Casting Singers for "Rent" The Musical Show

Rock Tenor B2 to A4 A musician/singer-songwriter who is a recovering drug addict living with HIV. Roger has mourned members of his community and is grieving the loss of his deceased former girlfriend. Roger longs for connection and meaning through his music. He is roommates with Mark in an abandoned loft space. (*Actively seeking actors with the ability to play/learn to play some guitar.)

Tenor C#3-G4 A filmmaker and video artist who constantly seeks validation. He connects deeply with his roommate Roger and longs for the days when his group of friends were closer. In his struggles to find his place in the world, he often finds himself on the outside looking in. Mark comes from privilege but desires to understand his responsibility to himself and his community. Tenor C#3-G4

Bass/Baritone F#2 – A4 A professor of technology at NYU that is grounded in anarchy and liberation, Tom Collins is a proud black man who is smart, caring, and the backbone of his friend group. His chosen family is lifted by his positive and nurturing spirit. His warmth and empathic presence allows him to invite his friends to examine personal accountability. This role requires comfortability with learning and performing intimacy choreography including same-sex kissing and physical contact.)

Baritone Bb2 to F#4 Mark and Roger's landlord and former roommate. A proud black man, Benny struggles to find connection with his former chosen family. He is constantly battling being a friend while pleasing his new white in-laws. In spite of being seen as a sell out, Benny longs to know who he is and where he fits in his community. (*Traditionally played by Black actors.)

Soprano Belt Bb3-E5 A public interest lawyer who always fights for the underdog, Joanne comes from a conservative upper-class black family. As an out and proud lesbian, she demands her own liberation. She is smart, purposeful, and grounded. She is dating Maureen Johnson.(*This role requires comfortability with learning and performing intimacy choreography including same-sex kissing and physical contact.)

Tenor with Falsetto C3-A4 A vibrant street musician who radiates light! Angel moves through the world as a gender-non-conforming human who is also living with HIV. Angel has an incredible spirit with a gift for inspiring human connection all while being a street fashion icon. (*POC *Transgender, gender-nonconforming, non-binary actors are strongly encouraged to submit for this role with the understanding that the character identifies/moves within multiple gender representations.)

Alto F#3-E5 A dancer and sex worker, Mimi is a proud Latina woman determined to live in the moment. She is a drug addict who is living with HIV. A young woman on a journey to find who she is and what she is fighting for. Mimi’s addiction and intentions are often at odds. She desperately tries to make the best of life in whatever way she can. (*Traditionally played by Latine actors. Seeking performers with strong dance skills, experience or willingness to learn pole/aerial silks/rope dancing)

Soprano Belt C4-F5 A performance artist who is constantly raging and ready to fight. Maureen is full of well intended passion and anarchist energies of which she pours into her art no matter the medium. She’s a former roommate of Roger, Mark, Collins and Benny. She completes the chosen family rounding out the space with intoxicating energy dripping with sexualized vigor. (*This role requires comfortability with learning intimacy choreography including same-sex kissing and physical contact.)

There are homeless street men and women who appear throughout the show sarcastically singing Christmas carols.

Mark's stereotypical Jewish mother. Her voicemail messages are the basis for the songs Voicemail #1, Voicemail #3, and Voicemail #5

The producer of Buzzline who tries to employ Mark after his footage of the riot makes primetime. Sings Voicemail #3 and Voicemail #4.

The wealthy parents of Joanne Jefferson, they leave her Voicemail #2. Mr. Jefferson is also one of the a cappella singers in Voicemail #5. Mrs. Jefferson usually sings the female solo in Seasons of Love.

Roger's confused mother who calls in Voicemail #5, asking continuously, "Roger, where are you?"

Mimi's Spanish‐speaking mother who sings in Voicemail #5, wondering, in Spanish, where she is.

Benny's father-in‐law who wants to buy out the lot.

The local drug dealer whom Mimi buys from and Roger used to buy from

Paul (The man in charge of the Life Support group), Gordon, Steve, Ali, Pam, Sue As notated in the script by Larson, the roles of all of the Life Support members are encouraged to take on the name that someone in the cast (or production) knows or has known to have succumbed to AIDS or other disease.

A homeless person who chants "Honest living!" over and over.

She gets harassed by police and Mark films it. She first yells at Mark but then asks him for a dollar.

Waits on the cast and has solo lines in La Vie Boehme.