“VIVA LA VIE CHANCE” “extraordinarily well-cast” “the characters are all well-lived-in and the troupe’s chemistry shines with love, giving us many compelling moments” “Director Matthew McCray has assembled a group of very talented and young actors with kinetic energy that dazzles” “fantastic costumes by Bradley Allen Lock” “entire cast looked stunning on stage” “This is a production that is rich in emotional expressions.” “In dance, character, and voice Lena Ceja is a revelation as Mimi” “The iridescent Leiva as Angel was a source of light throughout.” “Ripley gives a performance as JoAnne that makes the character rival Mr. Clopton’s Mark as the glue that holds the show together — her voice is sonorous and her stage presence strong — the great duet with Clopton, “Tango: Maureen,” is a standout.” “electrifying chemistry” “portrayal of the incredible fear of death, the joys of new love, and the loss of creative spaces” Set in the East Village of New York City, Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent is a pop cultural phenomenon, with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, the musical follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. This is theatre at its best – exuberant, passionate and joyous. NOTE: This show contains mature content and strong language. *** WINNER Pulitzer Prize for Drama *** *** WINNER of 4 Tony Awards, including Best Musical *** *** WINNER of 6 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical *** “The exhilarating, landmark rock opera…a glittering inventive score.”New York Times “Rent will move the culture forward, possibly so far that it’ll be easy to forget the recent era in which it was something so completely shocking.”
Esquire
Ages: NOTE: This show contains mature content and strong language.
Cast and Creative team for RENT at Chance Theater
Cast
Luc Clopton
Mark Cohen
Luc is incredibly excited to be playing Mark in Chance Theater’s production of Rent. This show has been a dream for Luc since he first watched the movie back in 2010, and he is so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to perform alongside this stellar cast. Luc was born and raised in Sacramento with his four brothers and two sisters. He moved to the central coast to pursue his acting career by attending the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. After graduating, Luc would begin to find success in both the tv/film world playing roles in films like From Under the Bridge, and Once Upon a Riot, as well as on stage. Some of his favorite roles include: Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid (PCPA), Fred in A Christmas Carol (Sacramento Theater Company), and Woof in Hair (Falcon’s Eye). Luc would like to thank God and his incredibly supportive family for all their love.
Gavin Cole
Roger Davis
Gavin Cole is a professional actor and singer, originally from Centreville, VA now residing in Los Angeles, CA. This is his third show with The Chance, and he couldn’t be more excited to be back with such an amazing cast and crew. Gavin is a graduate of The Sanford Meisner Center in Burbank and holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from The University of the Arts. Recent Credits include Theatre: Beauty and the Beast (Gaston) The Chance Theater, Emma (Frank Churchill) The Chance Theater, White Girl in Danger (Matthew/Scott/Zack/Others) Polyphone New Musical Theater Festival 2018. Film: Spring (Jay) Amazon Prime, Sign Here (Tom), Misconduct (Ben), Merch Girl (Ben). TV: Killer Siblings (Bryan Freeman) Oxygen, Extreme Measures (Tug) Investigation Discovery. Gavin is represented by Quartz Talent Agency. Follow Gavin on Instagram @reallygavincole, and listen to his music on Spotify and Apple Music.
Lena Ceja
Mimi Marquez
JoeJoe McKinney
Tom Collins
JoeJoe is very excited to be performing for the first time with Chance Theater. Recently, they appeared in Miss Saigon (John) and School of Rock (Mr. Williams/Gabe Brown) at The California Theatre of Performing Arts. They enjoy many different aspects of theater, from costuming to set building, and as a senior studying Theater Arts at Cal Poly Pomona, they are continuing to pursue their dream of becoming a college professor. They would like to thank their family and friends for their endless years of support and are excited to be a part of such a meaningful show. They are very grateful to the creative team for the opportunity!
Adam Leiva
Angel Dumott Schunard
When I was a kid, every time the clock struck midnight and we entered a New Year, my older sister would blast one specific song as loud as possible. We would dance all around the house together as we celebrated the start of a New Year of possibilities and life. That song was Today 4 U. I’m forever honored to be playing Angel, I can’t even begin to explain how revolutionary this show is and will always be. Celebrate the LGBTQIA+ people in your life; love us, fight for us, I promise we will always be grateful. I dedicate my performances of Angel to my sister Roxanne; who always tells me to follow my acting dreams, and introduced me to this show. (Rent is her favorite musical of all time). And to my mom; Nancy Leiva, who everyday shows me the truest love I’ll ever know.
Lily Targett
Maureen Johnson
Lily Targett is so jazzed to be a part of Chance Theater’s ‘Rent’!! She is relatively new to LA, but is so happy to have been a part of a few shows out here already!
Some of her past credits include: Footloose (Urleen), The Addams Family (Wednesday), Almost Maine (Marvalyn), and Godspell (Robin).
This cast is so very talented, and she is so honored to be performing alongside them. She would love to thank her friends and family for their love and constant support. Break a leg everyone!!
Frankie Ripley
Joanne Jefferson
Frankie Ripley is ecstatic to make her debut on the Chance Theater stage as Joanne in Rent! Frankie recently closed a passion project cabaret with her dear friend and is returning to the musical theater stage with her all-time favorite show. Frankie has a BA in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton, and works in Residential Property Management in the Inland Empire. When Frankie is not performing, you can catch her at your local K-Pop Concert with her mom and little cousins. Frankie would like to thank her family, fiancé, and friends for their continued support to do what she loves, PERFORM. A special thanks to Chance Team for allowing Frankie to play one of her dream roles! “Forget regret or life is yours to miss!”
Christopher D. Baker
Benjamin Coffin III
Christopher D. Baker is an experienced performer in community, regional, and educational theatre, originally from Florida. He is excited to bring Benny to life in his debut at Chance Theatre. As a resident teaching artist at Dramatic Results, The Advot Project, and Improv it Up in Los Angeles, he is known for his dedication to his craft and infectious enthusiasm. Christopher has recently appeared in Cindy and The Disco Ball at Garry Marshall Theatre and Ragtime with 5-Star. His passion has lead him to this moment, and he is grateful to share this moment with Chance Theatre patriots.
Jack Thomas Aitken
Ensemble
Jack Thomas Aitken is thrilled to return to The Chance for another season! He was previously in American Idiot at Chance Theater last summer, where he received an OCTG award for Outstanding Ensemble. He has completed his second year at New York University Tisch’s New Studio on Broadway musical theater program. His previous credits include Georg (Spring Awakening), Fester (Addams Family), Cinderella’s Prince (Into the Woods), Sanjar (The Apple Tree), Ram Sweeney (Heathers), Ensemble (American Idiot), and most recently King Ducan in New York University’s production of Macbeth. Jack has been a huge fan of musical theater since second grade, when he starred in his first musical, The Wizard of Oz, as a member of the Lollipop guild. Since then, he’s been dedicated to pursuing a career in the arts. Jack would like to thank his family, friends, teachers, and this amazing cast/crew for their support.
Insta: @aitken_not_pain
Micah K. Blanks
Ensemble
Ayani Dorsey
Ensemble
Autumn Kirkpatrick
Ensemble
Autumn is so excited to be making her debut at the Chance! She holds a BFA in Musical Theater from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Favorite credits include RESPECT (Lamb’s Players Theater), American Idiot (Ensemble), The Secret Garden (Martha), and Damn Yankees (Lola). She has also participated in numerous new musical theater workshops including The Omniscients with Pulitzer Prize winner and Tony nominated playwright James Ijames. All my gratitude to the cast and crew of RENT and all my love to those who have endlessly supported her on her journey.
Patrick McCormick
Ensemble
Patrick McCormick is thrilled to be making his Chance Theater debut! He is currently living in Los Angeles but is originally from Costa Mesa, California. He graduated from the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts in 2020, and currently attends USC where he is pursuing a BFA in musical theater. Recent credits include Billy (Carrie: The Musical), Telly (Godspell), Beast (Beauty and the Beast), Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd), Herbie (Gypsy), and Phantom (Phantom of the Opera), for which he won Best Dramatic Actor at the Spirit of the MACY Awards. He also recently played Morty the Clown in a staged reading of the new musical “A Million Aisles Away,” and has performed in the Scotland Fringe Festival as Herr Schultz in Cabaret. You can find him on Instagram @patrick.mccormick_
Mikey Miro
Ensemble
Mikey is thrilled to join the cast of Rent in his Chance Theater debut. Mikey was most recently an Emerging Artist with Opera Idaho where he performed the roles of De Brétigny in Massanet’s Manon and Schaunard in La Bohème. He holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Mikey is grateful to God and to his family & friends for supporting him in all his artistic adventures and to Chance theater for this amazing opportunity.
Gemma Pedersen
Ensemble
Gemma Pedersen is a senior BFA Musical Theatre major at the University of Arizona and is so thrilled to be back home making her Chance Theatre debut! Recent theatrical credits: Arizona Repertory Theatre- Head Over Heels (Dance/Fight Captain, Dancer), Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife u/s), Rose Center Theatre – 42nd Street (Ethel, Swing), Musical Theatre West- South Pacific (Ngana). Gemma is humbled to share the stage with this talented cast and is so grateful to share the story of RENT. “This show is for my family for their ineffable support.”
Creative Team
Jonathan Larson
Music, Book, & Lyrics
Matthew McCray
Director
Lex Leigh
Music Director / Keys
Joe Holbrook
Scenic Designer
Bradley Allen Lock
Costume Designer
Nick Santiago
Projection Designer
Zach Moore
Lighting Designer
Dave Mickey
Sound Designer
Cynthia Espinoza
Stage Manager
Bruce Goodrich
Dramaturg
James Markoski
FOH Mix
Jorge Zuniga
Drums
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