Middlesex Community College Seeking Diverse Cast For Musical "Rent"

LOWELL, MA — Middlesex Community College Performing Arts will be holding auditions next week for the musical "Rent," and directors said they are seeking a diverse group of non-union performers who don't necessarily have to attend the school.

The show will be performed April 20-23 at the Donahue Family Academic Arts Center, 240 Central Street in Lowell.

In-person auditions will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 4 and 5, at the Academic Arts Center. Attendees are asked to perform a song in the style of the show, and an accompanist will be provided.

An audition timeslot can be reserved by emailing [email protected], and participants should bring a headshot and resume —if they have one — to the audition.

Video auditions also are an option, and must be submitted by Jan. 4.

Callbacks, which are by invitation only, will be in person and take place at 1 p.m. on Jan. 8.

The show's directors said rehearsals are often Tuesday and Thursday afternoons or evenings and on Sundays between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. However, the final schedule will be determined based on the schedules of the cast.

"Rent," written by Jonathan Larson, debuted off-Broadway in 1996, spent 12 years on Broadway, and has been performed around the world.

The show, a musical retelling of "La bohème" set on the Lower East Side of New York, features a diverse cast. Middlesex Community College directors said they are seeking performers of all races and ethnicities, gender identities, sexualities and abilities.

An ad for the auditions said the production is specifically looking for Asian/Asian American, Black/African American, Latina/Hispanic American, and Indigenous/Native American performers.

Directors said actors must be over 18 at the time of auditions due to the many adult themes in the play, like sex, drug use, profanity, and same-sex intimacy.

"The Middlesex Community College Theatre Department prides itself on offering productions that empower and challenge," said Karen Oster, chair of Performing Arts at Middlesex Community College. "This year, we would like to open our production of 'Rent' to the community so that anyone is welcome to audition. These connections will allow our students to share their stories with others and be part of a larger community that sees the arts as a crucial addition to their lives."

More information about the production is available online.