FOX has announced the cast members who are ready to live “la vie boheme” for their Rent Live Musical Event.
The full cast includes Brandon Victor Dixon, Vanessa Hudgens, Kiersey Clemons, Jordan Fisher, Brennin Hunt, Mario, Tinashe and RuPaul Drag Race star Valentina. FOX will air the three-hour musical event on Sunday, January 27, live at 7 PM ET and tape-delayed PT.
Rent, Jonathan Larson’s Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical set during the early AIDS era long before New York City’s East Village had cleaned up to become a rich-person playground, opened Off-Broadway in 1996 and, later that year, transferred to Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre. The production ran on Broadway for 12 years. It also spawned a movie version in 2005 that reunited most of the original Broadway cast with Rosario Dawson among some of the new additions.
Rent will be broadcast from FOX Studios in Los Angeles. Marc Platt along with the Larson estate (he died of a heart condition the night before his musical’s first Off-Broadway performance), will executive produce. Tony Award-nominated director Michael Greif, who directed the original New York Theatre Workshop and Broadway productions, is the director overseeing the stage direction; and Alex Rudzinski (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, Grease: Live) will serve as the live television director.
Check out the full cast and character descriptions below:
Kiersey Clemons as Joanne Jefferson, Maureen’s girlfriend, and an Ivy League-educated lawyer. Clemons recently was cast in the upcoming feature The Flash as Iris West. Her other credits include Hearts Beat Loud, Transparent and the upcoming Lady and the Tramp;
Brandon Victor Dixon as Tom Collins, the computer scientist who returns to New York after being expelled from MIT. Dixon was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance in NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert last spring, and can currently be seen on Power. Broadway credits include Hamilton and Tony-nominated feature roles in Shuffle Along and The Color Purple.
Jordan Fisher as Mark Cohen, an aspiring filmmaker, who serves as the show’s narrator, while filming the lives of his friends. Fisher recently won the 25th season of Dancing with the Stars and has starred in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Liv and Maddie, and Teen Wolf, among others.
Vanessa Hudgens as Maureen Johnson, the outgoing performance artist who’s not afraid to take on the establishment. Hudgens starred in FOX’s Grease: Live, and, in 2015, made her Broadway debut in the title role of the beloved Academy Award- and Tony Award-winning film and stage musical Gigi. Film credits include Thirteen and Spring Breakers she got her big break as part of the High School Musical franchise.
Brennin Hunt as Roger Davis, a struggling musician, and Mark’s roommate, and best friend. Hunt currently is filming his first movie role in Walking With Herb and began his songwriting career with “I Can’t Do This,” which was recorded and co-written by Vince Gill.
Mario as Benjamin Coffin III, Mark, and Roger’s former roommate-turned-landlord, who is after their rent. Mario is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, producer and actor. He currently has a recurring role on FOX’s Empire.
Tinashe as Mimi Marquez, the dancer who struggles with addiction. Tinashe had a 2014 hit “2 On” and has toured with Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Maroon 5.
Valentina as Angel Dumont Schunard, a young drag queen and street percussionist who embraces life and lives it to its fullest. Valentina appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Keala Settle will perform “Seasons of Love” and join the ensemble in the live musical. Settle most recently portrayed bearded woman Lettie Lutz in the feature musical The Greatest Showman. Other credits include the musical Waitress and the national tour of Hairspray.
