Rent Character Breakdown
Rent Character Breakdown
Rent Character Breakdown
Show Essentials
8 ROLES + ENSEMBLE,
RATED PG13, 2 ACTS
Full Synopsis
Act One
Mark, a filmmaker and the show's narrator, is spending a cold Christmas Eve in the Lower East Side
industrial loft that he shares with his musician roommate, Roger. They receive several phone calls
("Tune Up / Voice Mail #1"). The first is from Mark's mother, consoling him over the loss of his girlfriend,
Maureen, a performance artist, to JoAnne, a Harvard Law School graduate. The second is from their
friend, Tom Collins, who is detained by muggers. The last is from their landlord, Benny, demanding the
rent. The power blows... and so do Roger and Mark's tops ("Rent").
Outside, Collins is reeling from the mugging. He is comforted by Angel, a street musician, who offers
him a helping hand ("You Okay, Honey?"). Both HIV+, Angel and Collins head out for a night on the town
and a life support meeting.
In response to a call for help, Mark sets out for the lot where Maureen is performing a protest against
Benny's eviction of the homeless from a nearby lot. He urges Roger to come along, but he refuses. As
Mark reports, Roger has not left the apartment in six months. He is still reeling from the suicide of his
girlfriend, who slashed her wrists upon learning that she had AIDS. Roger tries to write a song but the
only melody he finds is "Musetta's Waltz" from Puccini's La Boheme ("One Song Glory").
Mimi, an S&M dancer who lives below Mark and Roger, knocks with a request: "Light My Candle." The
attraction between her and Roger is immediate, but Roger shies away and shows her the door. Mimi
knocks again; she has lost her stash. Roger helps her look, and Mimi eventually finds it – in Roger's back
pocket.
As Joanne wrangles with the sound equipment for Maureen's performance, her parents leave her
"Voice Mail #2," pleading with her to come to her mother's confirmation hearings in Washington.
Collins arrives at the loft with a bag full of goodies. This includes Angel, transvested into Angel Dumott
Shunard and gloriously arrayed in his Christmas finest – wig, glitter and platform pumps. In "Today 4
U," Angel explains how he earned $1,000: a wealthy woman hired him to play the drums until her
neighbor's yappy Akita barked itself to death.
Benny enters with a proposal ("You'll See"): if Mark and Roger stop Maureen's protest, he will forgo the
rent. He entices them with plans for Cyber Arts, a state-of-the-art, multimedia studio that will realize
all of their dreams. Unsuccessful, Benny leaves. Mark, Collins and Angel try to coax Roger into coming
to the life support meeting with them, but he refuses.
Mark finally reaches the lot where Maureen will perform her protest. He encounters Joanne, still
struggling with the sound equipment and the many demands that Maureen makes upon her. Mark
offers help. Although they dreaded meeting, they have a lot in common ("Tango: Maureen"). Once he
finishes, Mark joins Angel and Collins at the "Life Support" meeting.
In her apartment, Mimi dresses and appeals to an imaginary Roger to take her "Out Tonight." She
barges into his apartment and continues her appeal to Roger himself but, after a passionate kiss, he
vehemently rejects her. They fight, her words blending with the affirmation of the support group that
emphasizes the importance of living the moment ("Another Day"). A young man from the support
group asks quietly, "Will I lose my dignity / Will someone care?" ("Will I?"). His thoughts and fears are
echoed by each member of the community. The thoughts are Roger's, too, and he decides to go
outside.
After the meeting, Mark, Angel and Collins roam the lot and rescue a homeless woman from the taunts
and nightsticks of the neighborhood cops ("On the Street"). Discouraged by life in New York, the three
dream of opening up a restaurant in "Santa Fe." Alone at last, Angel and Collins finally express their
love for each other ("I'll Cover You"). Joanne, meanwhile has her hands full juggling work, parents, and
the ever-demanding Maureen... all over the phone ("We're Okay").
The scene changes to St. Mark's Place, where vendors hawk their wares to the bohemians of the East
Village ("Christmas Bells"). Angel buys a new coat for Collins. Mark finds Roger, who spots Mimi looking
for drugs. Roger apologizes and asks her to dinner. Just as the snow begins to fall, Maureen finally
appears on her motorcycle to perform her protest, "Over the Moon."
Following the protest, all convene at the Life Café, including Benny, who announces that Bohemia is
dead. Thus ensues a makeshift mock-wake that quickly segues into a celebration of "La Vie Boheme."
During the song, Benny confronts Mimi and threatens to reveal their past affair to Roger. Beepers go
off to remind the revelers to take their AZT. Roger and Mimi each discover that the other is HIV+.
Frightened and excited, they vow to be together ("I Should Tell You").
Joanne has been sent back to the lot by Maureen several times to check on the equipment. She finally
rebels, telling Maureen that their relationship is over and announcing a riot in the lot: Benny has
padlocked the building and called the cops, but the homeless are standing their ground... and mooing.
The artists rejoice, the riot continues, and Roger and Mimi share a small, lovely kiss.
Act Two
The second act begins with the company posing the question, "How do you measure a year in the
life?" ("Seasons of Love"). It is one week later, New Year's Eve, and Mark, Roger, Mimi, Maureen, Joanne,
Angel and Collins are having a breaking-back-into-the-building party ("Happy New Year"). Once inside,
Mark listens to one more phone message from his mother in Scarsdale as well as one from Alexi
Darling, a tabloid TV producer who is salivating over his footage of the riot ("Voice Mail #3"). Benny
crashes the party, angering Roger and alienating Roger from Mimi. Dejected, Mimi wanders outside
and into the welcoming arms of her drug dealer.
Mark fast-forwards to Valentine's Day. Roger and Mimi are still together. Angel and Collins could be
anywhere. Maureen and Joanne are still rehearsing another show, but it is not going well ("Take Me or
Leave Me").
The company reprises "Seasons of Love," and time marches forward again into spring. Roger and Mimi
have a fight, and Roger walks out. Alone, Mimi reflects on what life would be like without Roger
("Without You"). At the same time, Collins nurses a sick Angel; Maureen and Joanne reconcile, as do
Mimi and Roger.
At the end of the summer, Alexi is still courting Mark for her TV show ("Voice Mail #4"). Roger and Mimi,
unsatisfied by love's complications, break up, as do Maureen and Joanne. Angel dies. At a memorial
service, his friends remember his spirit. Collins remembers his love ("I'll Cover You – Reprise").
Outside of the church, Mark phones Alexi to accept the job. Mark ponders how life has changed since
last year as he recalls the joys of that one night last Christmas ("Halloween"). As the mourners leave
the church, Mimi confirms that Roger has sold his guitar and is leaving town. Roger confirms that Mimi
is now with Benny. A fight erupts among Roger, Mimi, Maureen, Benny and Joanne. Collins interrupts
them with the sorrowful reality that the family is breaking up. Joanne and Maureen reunite. Mimi and
Benny leave.
Mark tries to convince Roger to stay in New York to face his pain and the fact that Mimi is very sick.
Roger attacks Mark, accusing him of hiding from his feelings. Mimi enters, having overheard the entire
angry exchange, and bids Roger farewell ("Goodbye, Love"). Roger leaves town. Mimi turns to Mark for
help. Benny offers one helping hand to Mimi and extends the other to Collins to help him pay Angel's
funeral expenses. Mimi refuses the help and flees. Collins accepts and he and Benny go out for a drink.
Mark considers the events and faces the last year, as does Roger, who is on his way to Santa Fe. Roger
begins to discover his own song, and Mark turns down the television job to finish his own film ("What
You Own").
Roger's mom, Mark's mom, Mimi's mom and JoAnne's father all wonder where their children are
("Voice Mail #5"). Back at the loft, Mark tells us again that it's Christmas and that he now has a rough
version of his film, which he's going to show tonight. Roger has returned with his written song but
cannot find Mimi. Collins enters with money that he has gotten from an ATM, rewired to give money to
anyone with a special code. The password? A-N-G-E-L.
Maureen and Joanne suddenly arrive, holding Mimi, whom they found collapsed and near death in the
park. Roger begs her not to die and sings for her the song that it has taken him all year to write, "Your
Eyes". Mimi dies as Roger wails her name over a blast of Puccini's music. Suddenly Mimi awakens; it
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The company joins in a reprise of the affirmation that love is all and that there is "no day but today"
("Finale").
Casting
Casting
Cast Size: Flexible Cast Size
Cast Type: Ensemble Cast
Dance Requirements: None
Character Breakdown
Mark Cohen
Filmmaker and video artist. Knee deep in his own soul-searching, Mark is the typical young artist. He and
Roger are roommates in the loft. A bit of a nerd.
Gender: Male
Age: 20 to 30
Vocal range top: G#4
Vocal range bottom: C3
Roger Davis
A struggling musician and former drug addict. He is reminiscent of Kurt Cobain. Roommates with Mark in
the loft and battles with being HIV-positive.
Gender: Male
Age: 20 to 25
Vocal range top: A4
Vocal range bottom: F#2
Tom Collins
A computer genius and liberal professor. He is a nurturer with a smooth and relaxed disposition. Used to
be a roommate in the loft and is HIV-positive.
Gender: Male
Age: 25 to 35
Vocal range top: A4
Vocal range bottom: F#2
The landlord of Mark and Roger's apartment building. A former roommate in the loft, Benny traded in his
personal morals for power and wealth.
Gender: Male
Age: 25 to 35
Vocal range top: F#4
Vocal range bottom: D3
Joanne Jefferson
A public interest lawyer and headstrong lesbian. She is smart and purposeful in all her decisions. Carries
on a tumultuous relationship with Maureen.
Gender: Female
Age: 25 to 40
Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: G3
The eccentric HIV-positive street drummer. A drag queen with an incredible gift of dance and a magnetic
personality. He becomes Tom's lover.
Gender: Male
Age: 20 to 30
Vocal range top: D5
Vocal range bottom: C3
Mimi Marquez
An HIV-positive stripper with drug addictions. Slender and sickly, she conceals it all at her job in the local
strip club. She lives in the same building as the loft.
Gender: Female
Age: 18 to 21
Vocal range top: E5
Vocal range bottom: F#3
Maureen Johnson
An unpredictably zany performance artist. Maureen oozes sexuality and used to live in the loft. She has
recently dumped Mark for Joanne.
Gender: Female
Age: 20 to 25
Vocal range top: F5
Vocal range bottom: G3
Ensemble
Cops; Vendors; Support Group (Paul, Steve, Gordon, Pam, Ali, Sue); Homeless People (Squeegieman,
Blanket Person); Junkies; Parents (Mrs. Cohen, Mr. And Mrs. Jefferson, Roger's Mom, Mimi's Mother);
"Leap Of Faith" Backups; Bohemians
Show History
Inspiration
Jonathan Larson had been a "starving artist," living the bohemian life for several years, when, in 1989,
his friend and fellow struggling playwright, Billy Aronson, suggested a contemporary American version
of Puccini's La Boheme. Instantly, Larson saw the possibilities of exploring AIDS, homelessness,
sexuality and the struggle for art in an East Village setting. He envisioned a "Hair for the 90s" that could
"bring musical theater to the MTV generation." Initially, Aronson and Larson developed Rent together,
writing early drafts of the title song, as well as "Santa Fe" and "I Should Tell You." Eventually, the two
parted ways amicably, and Larson continued to develop the show on his own.
Productions
Rent had several stages of development before it reached production. The first staged reading
occurred in March of 1993. In January 1994, writer, Jonathan Larson, was awarded a Richard Rodgers
Development Award, for which he had applied on the advice of his mentor and hero, Stephen
Sondheim. The $45,000 prized helped finance a two-week workshop of Rent that took place in
November of that year. Two of the people in the audience were up-and-coming producers, Jeffrey
Seller and Kevin McCollum. Based on the strength of the workshop presentation, the two agreed to
partner with the New York Theater Workshop to stage a full production the following year, where it
officially opened on January 25, 1996.
Rent moved to Broadway's Nederlander Theatre on April 29, 1996, where it ran for twelve years and
5,123 performances. The success of the show led to several national tours and numerous foreign
productions.
Cultural Influence
In 2005, film director, Christopher Columbus, made a movie version of Rent, featuring
many of the original cast members from the Broadway production.
The final performance of Rent, on September 7, 2008, was filmed. Rent: Filmed Live on
Broadway also included footage from the closing night celebration. It had a limited
theatrical release in late September 2008 and was then released on DVD and Blu-ray.
Rent originated the now common practice of Broadway Rush. The show's producers
offered 34 seats in the front two rows of the orchestra for $20 each, two hours before
the performance. Fans would camp out for hours in front of the Nederlander Theater in
order to get the tickets. These fans became known as "Rent Heads."
Trivia
If the real-life "back story" behind the phenomenon of Rent had been submitted to a
Hollywood studio, most executives probably would have dismissed the script as
"unbelievable:" A struggling composer spends years waiting tables and enduring
frustration and rejection. Then, on the very night that his career is finally about to take
flight, he inexplicably collapses and dies, never knowing the degree to which his work
would eventually impact the theatrical world of which he so desperately wanted to be a
part. Yet, as anyone who follows theatre is aware, this is precisely what happened to
Jonathan Larson, the 36-year-old composer of Rent, who suffered a fatal aortic
aneuryism on January 25, 1996, which was to have been the first Off-Broadway preview
of Rent at the New York Theater Workshop.
In the fall of 1992, Larson had a completed first draft, which he dropped off with a demo
tape at the office of James Nicola, the Artistic Director of New York Theater Workshop,
who agreed to stage a reading of the show. "What drew Jonathan and me together in a
philosophical place was the belief in how tragic it was that pop music and theater music
had gotten a divorce. I felt he was the first composer I had run into who had the
possibility of doing something about it," Nicola said.
Although the response to the music was overwhelmingly positive, it was clear that there
were structural problems with the piece. Director, Michael Greif, was brought on board
to begin to address some of these issues. As Greif recalled in The New York Times,
"Jonathan had firm ideas and he loved battling them out with us, but there was give and
take."
Since 1918, only eight musicals have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama – of
those eight, six are MTI Musicals: Of Thee I Sing (1932), Fiorello! (1960), How to
Succeed... (1962), Sunday in the Park with George (1985) Rent (1996) and Next to
Normal (2010).
Critical Reaction
"What makes Rent so wonderful is not its hipness quotient, but its extraordinary spirit
of hopeful defiance and humanity."
– The New York Times
"At last, a show that lives up to its hype! Rent is theatre at its best: passionate,
exhuberant, uplifting , and joyous."
– Theatremania
Connect
Lucille Lortel Archives (http://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=620) (Original)
Billing
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RENT SCHOOL EDITION
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Included Materials
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DIRECTOR'S SCRIPT 1
ENHANCED STUDY GUIDE 1
LIBRETTO/VOCAL BOOK 22
PIANO CONDUCTOR'S SCORE ACT 1 2
PIANO CONDUCTOR'S SCORE ACT 2 2
Production Resources
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STANDARD ORCHESTRATION
Instrumentation Doubling
AUDIO GUIDE
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GUITAR 2