Theatre

RENT: The Musical – Book, Music, & Lyrics by Jonathan Larson

General Auditions: February 13 & 14, 2023 in the Century College West Campus Theatre

• Callback Auditions: February 15, 2023
• Performances: April 14-30, 2023
• Rehearsals: 6:00 PM-10:00 PM Monday-Thursday: February 21-March 2, 2023
• (No Rehearsals March 3-12, SPRING BREAK)
• Rehearsals: 6:00 PM-10:00 PM Monday-Friday: March 13-April 13, 2023
• ALL Roles are Open to Century College Students, Faculty, Staff, and Community Members
• ALL the roles are open to any actor without discrimination in regard to gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or identity status (pardoning for a specific role that must be played by an actor of color. Please refer to the character descriptions below).

What To Prepare for Auditions:

• Option A): A one (1) minute song cut of your choice. It may be from RENT, from any other musical, or a pop song. We suggest the song be in the rock music style of RENT but one which you feel best shows your vocal capabilities. Please bring sheet music. A piano accompanist will be provided. No acapella singing or singing with a recording.
• Option B): Learn and sing a song cut taught at the audition by the music director to the whole group auditioning and then sung back, solo, by each person auditioning.
• Dance Audition. The choreographer will teach a dance sequence to the auditioning group followed by the auditioning actors dancing the sequence just taught to them in small groups and/or solo. Note: Please wear clothes and shoes you can dance, kick, jump, and roll on the ground in.
• For those asked to return for the Call Back Auditions, further singing (solo, duet, and small group), script reading, interviews, and possible dancing will be conducted.

Character Breakdown:

Roger Davis: A struggling musician and former drug addict. He is reminiscent of Kurt Cobain. Is 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: F2

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: G4
• Vocal range bottom: A2

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. Typically, African-Americans or other POC.

• Gender: Male
• Age: 25 to 35
• Vocal range top: A4
• Vocal range bottom: F#2

Benjamin Coffin III: 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: Bb2

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

Angel Dumott Schunard: 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: A4
• 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: Eb3

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: C4

Ensemble (Note: There are many solos, duets, & small group character vocals, as well as individual character scenes and moments, and a diversity of identities within the ensemble. The ensemble members may double many of these roles. The ensemble members are also onstage interacting, singing, and dancing throughout a large portion of the show and are tightly and visually tied to the principal characters). Some of the ensemble characters include:

Homeless Men & Women; Junkies, Parents (Mrs. Cohen, Mr. & Mrs. Jefferson); Life Support Group (Steve, Gordon), Alexi Darling-The Producer of Buzzline, Mrs. Marquez (Mimi’s Mother), Squeegee Man, and many more characters.

Before Audition Insights into the Play:

With RENT being the iconic musical that it is, you may find complete productions online to view, as well as an overwhelming amount of information about the show. Scripts are also available for purchase at online sites, such as Amazon, and in bookstores