LA VIE BOHÈME

By Official RENT Blog contributor Rori Nogee

RENT asked Rori: As an artist and performer, what does "La Vie Bohème" mean to you? If you could rewrite the lyrics to the show, what ideas and/or people would you add to the song "La Vie Bohème" as your lists of inspiration for yourself and why?

The Bohemia depicted in RENT no longer exists. It is a time capsule of the days when the East Village was teeming with starving artists from all walks of life. Today, the East Village is filled with hipster trust fund babies, celebrities, and evicted artists who are probably wandering around homeless. However, that doesn’t mean that “Bohemia is dead.” The true Bohemians have since migrated to Washington Heights, Brooklyn and Astoria…at least until those areas become gentrified as well, in which case we artists will be forced to move upstate, or worse… Jersey.

I grew up in a middle-class Long Island two-income family with a hot tub in the basement and a swimming pool built into the deck. “What does SHE know about bohemian living,” you might ask? Well, when I moved out, my decision to pursue the arts was not exactly celebrated by my parents. I had to prove that I could support myself, or admit failure. (Mom just loves to say, “I told you so.”) Thus, I have been no stranger to La Vie Bohème for the past few years, doing the starving artist thing. I work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. I spend my days waitressing, auditioning, rehearsing, performing in children’s theater and murder mystery companies, dressing up as mascots at corporate events, and doing any other (legal) activities I can find in order to make a buck. This means that while I can pay my bills, there is no room for luxury items that other people might consider to be necessities: Manicures, pedicures, designer clothing, gym memberships, etc. There is also not much time for a social life in betwixt all of the working.

The characters in RENT shared my familiar bare bones Bohemian lifestyle, but they lived it in a different time. A lot has changed in the world since the early 90’s. While they had AIDS scares, we have terrorist scares. While they refused to sell out, we can’t even get a survival job in this economy. While they had the first giant cellular phones, we live in the information age; a world where people are simultaneously more connected to and disconnected from each other than ever before. Facebook is ironically replacing face to face human interaction and reality television is replacing jobs for actual trained actors.

The original lyrics of “La Vie Bohème” perfectly encapsulate the end of the millennium. If I were to incorporate my personal experiences and updated ideas for lyrics into a “La Vie Bohème” for the new millennium, it would go something like this: (Keep in mind that I did not attempt to rewrite the song lyric for lyric or syllable for syllable. I am merely throwing out some ideas in a freestyle kind of way. Hey, even Jonathan Larson had to start somewhere…).

To credit card maxing, heavy taxing, late fee owing, parked car towing

Catering, waitressing, knock off bags, Backstage mags

Terrorist threats, code red, bugs in your bed

Blown fuses, cheap boozes, socks with holes, worn out soles,

Outgrown roots, busted boots, to no HBO, to saving up for Mac Book Pros

Friends with kids at 9 to 5’s, you make enough to stay alive

Netflix, double shifts, no social life, dating sites, tweeting, fast food eating

Befriending, defriending, youtube stars, not lying about where you are

To no AC, dirty laundry, to me, to me, to me, me and ME!

To Adele overplayed, overstayed, winning every Grammy

Overstimulation, over-prescription, overpopulation, standing ovations

Overdose, Heath comatose, addiction, living with conviction

To reality TV and Glee, to auto-tuning, McPhee crooning,

Marathon work days, High Def Blue Ray, PBJ, American Idols invading Broadway!

To Cancer scares, bully dares, prop 8, no hate, gay suicides, innocence dies,Ground Zero's bravest heroes

Stagedoor meetings, kisses fleeting, Bernadette, singing Wicked duets

Apatow Flicks, Theater tix, Garage Band, parents lending you a hand

Marketa and Glen Hansard, questions about love get answered

Easy to be Hard, Equity cards, letting down your guard

Tick Tick Boom, The Cutting Room, Bottom Line, CBGB’s

3D movies, DRV, Angie Jolie, Marriage Equality

REBUILDING NEW YORK CITY

VIVA LA VIE BOHÈME

Living La Vie Bohème certainly comes with its hardships. Yet, I remind myself that I chose this lifestyle and I manage to stay inspired both in spite of and because of it. I plan on continuing to pursue my dreams and at least sometimes…getting paid to do it!

Rori

RENT fans, let's continue to create: What lyrics would you add to your version of "La Vie Bohème"? Share your lyrics in the comments below or on RENT's Facebook and Twitter.

Learn more about the current Off-Broadway production of RENT at www.siteforrent.com.

REVOLUTION, JUSTICE, SCREAMING FOR SOLUTIONS

By Official RENT Blog contributor Tommy Collison

RENT asked Tommy: In your Q&A you mentioned that you connected most with Mark partly due to his work being important in his life. Mark's movie spotlights the homeless and persons struggling in the streets during the late '80s in NYC. If you were to make a movie or write a social commentary, what issues in Ireland would you talk about and why? How does your piece that you would write connect with Mark or the show in general?

In Ireland, there exists a traditional nomadic people, who are known as “Irish Travelers”, and who make up about 0.5% of the population (around 36,000 people). They are not homeless, per sé, rather they choose not to live in a settled fashion, living in caravans or the like. Their children often grow up outside the mainstream education system and a European Parliament Committee of Enquiry on Racism and Xenophobia found them to be one of the most discriminated-against social groups in Europe. Because some -- not all -- members of the traveling community engage in petty crime and anti-social behavior, there exists a totally unfair social stigma around these ‘travelers’, and they often find it difficult to secure employment. The discrimination that travelers face is not all that different from the discrimination that African-Americans faced during the first half of the 20th century in how it appeared in everyday life.

If I were to make a social commentary, I would absolutely choose the widespread ostracism that travelers face. I think it’s a very pressing issue, in that human rights are being denied to these people each and every day. In making the documentary, I’d probably do a mix of video and text. I would use the visual element of the piece to cast light on the discrimination that travelers face, and to document it. I think it’s important to highlight the discrimination that travelers are subjected to, and try and remove the negative stereotypes that many “settled” Irish people have towards this minority. With regard to text, a rhetoric with a power akin to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech would surely incite a push for equality, and pressure the government into ending the ostracism faced by members of the traveling community.

I think that the piece that I would do would connect me with Mark in that he was trying to document the hardships that homeless people in New York faced. In the same way, the aims of my documentary would also document the hardships faced by travelers in Ireland. I think Mark and I share a strong sense of justice; both of us are deeply moved by people struggling on the fringes of society. As for connecting to the show itself, I believe its underlying message is one of accepting people of all types, and my documentary would attempt to unify the Irish people, both settled and unsettled.

Tommy

RENT fans, let's continue the conversation: What social issues do you want to document? Tell us about what you are doing or plan to do to create change in the world. Share your stories in the comments below or on RENT's Facebook and Twitter.

Learn more about the current Off-Broadway production of RENT at www.siteforrent.com.

SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER!

Tickets to RENT at New World Stages are only $40* for all seats now through July 8, 2012 if you purchase by July 1, 2012! Buy now and save 55%.

The cast of RENT. Photo by Joan Marcus.

THREE EASY WAYS TO PAY:

1.  ONLINE:  Simply click here or visit BroadwayOffers.com and enter code RNEVITE312. 

2.  BY PHONE:  Call 212-947-8844 and mention code RNEVITE312.

3. IN PERSON: Bring a print-out of this page to the New World Stages Box Office, 340 W. 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, in New York City. Click here for box office hours.

ENTER TO WIN TICKETS TO RENT!

Visit RENT's Facebook and Twitter for the chance to win a pair of tickets to RENT at New World Stages.  Limit one entry per person on Facebook.  Limit on entry per person on Twitter.  No purchase necessary to enter or win the sweepstakes.  Must enter by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time on July 1, 2012. 

*Terms & conditions: Offer valid for select performances through July 8, 2012. Must purchase by July 1, 2012. Not valid for Saturday evening performances.  Other blackout dates may apply. Regular prices $69.50 - $89.50. All prices include a $1.50 facility fee. Schedule and cast subject to change. Offer subject to availability. Normal service charges apply to online and phone orders. No exchanges or refunds. All sales are final. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid for prior purchases. Limit of 10 tickets per order. Offer expires July 1, 2012 but may be revoked or changed at any time.

FORGET REGRET

By Official RENT Blog contributor Brandon Nichols

RENT asked Brandon: In your Q&A you mentioned that you have seen the movie versions of RENT over 40 times, you've also been in the production, and have seen the stage show. How has the show continued to speak to you after seeing it so many times? Also, with all the advances in Gay Rights and AIDS research, what makes RENT relevant today and not just a period piece?

Let me begin by saying, yes, I have seen the movie over 40 times. I watch it again and again because it never seems to get old. You’d think after so many times a story such as RENT may get boring because you know what to expect. However, for me, neither the storyline nor the music seem to grow old. The story of RENT is a story that most people in today’s society are far too afraid to speak about. The music speaks to every generation regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, etc. There’s something for everyone to relate to in RENT.

For me, RENT continues to speak to me because I see a lot of myself in some of the characters and what they do is what I do. Take Maureen for example, my favorite character. She is a performer, I’m a performer, one reason I relate. She is a “I’ll tell it like it is” kinda girl. I’m a “tell it like it is” kinda guy. You take every character and there’s always something about that character that you can see yourself in. Each characteristic of those characters becomes one person…being me or you. I think that’s why I can relate to the storyline so much. It’s who we are as artist and who we are as friends.

Most people would think of RENT as a period piece, when in reality, it’s anything but. RENT’s music changed the way Broadway saw music. It brought a new form of “beat” to the stage. I think the reason why it’s just as powerful now is because the world around us is changing and the music, since it itself was a massive turning point for the musical theatre world, continues to change with the times, but still remains the same. Does that make sense? The story will never grow old because it’s going to always be a problem and there will always be someone who knows someone suffering with AIDS. The music touches everyone, not just one group of people, hence why it doesn’t really come across as a period piece.

RENT has changed many lives over the years and it’s back to change many more. It’s here for its message to be seen and heard. RENT is love, friendship and peace.

Brandon

RENT fans, let's continue the conversation: What makes RENT relevant to you? Which characters do you identify with and see in yourself?  Tell us about them in the comments below or on RENT's Facebook and Twitter.

Learn more about the current Off-Broadway production of RENT at www.siteforrent.com.

ONE SHOW GLORY

Written by Official RENT Blog contributor Andrew Milne

Roughly 8,469,600 minutes ago, the world changed forever: RENT opened. One Pulitzer, multiple Tony Awards, and hundreds of sold-out shows later, many people still do not know the history of the show that glorifies life in the present. Like the show itself, I’m going to try my best here to “document real life” – the journey of RENT from conception to its Broadway birth on April 29th, 1996, and the life of the man who made it.

Art mirrors life, and Jonathan Larson’s magnum opus is no exception; Larson lived in downtown Manhattan, owned an illegal wood-burning stove, and was surrounded by artists and people with AIDS (the two were seldom mutually exclusive). The people and events of his life color the story and score of the show, down to throwing his keys to the street due to the broken buzzer of his apartment building (the same tiny apartment where Larson held the auditions for the showcase). Small details were not the only aspect of RENT from where Larson’s life peppered the show – “Will I?” and “Life Support” were both based on Friends In Deed meetings (an organization dealing with emotions relating to illness and dying) that Larson attended. His bohemian lifestyle generally provided the backdrop for RENT; Mark is based on Larson’s friend Eddie Rosenstein, and some characters were based on Friends In Deed acquaintances.

As Maria explains in The Sound of Music, (now I’m getting my musicals crossed) nothing comes of nothing, and RENT is no exception: it is heavily based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme. The gilded salons and elegance of 19th century Paris are replaced with the grit and dirt of pre-millennium New York, but the stories are markedly similar – a group of artists seize life, choosing art over riches. Mimi the seamstress becomes Mimi the exotic dancer, Marcello the painter morphs into Mark the filmmaker, and tuberculosis becomes AIDS, but the overall themes are the same: life is for living, and loving.

Jonathan Larson died the day before RENT had its off-Broadway debut. Yet, like his masterpiece, the important thing is not that he died, but how he lived. He made something great, beautiful, and real. He inspired countless people with his story of not living in the past, not fretting over the future, but enjoying the present. He lived like a bohemian. He lived. So close to the sixteen year anniversary of his achievement, it’s important that we not just remember that he died like one of his characters, but celebrate that he lived like one: he lived – and loved – through his art.

Andrew

Do you have friends that inspire you the way Jonathan's inspired him? Do you have your very own Mark, Roger, Maureen, Mimi, Joanne or Angel in your life? Tell us about them in the comments below or on RENT's Facebook and Twitter.

Learn more about the current Off-Broadway production of RENT at www.siteforrent.com.

RENT’s “MAKE YOUR MARK” VIDEO CONTEST

Josh Grisetti as Mark.
Photo by Joan Marcus.

Calling all RENTheads who have a passion for journalism, documenting real life, or simply the need to express or communicate!

The search is on for an official RENThead Video Correspondent who has a vibrant on-camera personality and is ready and willing to conduct video interviews with members of the cast at New World Stages in New York City.

HOW TO ENTER:

• Create a 30-second video showing us your personality and telling us why you deserve to make your mark as an official RENThead Video Correspondent, and one example question of what you’d ask a cast member if you were to interview them in person at New World Stages. You must visually appear and speak in your video. Please do not edit your video in any manner.
• Upload your video to www.YouTube.com and submit the URL to makeyourmark@siteforrent.com by the deadline of 11:59 PM Eastern on Friday June 1, 2012.
• Be sure to name your YouTube video: RENT’s “MAKE YOUR MARK” Video Contest Entry
• Remember – your video must be 30 seconds or less – no exceptions allowed!
• In the body of your e-mail, please include your first and last name, age, current city and state of residence, e-mail address, and phone number.

PRIZE DETAILS:

• One winner will be selected as the official RENThead Video Correspondent, who will get the chance to interview members of the Off-Broadway cast at New World Stages.
• Winner will also receive a pair of tickets to see RENT at New World Stages.

Limit one entry per person. Must be a legal resident of the U.S. age 18 or older. Winner is solely responsible for transportation and lodging. Winner must be able to travel to New York between August 1, 2012 and August 15, 2012. Video editing experience is not required for this contest.

Click here to read the official rules and regulations.

RENT PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE FOR MAY 2012

The Company of RENT. Photo by Joan Marcus.

RENT fans, three Wednesday matinee performances have been added to the month of May!  The lottery for these matinees will begin at 12 PM with names drawn at 12:30 PM at New World Stages in New York City.

Please note the following changes to RENT's performance schedule for May 2012:

• Added performance Wednesday, May 2 at 2 PM
• No performance Sunday, May 6 at 7:30 PM
• Added performance Wednesday, May 9 at 2 PM
• No performance Sunday, May 13 at 7:30 PM
• Added performance Wednesday, May 16 at 2 PM
• No performance Sunday, May 20 at 7:30 PM

Beginning the week of May 21, RENT will resume its regular performance schedule, which is as follows:

• Monday at 8 PM
• Wednesday – Friday at 8 PM
• Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM
• Sunday at 2 PM & 7:30 PM

Lottery Details
RENT sells 16 seats via a lottery for each performance at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). The tickets are $25, cash only. All tickets include a $1.50 facility fee.

Names are collected in front of the Box Office (outside on 50th Street) from the beginning of the lottery until drawing time. Limit one (1) entry per person, each person may win up to two (2) tickets. Must be present at the time of the drawing to win. Must present valid photo ID to purchase tickets.

The lottery takes place at the below times during RENT's regular performance schedule:

• Monday: 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM (names drawn at 6:30 PM)
• Tuesday: Dark
• Wednesday: 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM (names drawn at 6:30 PM)
• Thursday: 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM (names drawn at 6:30 PM)
• Friday: 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM (names drawn at 6:30 PM)
• Saturday: Noon – 12:30 PM (names drawn at 12:30 PM)
• Saturday: 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM (names drawn at 6:30 PM)
• Sunday: Noon – 12:30 PM (names drawn at 12:30 PM)
• Sunday: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM (names drawn at 6:00 PM)

Click here to buy tickets online.  For more information about the Off-Broadway production of RENT, visit www.siteforrent.com.

NO DAY BUT TODAY

Official RENT Blog contributor Nicole Wright saw the 2005 film version of RENT before seeing the Broadway production at the Nederlander Theatre.  Read more about her first experience at RENT through Kids' Night on Broadway!

Christmas morning, 2006.

Unwrapping the box and seeing a RENT T-shirt, while wrapped inside that, a ticket to the show! My sister, Michelle, and I were jumping up and down screaming, as she had received the same thing. We were both finally going to see the musical whose movie soundtrack blasted throughout our house ever since we received it. Counting down the days, it was finally time for us to see the show on January 30th.

Kids' Night on Broadway is an event when theatre attendees age eighteen and younger see a Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. There’s a pre-party event (for 2007, it was at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum) full of fun freebies, activities, and the opportunity to meet performers from various shows. The combination of RENT being offered as part of this deal and the fact that she now knew the story (thanks to the movie) allowed my mother to be okay with bringing two of her children to this Broadway show.

Even though I knew of many of the songs and much of the story previously, I walked into the Nederlander Theatre with an open mind. Theatre and film are two completely different mediums; additionally, I knew the cast I was about to see would be different that what I was used to, but that only helped to create a completely new chapter in my RENT-life.

I remember seeing the stage for the first time: no curtain, very simplistic, and beautiful for the production. No matter how many times you see a picture of a particular place, nothing compares to seeing it in real life. It was raw, it held multipurpose, and looked like it would be a lot of fun to play around on. It wasn’t long before the show began and I was entranced in a way that I could simply not experience with the film.

Naturally, my mind began to make connections to the film. I really enjoyed seeing how some aspects of the production were carried into the film (for example, the cast standing in line singing “Seasons of Love”) and how I could recognize some of the film dialogue used as lyrics in the show. Before I knew it, I was on my feet along with most of the audience, giving the cast a well-deserved ovation.

Photo by Joan Marcus.

After the show concluded, ensemble member Frenchie Davis made a speech on the significance of bringing kids to the theatre, encouraging all of us to “follow your dreams.”

Personally, theatre is my favorite form of art/entertainment. RENT exceeded my expectations so much that I had to return several times to see more interpretations of these songs, characters, and stories. Each experience was different from one another, because that’s how theatre is – it’s in the moment, it’s never the same show twice, and it’s different for each person. RENT’s “no day but today” message is also in the moment, which makes its theatrical connection a fantastic thing to experience.

Nicole

www.siteforrent.com

MAUREEN'S WEB

In his introductory post, Official RENT Blog contributor Andrew Milne selected Maureen as his favorite character in RENT.  Andrew is back to give us a breakdown on the allure of Maureen.

The name Maureen can mean “bitter,” “uncertain,” or “popular.” Jonathan Larson definitely knew what he was doing; Maureen is both vitriolic and attractive, spiteful and charming, vinegar and honey at once, and she catches hordes of flies. Mark and Joanne cannot get enough of her; Maureen charms them into her web until they wrap themselves tighter in her grasp, spinning them faster and faster – until she gets bored and moves on. Despite themselves, Joanne and Mark fall under her spell endlessly, and they “yearn and churn and rebound,” because no one can say no to Maureen, not even Maureen herself. Despite (or perhaps because) of her changeable (and often downright mean) moods, they find themselves drawn back to her, no matter how selfish or indifferent she becomes.

Maureen doesn’t do this because she is a bad person; it’s just because she’s an actress. All of her support, reinforcement, and confidence are external. Just as Mimi craves smack, Joanne seeks order, and Benny lusts for money, Maureen has her own addiction: attention. Capricious by trade and by nature, she’s an actress through and through; they project bravado because they don’t want anyone to sense they lack it. She needs applause like Angel needs Collins’ kisses. Not that she needs approbation; positive or negative, she just wants a reaction. This is why she makes a scene with Joanne during “Take Me or Leave Me.” She’s a diva who definitely “needs her stage;” and she sees everyone else in her life as merely players.

Emma Hunton as Maureen and Corbin Reid as Joanne.  Photo by Joan Marcus.

This is why I compare her to Marilyn Monroe, not for any similar looks (for Maureen’s hair is as dark as the effect she has on her lovers’ respective psyches) but because of their shared idiosyncrasies and the similar influence they hold on others. They’re beautiful and magnetic, but unfulfilled and damaged. Marilyn once described herself as “whole superstructure and no foundation,” an affliction the two women share. Maureen has no foundation of self-worth; she draws upon her audience, changing herself for her art, becoming who she needs to be. Unfortunately, she cannot turn off this facet of her personality, and as a result, she never truly knows how talented or wonderful she is. Thus she oscillates between affection, rejection, hyper sexuality, and near-mania. This unpredictability makes her mysterious, an appealing enigma to lovers, but also makes her closed off and impossible to ever really understand. It’s what chases her to cheat – it’s nothing Joanne or Mark do; she’s just running away from her own demons into the arms of others.

Maureen is a spider, manipulative, entrancing, and consuming. She’s not a bad person; her issues just make her intemperate and fiery, and often impulsive and self-destructive. They also make her irresistible to Joanne and Mark, and ceaselessly fascinating to RENTheads everywhere. She’s the most flawed, and also the most relatable and compelling.

Andrew

www.siteforrent.com

A PREORDAINED NIGHT IN PROVIDENCE

Official RENT Blog contributor Tommy Collison traveled from Ireland to Providence, Rhode Island, to see RENT's original Mark and Roger, Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal.  Tommy tells us more about his experience attending the 2009 Broadway Tour.

November 21st, 8pm, Eastern Standard Time.

The young man with short, bleached-blonde hair ambles out on stage, a Fender guitar swung over his shoulder. Nonchalantly, he begins tuning the guitar. These actions, though seeming innocuous, are underscored by huge applause from the audience.

Not long after, a bespectacled man with reddish-blond hair bounds onstage, sporting a striped scarf and cradling a 16 mm Bolex video-camera like a newborn baby. Behind these two unlikely protagonists, the twenty-something-strong company files onstage.

RENT has begun.

Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp returned in 2009 on a National Tour of the show that made them famous. I was lucky enough to make it over to Providence, Rhode Island in November 2009 to see the show.

What can I say?

The show was an absolute joy, as was to be expected. Rapp and Pascal (Rascal) originated their respective roles, so seeing the original interpretations of the characters we hold so dear was magical. I’m all for new actors carrying the torch and giving new life to these characters, but there’s something to be said for the people who were part of the original 1996 company. What you’re seeing is largely what the people who went in 1996 saw, and there’s something undeniably exhilarating about that. I saw a part of musical theatre history that night.

The Providence Performing Arts Center has almost three times the capacity of the Nederlander (3,100 seats versus 1,232), but I was happy that none of the intimacy, urgency, nor rawness of the show was lost.

At the end of the night, the feeling that I felt was one of overwhelming relief and happiness that I got to see this tour before it closed. I got to meet Anthony Rapp and tell him personally how much his work (both theatric and written) has influenced and affected me, and to thank him for that.

(Yes, that’s a Mark scarf I’m sporting. My mother is great.)

Tommy

www.siteforrent.com

TAKE ME OR LEAVE ME

Official RENT Blog contributor Rori Nogee shares how RENT truly changed her life.

“Take me for what I am. Who I was meant to be. And if you give a damn, take me baby, or leave me.”

It sounds like such a simple thing, doesn’t it? To just be yourself and not give a second thought about the opinions of others? I always understood this notion in theory, but my school years made it very difficult to practice the whole self-acceptance thing. Kids can be cruel.

I figured that college would be the place to really focus on finding myself and to meet other open-minded free spirited individuals. Instead, what I found myself focusing on was a beautiful leather-jacket wearing, motorcycle riding, tattooed pointe ballerina with the grace of Baryshnikov and the raspy voice of my fearless idol, Daphne Rubin-Vega. (I wouldn’t be surprised if Mila Kunis’ character in Black Swan was based on this chick.) I couldn’t take my eyes off of her when she walked into a room, my heart beat faster in her presence, I sweat in secret places and I even had recurring dreams about her. I didn’t understand why. Why was I so consumed by her when I was also crushing heavily on one of the guys in my theater department?

I confided in close friends and eventually realized the simple truth: I was attracted to this girl. While that conclusion was scary and confusing, it was not helped any by the ultra-conservative white bred atmosphere that surrounded me in upstate NY. Rumors spread. I was teased, tormented, ostracized, called names…and of course, the girl that I respected and admired and thought was sooo beautiful…was fearful of me because of what she had heard, because I was too afraid to just come out and tell her the truth myself. I felt like a derelict, like something was horribly wrong with me. How could I love two people at once? Of different sexes?? And should I apologize to this girl because…I thought she was amazing? I wished I didn’t love so hard. I wished I could change. I wished I could just be like everyone else.

So, I did what I always did when times got tough…I hopped a bus to NYC, bought a ticket to RENT and sought solace whilst sitting on the lime green stoop of the Nederlander Theatre. It was so familiar, so comforting, such a constant in an ever-changing and uncertain world. That night, when I saw the show for the umpteenth time, the lyrics and music and messages that I had memorized back in the 8th grade… were life-changing. Suddenly, the depiction of same-sex relationships on stage was a marvel.

Kendra Payne as Joanne and Rori Nogee as Maureen, performing "Take Me or Leave Me" at the Charleston Music Hall

Angel and Collins fell deeply for each other at a time when everyone in the gay community was treated like a leper because of the AIDS epidemic (a feeling I was all too familiar with on a social level). Yet, despite the impossible circumstances surrounding them, their love knew no bounds. Then, there was Maureen. Ah, Maureen. So flawed, so fickle, and yet… so loved. She captivated Mark and Joanne as well as the thousands of people in the audience. She sang right to Joanne’s face in her “take no prisoners” voice: “Take me for what I am/Who I was meant to be/And if you give a damn/Take me baby, or leave me.” No guilt, no apology, no compromise. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but she was a complete package, she OWNED her shit, and she was not willing to change for anyone. What a concept!

This rang true for all of the loveable characters in the show with their flaws and insecurities: Mark was introverted and disconnected from everyone around him, Roger was constantly brooding, in denial about his emotions and his love for Mimi, and Mimi battled with her addictions. Yet, the audience cried for these characters, envied them, celebrated them, reveled in their uniqueness, their passions, and most importantly, their devotion to one another in the face of poverty and looming death. It’s what made them human. Then, like a cartoon, a light bulb went off over my head as I realized…there is nothing wrong with me.

At that moment, the cast lined up in a single file line at the front of the stage and sang those famous lyrics, “Measure your life in love.” It was as if they were speaking right to me. It all made sense. Love was about a person’s soul, not their gender. Man, woman, straight, gay or somewhere in between…love came in all forms. Love is love, man.

It’s been a long hard road to self-acceptance, and I’m certainly not there yet, but thanks to RENT, I am well on my way. I will never again apologize for my feelings. While I have made my share of mistakes and bad decisions, you can’t choose who you love. It chooses you. All you can do is accept it, accept yourself for how you feel, and not be afraid to express it. Life is too short to waste it on worrying what other people might think about you.

Still, whenever I start to doubt myself, or hear the never forgotten jeers from people who were not my biggest fans, I close my eyes and replay the goosebump inducing song, “Another Day”: “There’s only now, there’s only here/ Give in to love, or live in fear/No other path, no other way/No day but today.” And I remember that wherever I am in life, whoever I am, and whomever I love…is perfectly okay. Roger was lucky to get one last moment to say to Mimi, “I should tell you/I should tell you/I have always loved you…,” but not all of us will get that opportunity if we spend our lives hiding in shame and silencing our hearts.

Rori

www.siteforrent.com

A LEAP OF FAITH: TAKING ON THE ROLE OF ANGEL

Official RENT Blog contributor Brandon Nichols revealed in his introductory post that he was the first person in Arkansas to originate the role of Angel in the state's first non-professional production of RENT.  Brandon is back to tell us more about that experience! 

It was 2009 at a little theatre in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. A theatre I had never been to, a theatre I knew nothing about. However, I knew they were producing RENT for their summer musical and that’s all I needed to know. I didn’t care what part I got, and I didn’t care if I had to work behind the scenes. I just needed to be a part of that show by any means necessary.

I was able to secure an audition and went through the whole process. Then came the wait! I was at my computer at home when the phone rang. I answered it, and I was told I was told that I had been cast as Angel in RENT! I’m pretty sure I hurt the other person’s ear because I was screaming at the top of my lungs… out of excitement, of course! As I began to rehearse the role, I found my greatest challenge would be learning to walk in heels. As someone who had never done it before, I found it incredibly hard to learn. Additionally, learning how to drum on a bucket was also difficult for me. Luckily, the singing and dancing ended up coming easy to me. I felt that I could really work it!

The experience I had when I was in that show was an experience I would never take back for anything. We did end up having our fair share of “theatre drama,” which got so out of control that we ended up cancelling a show because of all of the trouble backstage. Even though I was not a part of the drama, I’m so glad we were eventually able to come together to resume performances. Overcoming that gave a whole new meaning to the songs “Will I?” and “Goodbye Love.”

On a brighter note, I made so many amazing friends performing in RENT. It was so much fun! I was the “baby” in the show, being only 17 at the time. My fellow cast members really took me under their wing. Since I was playing a drag queen for the first time, I was so fortunate to have all those amazing women in the cast to help me with the makeup, heels, etc. I gained so much more respect for women and drag queens as a whole because I truly could not have done it by myself. It’s a lot of work!

The audience reaction to our show was outstanding. We were only supposed to run 3 weekends, but we sold out before we opened and had to add an extra four performances. I will never forget the crowds and their support. I also remember one night when a reporter for a local paper came to see the show. We were so nervous, because one little mess-up would go down for everyone to see.

The paper came out soon thereafter, but I wasn’t able to pick up a copy right away. I went online to check my Facebook and everyone was saying “Congrats on the review!” I thought, “What review?” So I went to pick up a Sync Weekly (the local paper), turned to the reviews section and read on. I found the review of our show, and found saw my name mentioned! See below:

“In the realm of showstoppers there’s no touching young Brandon Nichols as Angel. How he moves in those heels, we’ll never know. Purists may wonder at casting a white actor in this role, but rest assured in works well thanks to the fine talents of Nichols”

-Spencer Watson (Sync Weekly)

All in all, I wouldn’t take back that experience for anything. The support I received from my fellow cast and crew, and the Little Rock community was truly outstanding. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

Brandon

www.siteforrent.com

MEET YOUR NEW OFFICIAL BLOGGERS!

Thanks to all passionate RENT fans around the world who participated in our Official Blog contest. There were so many wonderful entries that we picked 5 winners instead of 4! We are happy to introduce you to RENT's new Official Blog contributors: Andrew Milne, Brandon Nichols, Nicole Wright, Rori Nogee, and Tommy Collison! Get to know them and look out for their blog entries soon!

NAME: Andrew Milne

AGE: 17

WHERE I'M FROM: I’m a Jersey boy, born and bred (and we’re all not like the cast of “Jersey Shore,” trust me).

140-CHARACTER WINNING ENTRY: As a writer like Mark, I see Rent as the oldest human story; it is about love. Tragic, “forbidden,” unrequited, Rent is about love’s power over us all, and who it makes us.

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I'VE SEEN RENT AND WHERE I'VE SEEN IT: I’ve seen the movie countless times, but I actually have never seen the play (I was too young to appreciate it when it ran the first time, and I haven’t had a chance to go since the revival), a fact I hope to remedy soon!

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN RENT AND WHY: My favorite character is probably Maureen, because I’ve had a fascination with those Helen of Troy, Marilyn Monroe-type characters since I was little. There’s something about a character with an inexplicable magnetism that attracts everyone unfailingly that I find extremely alluring; anyone who can evoke the potent permutation of lust, love, and revulsion that Mark and Joanne feel for Maureen interests me.

ABOUT ME: Right now, I’m in tech week for my senior production of Bye Bye Birdie, (and I’m currently an editor-in-chief of my school paper as well as an editor of the literary magazine) as well as preparing for college, where I hope to study journalism or communications. Someday I want to be a globe-trotting writer, recording fantastic tales of life and love, combining my two major passions: stories and traveling. My love of stories and the human condition is precisely why RENT appeals to me so; it’s a heartbreaking tale about love, loss, beauty, and the transience of life. Because RENT taught me that life is only leased, I want to live big and experience all I can.

FUN FACT: I can do a split without injuring myself.

***

NAME: Brandon Nichols

AGE: 20

WHERE I'M FROM: Cabot, Arkansas

140-CHARACTER WINNING ENTRY: Rent a musical that I live by. It's a world of music, art, friendship & love. Life's too short. Friends are forever. @RENTOffBroadway

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I'VE SEEN RENT AND WHERE I'VE SEEN IT: I have seen the stage version 2 times, the motion picture 27 times, Filmed Live on Bway 17 times.

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN RENT AND WHY: My favorite character in the show is Maureen! She isn't afraid to put it all out there, she says what she thinks and she knows how to stick by her friends when it really matters. Most of all she loves to have fun AND she is a performer. ;)

ABOUT ME: Currently I am still auditioning for things here in Arkansas. I just auditioned for two shows The Full Monty & Spring Awakening! I am also currently working as a Performing Arts Instructor teaching kids how to become better performers. I would have to say, at some point in my life, I want nothing more than to hit that Broadway stage (or any stage for that matter) in NYC! I've always had a passion to perform RENT in NYC more than any others. I first heard of RENT when I was in Charlotte's Web a long time ago. I immediately fell in love with the show, making my mother buy me the "Best of RENT" CD, later buying the full soundtrack. Ever since then that show has shown me that it's okay to be yourself, continue doing what you love to do and always cherish those closest to you.

FUN FACT: A fun fact about me is that I was actually the first person in Arkansas to originate the role of Angel in the first Non-Professional production of RENT!

***

NAME: Nicole Wright

AGE: 20

WHERE I'M FROM: Deer Park, NY

140-CHARACTER WINNING ENTRY: Nicole_M_Wright: @RentOffBroadway RENT means love: love of one another, love of what you do, love of life. It's a celebration of individuality and gives hope

HOW MANY TIMES I'VE SEEN RENT AND WHERE I'VE SEEN IT: Broadway (4x), Off-Broadway at New World Stages (5x), community theatre (BayWay Arts Center - East Islip, NY - 1x), and college production (Hofstra University - Hempstead, NY - 1x). Total = 11x

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN RENT AND WHY: Angel, because her heart is so huge. She loves herself and is comfortable in her own skin; because of this, she is able to spread the love around to Collins and the rest of their friends.

ABOUT ME: I’m currently a junior at Hofstra University pursuing a BA in mathematics with drama and general business minors. I hope to find a career that somehow combines my passion/obsession for theater with my love of math. My favorite activities and much of my spare time all revolve around theater, and I have met most of my friends through shows or other theater-related activities. I first heard of RENT through its signature song, “Seasons of Love,” and just became immersed in its story and music. I saw the movie before I saw the Broadway production, and after begging my parents, my mom took my sister, Michelle, and I to the Kids Night on Broadway performance in 2007. There is absolutely nothing that beats the feeling of live performances, and with RENT, I definitely felt a need to go back and re-live that feeling. Any person trying to live their life to the fullest can connect with RENT. The show has helped me celebrate my life and who I am rather than take everything so seriously.

FUN FACT: I can make my eyes go in opposite directions, like a fish.

***

NAME: Rori Nogee

AGE: 20 *cough* something…

WHERE I'M FROM: I am a born and bred New Yorker! I grew up on Long Island and currently reside in Manhattan.

140-CHARACTER WINNING ENTRY: “As a NYC artist living La Vie Boheme, whether watching “Rent” from the audience or performing Maureen, each show was an emotional catharsis, a spiritual cleansing.”

HOW MANY TIMES I'VE SEEN RENT AND WHERE I’VE SEEN IT: 69 times on Broadway, 10 times on the final Broadway national tour (in 5 cities), and once at the Hollywood Bowl. You know, ish… But who’s counting? Um…

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN RENT AND WHY: I’ve always been most partial to Mimi. I love her complete lack of inhibition, the way she acts on instinct, her vulnerability, her fearlessness in loving another with her entire soul, and how passionately she goes after what she wants.

ABOUT ME: Hi. I’m Rori and I’m a RENT Head. I have been since 1997. I am also an actress, a singer/songwriter, a playwright, an artist, a musician, a goof, and a hopeFUL romantic.

At this moment in time I am blogging from Sonora, California where I am performing in a production of Gypsy at Sierra Repertory Theatre. I play Mazeppa, the stripping trumpet player. I make my mother proud.

I started performing when I was 7 years old in dance recitals. By the age of 10, I somehow catapulted to Broadway in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. From that moment on, I never stopped singing, dancing, or loving all things musical theater. The highlight of my career thus far has been playing Maureen in a beautiful production of RENT at the Charleston Music Hall in South Carolina.

I aspire to once again perform on Broadway, snag some dream roles in various rock and Sondheim musicals, write my own rock musical, and in the near future, produce my original play, Down This Road, which received staged readings in NYC last summer. My ultimate goal as a performer is just to continue to be able to support myself by doing what I love.

RENT has had a profound affect on my life. In the late ’90s I was an artsy outcast in school with a poor self-image. Then, I saw RENT. I was introduced to self-assured, passionate characters who reflected my own values and quirks. Suddenly, I began to love and accept myself, and was shown how deeply I could love others. RENT shaped the kind of music I like, the kind of performer I want to be, the kind of material I want to write, and even how I dress! I live my life according to the mantra, “No Day But Today.” And just in case I forget, it is tattooed across my body. Yes, really.

FUN FACT: My favorite movie of all time is Titanic and I plan to be at the front of the line for a 3D viewing...in Sonora, California.

***

NAME: Tommy Collison

AGE: 17

WHERE I'M FROM: Limerick, Ireland.

140-CHARACTER WINNING ENTRY: “After traveling halfway across the world to see RENT, it showed me the beauty of life in the face of its fragility: in love”

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I'VE SEEN RENT AND WHERE I'VE SEEN IT:

• Dublin, Ireland.
• Wexford, Ireland.
• Cork, Ireland. (Same production, three separate times.)
• Limerick, Ireland. (Our Youth Theatre - Centrespace Youth Theatre - put it in on 2010. I played Mark; those were some of the best times of my life.)
• Providence, RI. (Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal’s 2009 tour.)
• New York City, NY. (Very first opening preview, July 2011.)

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN RENT AND WHY: I adore the fact that Roger’s character is so deep and multi-faceted, but I’d have to say that my absolute favorite character in RENT is Mark. We’re just so similar in so many ways. We’re both goofy, socially awkward and we want the best for our friends. We also have the flaw of sometimes putting our work in front of everything else. (For Mark, it’s his movie. For me, it’s writing, studying or chess.)

ABOUT ME: I’m a bisexual high school Junior in Ireland. I’d love to go to a US college and do some sort of English major when I finish school, so I’m taking the SAT outside of school at the moment too. When I’m not studying, I’m reading, playing chess, or hanging out with my boyfriend, Jared. I also listen to A LOT of music from a wide range of artists and genres. I’m a voracious reader of everything from crappy teenage romance novels to John Milton’s Paradise Lost (which, I maintain, is one of the best things ever written). I also love weird foods like guacamole, or Stilton.

I discovered RENT in summer 2009, when our theatre company showcased it. I got the OBC album and practically broke the CD through overplaying. My personal connection would be having had the luck to star in a local production of it in 2010. I played Mark and got to work with an amazing group of young people.

FUN FACT: I like the Ruy Lopez opening and people keep telling me that I’m a dead-ringer for Anthony Rapp.

RENT'S OFFICIAL TASTI D-LITE FLAVOR: SEASONS OF YUM

RENT and Tasti D-Lite are pleased to announce that the Official RENT Tasti D-Lite flavor is Seasons of YUM! The winning flavor name for Strawberry Cheesecake was submitted by Laura W. of Jeffersonville, Indiana! Laura will receive a Playbill signed by the Off-Broadway cast of RENT and a $25 Tasti D-Lite TreatCard.

Mark your calendar! Seasons of YUM will be served every Sunday in April at the Tasti D-Lite location at 1588 Broadway (between 47th and 48th) in New York City.

A New York phenomenon since 1987, Tasti D-Lite is the frozen treat that’s lower in calories, carbs and sugar than frozen yogurt and ice cream. Tasti D-Lite offers over 100 delicious flavors every day, which are made with natural ingredients and contain no artificial sweeteners. Visit www.tastidlite.com for more information.

For more information about the Off-Broadway production of RENT, visit www.siteforrent.com.

NAME RENT’S OFFICIAL TASTI D-LITE FLAVOR!

RENT has partnered with Tasti D-Lite to create the Official RENT Tasti D-Lite flavor. Now, we need YOUR help naming it!

A New York phenomenon since 1987, Tasti D-Lite is the frozen treat that’s lower in calories, carbs and sugar than frozen yogurt and ice cream. Tasti D-Lite offers over 100 delicious flavors every day, which are made with natural ingredients and contain no artificial sweeteners.

Below please find a list of 5 of Tasti D-Lite’s best selling flavors:

PEANUT BUTTER

CARAMEL FUDGE

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

CREAMY COCONUT

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Choose one of the above flavors and come up with a fun, creative RENT-themed name for that flavor. Feel free to use song titles and lyrics, character names, themes from the show, etc. We want to be WOWED by your creativity!

We’ll select a winning name from your submissions which will become the Official RENT Tasti D-Lite flavor!

The winning flavor will be served every Sunday in April at the Tasti D-Lite location at 1588 Broadway (between 47th and 48th) here in New York City. If your flavor is chosen, you’ll receive a RENT Playbill signed by the cast and a $25 Tasti D-Lite TreatCard!

To enter, submit your RENT flavor, full name and city of residence to tastidlite@siteforrent.com.

Limit one entry per person. Entries must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern on Sunday, March 11, 2012.

CALLING ALL RENTHEADS AROUND THE WORLD!

Exciting news!

RENT is looking for a new group of contributors for our Official Blog. We’re looking for talented individuals with a profound knowledge of RENT and its history, and a passion for its story and message.

Our fantastic new Bloggers will be relied upon to provide us with engaging and unique content on a regularly scheduled basis. We will be asking you to provide informed commentary on the show’s history, its themes, music and lyrics, our new production at New World Stages, and much more. Bloggers will also have the opportunity to interview members of the cast and creative team!

Think you’ve got what it takes to be one of RENT’s Official Bloggers? Now is your chance to show us what you’ve got!



HOW TO ENTER:

RENT is looking for 4 new Bloggers:
“MARK” – a Filmmaker, Writer, or Screenwriter
“MAUREEN” – a Performance Artist or Actress
“ROGER” – a Musician or Songwriter
“MIMI” – a Dancer


To enter, please send us a 140-character summary of what RENT means to you. Send us a 140-character message that highlights your knowledge and your love for our show. Give us a taste of your writing abilities and your unique point of view. Show us what we could look forward to if you are selected as one of our Official Bloggers! RENT will be reviewing all submissions and determine who our character bloggers – Mark, Maureen, Roger, and Mimi – will be.

Submit your entry in ONE of the following ways:

1. Post your 140-character summary as a status update on your Facebook profile inclusive of the tag RENT (4 characters) – you must “like” RENT’s fan page at www.facebook.com/everythingisrent in order to tag the show.


2. Tweet your 140-character summary on Twitter inclusive of the tag @RENTOffBroadway (16 characters).

Limit one entry per person. You must tag RENT in order to qualify. In the event you don’t have a Facebook or Twitter, you can e-mail your 140-character summary to sweepstakes@siteforrent.com, and please write “Official Blog Entry” in the subject line. Submissions exceeding 140 characters in length, regardless of method of entry, will not be eligible for consideration. Entries must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern on Sunday, March 4, 2012. Winners will be contacted soon thereafter.

ENTER NOW!

RENT'S BRANDON VICTOR DIXON SINGS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Tony Award® nominee Brandon Victor Dixon, who is currently performing as Collins in RENT at New World Stages in New York City, sang the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden before the New York Knicks played against the Utah Jazz on February 6, 2012. Click on the video player below to watch!



Click here to watch directly on YouTube.

For more information about the Off-Broadway production of RENT, visit www.siteforrent.com.

RENT TRIVIA NIGHT AT VILLAGE POURHOUSE: JANUARY 25

Calling all 21-and-over trivia buffs in the NYC area! Participate in NYC Trivia League's trivia night at Village Pourhouse Restaurant Row on Wednesday, January 25, and you could win tickets to RENT at New World Stages! Visit www.nyctrivialeague.com for team registration, rules, and more information.

For more information about the Off-Broadway production of RENT, visit www.siteforrent.com.

WIN TICKETS TO ADAM, MATT, AND EPHRAIM'S FINAL PERFORMANCE IN RENT

MJ Rodriguez (Angel), Nicholas Christopher (Collins), Matt Shingledecker (Roger), Adam Chanler-Berat (Mark), and Ephraim Sykes (Benny) in RENT. Photo by Joan Marcus.

On Thursday, January 19, Adam Chanler-Berat (Mark), Matt Shingledecker (Roger), and Ephraim Sykes (Benny) will play their final performance in RENT. To say goodbye to these three cast members, we are giving away three pairs of tickets to this performance. Please participate in this giveaway only if you can definitely attend the show on Thursday, January 19, 2012.

THREE WAYS TO ENTER THE TICKET GIVEAWAY:

1. FACEBOOK:

• If you're not already, become a fan of RENT on Facebook by clicking the "Like" button.
• Share the link to this page on your own Facebook profile.
• Take a screenshot of your Facebook profile that shows you shared this link.
• Send an e-mail to sweepstakes@siteforrent.com with the subject line: "Our dream can become a reality!" and attach your screenshot. In the body of the e-mail, please include your first and last name and city of residence.
• Limit one Facebook entry per person.

2. TWITTER:

• Follow @RENTOffBroadway on Twitter if you do not already.
• Post this tweet (copy in bold below) on your Twitter profile – you must include the link for your entry to count:

I want to win a pair of tickets to Adam, Matt, and Ephraim's final performance in @RENTOffBroadway! http://bit.ly/yHStHM

• Limit one Twitter entry per person.

3. FRIENDS OF RENT:

• Log onto www.friendsofrent.com. If you are not already, sign up to be a member so that you can log onto the online community.
• Click on the featured event "Adam Chanler-Berat, Matt Shingledecker, and Ephraim Sykes' Final Performance in RENT" and follow the giveaway instructions.
• Limit one Friends of RENT entry per person.

All entries regardless of method must be completed/submitted by 6 PM EST, Tuesday, January 17, 2012.  Three (3) winners will be selected at random and contacted on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.

Matt Shingledecker as Roger and Adam Chanler-Berat as Mark.
Photo by Joan Marcus.

PRESS HIGHLIGHTS FEATURING ADAM, MATT, AND EPHRAIM:
Click here to read Matt Shingledecker's CUE & A on Playbill.com.

Click here to read and watch Out Magazine's feature on Adam Chanler-Berat.

Click here to view Ephraim Sykes' photo exclusive featuring a two-show day at RENT on Playbill.com.

SAVE ON TICKETS TO RENT FOR PERFORMANCES THROUGH MAY 27, 2012!

THREE EASY WAYS TO PAY:

1. ONLINE: For tickets to RENT, click here or visit BroadwayOffers.com and enter code RNPITBULL9.

2. BY PHONE: Call 212-947-8844 and mention code RNPITBULL9.

3. IN PERSON: Bring a print-out of this page to the New World Stages Box Office, 340 W. 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, in New York City. Click here for box office hours.

*Terms & conditions: Offer valid for select performances through May 27, 2012. Offer not valid for Saturday evening performances. Other blackout dates may apply. Regular prices $69.50 - $89.50. All prices include a $1.50 facility fee. Schedule and cast subject to change. Offer subject to availability. Normal service charges apply to online and phone orders. No exchanges or refunds. All sales are final. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid for prior purchases. Limit of 10 tickets per order. Offer expires May 27, 2012 but may be revoked at any time.

No purchase necessary to enter or win the ticket giveaway for the January 19, 2012 performance of RENT.

For more information about the Off-Broadway production of RENT, visit www.siteforrent.com.

RENT ON YELP

Calling all Yelp members! You can now write reviews for the Off-Broadway production of RENT on Yelp.com.

Click here to post your review today!

For more information about the Off-Broadway production of RENT, visit www.siteforrent.com.

WIN TICKETS TO ANNALEIGH ASHFORD'S FINAL PERFORMANCE AS MAUREEN

Annaleigh Ashford as Maureen.  Photo by Joan Marcus.

2011 Clive Barnes Award nominee Annaleigh Ashford will play her final performance as Maureen in RENT on Thursday, January 12, 2012. RENT fans, we are giving away a pair of tickets to Annaleigh's final show!  If you can and want to attend, keep reading!

HOW TO ENTER THE TICKET GIVEAWAY:
1. If you're not already, become a fan of RENT on Facebook by clicking the "Like" button.
2. Share the link to this page on your own Facebook profile.
3. Take a screenshot of your Facebook profile that shows you shared this link.
4. Send an e-mail to sweepstakes@siteforrent.com with the subject line: "Only thing to do is jump over the moon" and attach your screenshot. In the body of the e-mail, please include your first and last name and city of residence.  Please confirm you can attend RENT at New World Stages on Thursday, January 12, 2012.

Limit one entry per person. Entries are due by 6 PM EST, Tuesday, January 10, 2012.  One winner will be selected at random and contacted via e-mail on Wednesday, January 11, 2012.

Annaleigh Ashford as Maureen and Corbin Reid as Joanne.  Photo by Joan Marcus.

SPOTLIGHT ON ANNALEIGH:
Click here to watch Annaeligh's appearance on "Show People with Paul Wontorek."

Click here to read Playbill.com's DIVA TALK with Annaleigh.

Click here to read Broadway.com's interview with Annaleigh.

SAVE ON TICKETS TO RENT FOR PERFORMANCES THROUGH MAY 27, 2012!

THREE EASY WAYS TO PAY:

1. ONLINE: For tickets to RENT, click here or visit BroadwayOffers.com and enter code RNPITBULL9.

2. BY PHONE: Call 212-947-8844 and mention code RNPITBULL9.

3. IN PERSON: Bring a print-out of this page to the New World Stages Box Office, 340 W. 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, in New York City. Click here for box office hours.

*Terms & conditions: Offer valid for select performances through May 27, 2012. Offer not valid for Saturday evening performances. Other blackout dates may apply. Regular prices $69.50 - $89.50. All prices include a $1.50 facility fee. Schedule and cast subject to change. Offer subject to availability. Normal service charges apply to online and phone orders. No exchanges or refunds. All sales are final. Cannot be combined with other offers. Not valid for prior purchases. Limit of 10 tickets per order. Offer expires May 27, 2012 but may be revoked at any time.

No purchase necessary to enter or win the ticket giveaway for Annaleigh Ashford's final performance in RENT.

For more information about the Off-Broadway production of RENT, visit www.siteforrent.com.

OFF-BROADWAY WEEK

The company of RENT.  Photo by Joan Marcus.

RENT is participating in Off-Broadway Week, a special initiative sponsored by NYC & Company. For all performances from January 30 through February 12, 2012, purchase "2 for 1" tickets to RENT at New World Stages.  Tickets for Off-Broadway Week are on sale now!

THREE EASY WAYS TO PAY:

1. Online: Simply click here or visit www.broadwayoffers.com and enter code OBW12W.
2. By Phone: Call 212-947-8844 and mention code OBW12W.
3. In Person: Bring a print-out of this page to the New World Stages Box Office, 340 W. 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues, in New York City. Click here for box office hours.

For more information on Off-Broadway Week, visit www.nycgo.com/offbroadwayweek.