The Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) in Norwalk, Connecticut opened their 2025-2026 season, which marks MTC’s 39th season, with the musical RENT, which won a Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Chris McNiff directs and choreographs the stellar cast of Ladonna Burns, Olivia Fenton, Gabriela Gomez, Jacob Heimer, Cedric Leiba, Jr., Matt Mancuso, Derrick Penny, Carlos Perez, Charles Romano, Leeana Rubin, Sadie Seelert, and Joe Toelentino, and David Wolfson is the Musical Director. RENT is a powerhouse that will resonate with audiences long after they leave the theater. Bravo! RENT runs until October 12, 2025.
Joe Tolentino (Mark), Jacob Heimer (Roger), Darrick Penny (Tom), Cedric Leiba Jr. (Angel) – Rent
We had the pleasure of experiencing RENT on opening night, Saturday, September 27, 2025, when the theatre was sold out. While the musical premiered in 1996 on Broadway, somehow or other we had never seen it before, and were delighted to finally have the opportunity to experience it. Jonathan Larson wrote the music, lyrics, and the book, unfortunately he passed away unexpectedly the night before the play opened on Broadway on April 29, 1996, of an aortic dissection. It ran on Broadway for 12 years, earning a Tony Award for Best Musical, a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and several other awards as well, and closed on Broadway on September 7, 2008. RENT is a rock musical and is one of the longest running productions on Broadway.
Ladonna Burns (Joanne), Olivia Fenton (Maureen), Gabriela Gomez (Mimi), Jacob Heimer (Roger), Darrick Penny (Tom), Joe Tolentino (Mark) – Rent
When Jonathan Larson wrote RENT, it was a time in the 1990s when HIV/AIDS ran rampant, many died from the disease, along with heavy drug addiction, and homelessness. The musical is a cultural representation of a period of time and tells the stories of a group of friends from various walks of life whose lives intersect in New York City’s East Village in the late 20th century.
Jacob Heimer (Roger) – Rent
RENT tells the stories of many, along with three underlying love stories: Roger, the musician (played by Jacob Heimer) and the beautiful, but tragically flawed and addicted Mimi (played by Gabriela Gomez); Angel, the drag queen with a huge heart and a flair for the dramatic (played by Cedric Leiba, Jr.) who finally finds love with Tom (Collins) played by Darrick Penny, before Angel tragically dies; and the tumultuous on-again, off-again love story of Maureen (played by Olivia Fenton) and Joanne (played by Ladonna Burns).
Olivia Fenton (Maureen), Ladonna Burns (Joanne) – Rent
Other main characters are Benny and Mark (played by Joe Tolentino), a talented and hopeful wannabe filmmaker who lives with his friend Roger, the musician, on the top floor of an old warehouse, in what was once the home of a record label. While the description sounds like a lofty apartment, in actuality the building is unheated, for electricity they run a very long extension cord to the outside, and their “wood stove” is a metal trash can where they throw out old paper to generate a bit of heat.
Darrick Penny (Tom), Cedric Leiba Jr. (Angel) – Rent
Their friend Benny (played by Matt Mancuso), was once one of them, however he is now married to a rich girl from Westport, Connecticut with a very rich daddy, and he has purchased the building that Mark and Roger live in. When daddy-in-law wants to see some return on his investment, Benny tells his friends that they need to start paying rent, something easier said than done as neither Roger nor Mark make much money from their career choices. Rounding out the talented cast are Carlos Perez, Charles Romano, Leanna Rubin, and Sadie Seelert, who play multiple roles.
Gabriela Gomez (Mimi) – Rent
RENT is a musical well worth seeing, and the production by MTC’s talented cast does an amazing job of delivering the goods for an important play. At the conclusion of the play, the cast received a well-deserved standing ovation. The play runtime is 2 hours, and 30 minutes including a 15-minute intermission and closes on October 12, 2025.
Rent
Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts!
RENT – Crew
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Jonathan Larson
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Book, Music & Lyrics
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Jon Damast
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Sound Design
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Claudia Ruck
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Prop Design
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Scott Borowka
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Lighting Design
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Theresa Stark
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Stage Manager
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Diane Vanderkroef
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Costume Design
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Marty Marchitto
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Scenic Design
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Chris McNiff
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Directed &Choreographed
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David Wolfson
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Music Direction
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Dan Driscoll
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Fight/Intimacy Director
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RENT is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
RENT – Cast (alphabetically by actor)
| Ladonna Burns | Joanne |
| Olivia Fenton | Maureen |
| Gabriela Gomez | Mimi |
| Jacob Heimer | Roger |
| Cedric Leiba, Jr. | Angel |
| Matt Mancuso | Benny |
| Darrick Penny | Tom |
| Carlos Perez | Ensemble/Bonny & Tom Cover |
| Charles Romano | Ensemble/Mark Cover |
| Leeanna Rubin |
Ensemble
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Sadie Seelert
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Ensemble
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Joe Tolentino
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Mark
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RENT – The Band
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David Wolfson
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Music Director/Keyboard 1/Conductor
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Joshua Rodis
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Guitar 1
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Clio Janis
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Keyboard 2/Guitar 2
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Alan Lounsbury
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Bass
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Nate Dobas
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Drums
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RENT Performance schedule: Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Rent runs until October 12, 2025.
Edward F. Nesta & Debra C. Argen
For information or to purchase tickets, please visit the website: https://www.musictheatreofct.com/, call the box office at 1-203-454-3883, or email them at: admin@musictheatreofct.com.
The box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am until 3:30 pm and 2 hours before every performance.
Sponsors: The 2025 MainStage Season is sponsored by: The Burry Fredrik Foundation, and The Schnurmacher Foundation.
Music Theatre of Connecticut’s 2025-2026 MainStage Productions
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RENT
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September 26 – October 12, 2025
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The Fox On The Fairway
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November 7-23, 2025
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The Irish …And How They Got That Way
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March 6 – 22, 2026
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9 to 5 The Musical
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April 17 – May 3, 2026
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About MTC
“Music Theatre of Connecticut is the premier provider of musical theatre performance and training. Founded in 1987, we produce an annual series of Equity productions featuring New York professionals (MTC MainStage), numerous annual student productions, and a conservatory-style School of Performing Arts with curriculum-based training for students ages four through high school, including the nationally recognized College-Bound in the Performing Arts program for performance career-focused high school students.”
“The Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) was founded in 1987 by Kevin Connors (Artistic Director and Co-Founder) and Jim Schilling (Co-Founder), where MTC’s focus is musical theatre performance and training.”
For more information on the Music Theatre of Connecticut, please visit their website: www.MusicTheatreofCT.com.
You might also like to read: Backstage Interview – Kevin Connors and Jim Schilling of Music Theatre of Connecticut: https://luxuryexperience.com/performances/performances-performances/backstage-interview-kevin-connors-and-jim-schilling-of-music-theatre-of-connecticut/
Music Theatre of Connecticut
509 Westport Avenue (look for the large white sign)
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
United States
Box Office: +1-203-454-3883
Fax: +1-203-557-0496
Website: www.MusicTheatreofCT.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusicTheatreCT/?ref=br_tf
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