RENT took place at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. The production began Nov. 25, 1997 and played until July 26, 1998. The production then toured to Ottawa and Vancouver.
 
For more information about RENT, please visit www.siteforrent.com.