Hard as it is to believe, it has been over 22 years since Rent opened on Broadway. It was the Hamilton of its day and ran for 5,123 performances. Two of the stars of the original production, Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, have teamed up for two concerts at Catalina Jazz Club. They will be performing Monday and Tuesday night in their show Acoustically Speaking.
Pascal originated the role of Roger Davis, the young musician who wanted to write one great song. Rent marked his Broadway debut. He’s since gone on to appear on Broadway in Chicago, Cabaret, Aida, Memphis, Something Rotten!, Disaster! and most recently Pretty Woman.
Rent was not the Broadway debut for Rapp, who played burgeoning filmmaker Mark Cohen in Jonathan Larson’s musical. He had previously appeared in Precious Sons and Six Degrees of Separation. After Rent he appeared in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown as the title character and later in If/Then with another alumnus of Rent, Idina Menzel. He currently plays Paul Stamets on Star Trek: Discovery.
The concert will see each gentleman sing a set of songs and that will, inevitably, lead to some duets by the duo. Each concert has a unique opening act. On Monday, Carole J. Bufford will open. On Tuesday, Lisa Donahey is the opening act.
For tickets go here.