Press Release 210 North I Street, Tacoma, WA 98403 *253-272-2281* www.tacomalittletheatre.com For more information please contact: *Chris Serface, Managing Artistic Director* auditions@tacomalittletheatre.com *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *End Date:* December 13, 2023* *AUDITIONS: RENT DECEMBER 6-11, 2023* *Tacoma, WA*- Tacoma Little Theatre is holding auditions for its production of the musical, *RENT. *This will be a co-production between Tacoma Little Theatre and The University of Washington Tacoma. *RENT *is directed by Maria-Tania Bandes Becerra Weingarden, musically directed by Shawna Avinger, and choreographed by Eric Clausell. Auditions will be held on Wednesday, December 6th at UWT between 12:30pm-1:30pm and 6:00pm-9:00pm. Auditions on Sunday, December 10th from 6:00pm-9:00pm and Monday, December 11th from 7:00pm-10:00pm will be at Tacoma Little Theatre. Audition appointments are in 5-minute increments. Callbacks will be held on Wednesday, December 13th beginning at 7:00pm at Tacoma Little Theatre. *RENT *follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals, and Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical. Auditioners are asked to prepare 32 bars of one song in a contemporary/rock music style (not Oklahoma), and a monologue no longer than one (1) minute in length. An accompanist will be provided, or you may bring a backing track to sing to. We strongly encourage anyone who is interested in auditioning to read the play in its entirety prior to auditions. RENT contains explicit sexual language and references to drug use, suicide, and trauma experienced by people who were houseless and had HIV/Aids in the 80s and 90s in New York City. Furthermore, *RENT* features characters with specific ethnic and queer identities, expressed both directly and implicitly, which will be taken into consideration when casting. There are also two kisses indicated in the script and scenes with staged intimate contact. The choreography in* RENT* includes dancing that is suggestive - bumping grinding, etc. All auditioners must be over the age of 18. ROLES AVAILABLE: Actors of all ethnicities and gender identities are encouraged to audition, and all roles are available. *Mark Cohen (male identifying, early to late 20s):* Mark is an aspiring filmmaker who narrates the show as he films the lives of his friends. Mark never leaves home without a camera. He is Roger's best friend and caregiver, and he was once Maureen’s boyfriend (who left him for Joanne). Mark is a little nerdy and quirky. He insists that he can survive the bleakness of his environment through his art. It soon becomes apparent, though, that he is more comfortable viewing the world through his lens than in actively engaging in it. He feels guilty that unlike his friends, he does not have HIV/AIDS. The actor playing this role must be a strong singer and actor. He dances the Tango with Joanne, so good movement skills are also required. (Vocal range: C#3-G4) *Roger Davis (male identifying, mid 20s to early 30s):* Roger is a once successful, now struggling musician who discovered he had HIV/AIDS in a note his girlfriend left him before she took her own life. His main goal in life is to write one great song before he dies, but he has not been able to play his guitar in a year, fearing that he has lost his creative energy. He falls in love with Mimi but is too afraid to commit to her. He is also the roommate and best friend of Mark. He is often depressed and sullen, but he can be expressive and passionate at times. The actor playing this role must be a good actor and an excellent singer with a rock edge. Guitar skills are desired. (Vocal range: B2-A4) *Mimi Marquez (female identifying, 18-early 20s):* Mimi Marquez works in a strip club and struggles with her addiction to heroin, which has resulted in her contraction of HIV/AIDS. She falls in love with Roger, who is unable to commit to a relationship with her. She is also Benny's ex‐girlfriend. She is extremely sexy, optimistic, and likeable but with dark secrets. Though Mimi has” lived a lot of life,” she still sees the world through the eyes of a young woman. She intends to make the most of every day, as she earnestly expresses in the song “No Day but Today.” The actress playing this role must be a strong singer, dancer, and exceptional actress. She must be able to convincingly portray the struggles of heroin addiction, sexual promiscuity, and HIV/AIDS, while still maintaining the optimism of youth. There is provocative dancing for this role. (Vocal Range: F#3-E5) *Benny Coffin III (male identifying, 20s-30s):* Benny used to be Mark and Roger’s roommate, but he married Alison Grey, who is from a rich family involved with real estate, and he is now Mark and Roger’s landlord. He had been letting Roger and Mark live in the apartment for free, but he is now forcing them to pay rent or be evicted. Roger and Mark consider him a yuppie sell-out. He also had an affair with Mimi before she started to date Roger. While in the beginning he is caught up in the lifestyle of wealth and affluence, he ultimately realizes his friends are more important than what money can buy. The actor playing this role must be a good singer and actor. (Vocal Range: Eb3-F4) *Maureen Johnson (female identifying, 20s-30s):* Maureen is a bisexual performing artist and Mark's ex‐girlfriend. She left Mark to be with her new girlfriend, Joanne. She is sexy, flirtatious, sassy, and funny. She is bold and speaks her mind, and she is not afraid to take on the establishment and fight for what she believes in. The actress playing this role must be an excellent singer and actress. She must be comfortable with same-sex physical intimacy. (Vocal Range: C4-F5) *Joanne Jefferson (female identifying, 20s-30s):* Joanne is a lesbian Ivy League educated lawyer and activist. She struggles to not be jealous of Maureen’s flirtatious nature with others. Though she was raised in an affluent, political family, she is committed to helping those less fortunate. The actress playing this role must be an excellent singer and a good actress. She must be comfortable with same sex-physical intimacy. Since she dances the tango with Mark, good movement skills are also required. (Vocal range: Bb3-E5) *Tom Collins (male identifying, late 20s-late 30s):* Tom Collins is a gay computer genius, teacher, and anarchist who was recently expelled from MIT. Tom and Angel’s relationship is the heart of the show, as the genuine love and devotion they have for one another brings hope and inspiration to the entire group. They show the world how to truly live life and not be afraid. The actor playing this role must be an excellent singer and actor who is comfortable with same sex-physical intimacy. He must be able to portray great love and affection for Angel. (Vocal Range: F#2-A4) *Angel Dumott Schunard (male identifying, early to late 20s):* Angel is a young drag queen and street percussionist who meets and falls in love with Collins. Angel is the most generous and selfless character in the show. Though they are living with HIV/AIDS, they embrace life and live it to its fullest. People are naturally drawn to Angel, and their smile lights up the room. As mentioned in Tom’s character description, Tom and Angel’s relationship is the heart of the show, as the genuine love and devotion they have for one another brings hope and inspiration to the entire group. They show the world how to truly live life and not be afraid. The actor playing this role must be an excellent actor, singer, and mover. They must be comfortable with same-sex physical intimacy and a drag queen persona, including dancing in heels. Percussionist skills desired but not required. (Vocal Range: C3-A4 with falsetto) *Ensemble (male & female):* The Ensemble in *RENT* portrays various characters throughout, therefore they must be versatile actors and be able to move well. In addition, due to the complexity of the music, the ability to read music is vital. Ages given are playable ages, actors need not specifically fit the given age to audition. If cast, all actors receive a travel reimbursement up to $150.00. To reserve an audition time, follow this link ( http://castingmanager.com/audition/info/cgujTmFGq8iaEkZ), or call our Box Office for assistance at (253) 272-2281. Once cast, *RENT *will begin rehearsals on January 8, 2024, and run from Friday, March 8, 2024 to Sunday, March 31, 2024. *###*