RENT Plays Big Art Labs, 5/5-28

Jonathan Larson's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway musical RENT is coming to the Big Art Labs in Downtown, L.A. May 5th through May 28th, 2011. Performances run Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00PM. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased via the RENT: DOWNTOWN L.A. website at

www.rentsecretshow.com.

Set in the East Village of New York's Alphabet City, RENT is about being young and learning to survive, falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. A theatrical experience unlike any other, RENT forever changed the Broadway landscape, and continues to inspire with its powerful ideas, timeless emotions, and captivating rock score.

The Downtown L.A. production of RENT features Amber Stevens (ABC Family's hit series GREEK) as Mimi Marquez and Adam Shapiro (Tom Ford's award-winning film A SINGLE MAN) as Mark Cohen.

In addition to her work on GREEK, Stevens has been featured in many TV shows, including CSI, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, and GREY'S ANATOMY as well as films such as FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT and FIRED UP!

Shapiro has also been featured on numerous television shows including GREY'S ANATOMY, THE CLOSER, GILMORE GIRLS, and MEDIUM.

Rounding out the Los Angeles based cast are Nate Aylworth, Tamika Katon-Donegal, JD Driskill, Tiffany Gray, Emily Goglia, Natalie Hoy, Jason McGee, Michael Montiel, Heather Ogilvy, Kyle Pierce, Chris Sams, Tyler Scheef, Jason Stamey, Megan Dorn-Wallenstein, and Meredith Wheeler.

RENT received its world premiere off-Broadway at the New York Theater Workshop on February 12, 1996 to acclaimed reviews. It became an overnight sensation and transferred to Broadway on April 29th, 1996 where it ran for 12 years, being called "Ground-breaking" by the New York Times and "A raw and riveting milestone in musical theatre" by Rolling Stone. RENT is the 7th longest running show in Broadway history.

The success of RENT is always tempered by the death of its creator, Jonathan Larson. Larson died unexpectedly of an aortic aneurysm on January 25th 1996, just hours after RENT'S final dress rehearsal and ten days before his 36th birthday.

RENT: DOWNTOWN L.A. is produced by Kate Sullivan, associate produced by Colin Fickes, features direction by Kate Sullivan and Caitlin S. Hart, musical direction by Chip Colvin, choreography by Sarah Maher, set design by Sylvie Hitchcock, costume design by Rachel Kroner, lighting design by Morgan Edwards and sound design by Nicel Guerra and casting by Tamara Hunter.

For additional information visit the RENT: DOWNTOWN L.A. website at www.rentsecretshow.com or email overthemoonprods@gmail.com.