Rent actors Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp coming to Irvine

Rent fans here in Riverside hearing about the amazing performances Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp have been giving over in New York can start getting excited over their upcoming visit to Irvine. Here's the official press release from the Irvine Barclay Theater:

Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, co-stars of the original Broadway and London productions of Rent (as well as the film) perform an electric and acoustic concert with music from Spring Awakening and Aida, fresh interpretations of Sondheim songs, and other familiar Broadway music, along with a mix of pop and original songs. Together, they’ll share stories about working on Jonathan Larsen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical and offer duets from Rent as performed in the Broadway production and film.

Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, who originated the roles of Roger Davis and Mark Cohen in the original Broadway and London productions of Rent , have reunited once again (Pascal and Rapp returned to Rent on Broadway for a limited engagement in the summer of 2007 and a national tour in 2009) to perform an electric and acoustic concert. The duo will perform music from Spring Awakening and Aida, offer fresh interpretations of Sondheim songs, and other familiar Broadway music, along with a mix of pop and original songs. Together, they’ll share stories about working on Jonathan Larsen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical and offer duets from Rent as performed in the Broadway production and film.

Adam Pascal received Obie and Theatre World awards and a Tony nomination for best actor for his performance as Roger in the original cast of Rent. On Broadway he also originated the role of Radames in the hit musical Aida and starred as the Emcee in the long-running revival of Cabaret. Off-Broadway he co-produced the hit play Fully Committed. His film credits include Rent, School of Rock, SLC Punk!, Temptation, and Goyband. Pascal guest-starred on the hit television series Cold Case. His recordings include Model Prisoner (2000) and Civilian (2004).

Anthony Rapp has appeared on Broadway in Rent, Precious Sons (Outer Critics Circle Award), Six Degrees of Separation, and the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. His films include Adventures in Babysitting, School Ties, Dazed and Confused, Six Degrees of Separation, David Searching, Man of the Century, Road Trip, A Beautiful Mind, Open House, Winter Passing, Danny Roane: First Time Director, Scaring the Fish and Rent. Television credits include The X-Files, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Kidnapped. His book, Without You: a Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent, about his experiences on and offstage, was published in 2006 by Simon & Schuster and became a national bestseller. Besides acting and writing, he also creates music with his band Albinokid, (having released a solo CD, Look Around, in 2000), and speaks regularly at colleges and universities.

Rent is a rock opera loosely based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème. Written by the late Jonathan Larson (Larson died of an aortic aneurysm the night before the off-Broadway premiere) and directed by Michael Greif. It opened at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre on April 29, 1996, following a sold-out, extended limited engagement at Off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop.

The Broadway production closed on September 7, 2008, after a 12-year run and 5,124 performances. The musical went on to win every major best musical award, including the Tony Award as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Rent is the seventh longest-running show in Broadway history.

Tours of Rent have crisscrossed North America almost continuously since late 1996 grossing over $330 million. The musical has been translated into every major language and has been performed on six continents, including in the following countries Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp in Concert
January 29, 2011 at 8pm

Irvine Barclay Theatre - 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine
Tickets: $26-$38
949.854.4646
www.thebarclay.org