EPIC Players Will Perform Neuroinclusive RENT for 30th Anniversary
Performances run June 4 – June 14, 2026.
This June, EPIC Players, New York's leading neuroinclusive theater company, will present a new production of RENT, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical by Jonathan Larson, in celebration of the show's 30th anniversary. Directed by Travis Burbee with musical direction by Blake Brauer, performances will run June 4 through June 14, 2026 at A.R.T./New York Theatres.
Originally premiering in 1996, RENT transformed the landscape of musical theater with its raw portrayal of artists navigating love, loss, poverty, addiction, and the AIDS crisis in New York City's East Village. Inspired by Puccini's La Bohème, the musical broke new ground in centering LGBTQ+ voices and diverse communities on Broadway.
Now, 30 years later, and as EPIC Players builds toward its 10th anniversary this August and a milestone anniversary season ahead, the company reimagines this iconic work through a neurodivergent and disability-centered lens, honoring RENT's legacy while pointing toward the future of inclusive theater.
2026 marks the 30th anniversary of RENT's groundbreaking debut, and productions around the world are celebrating the show that changed the landscape of musical theater. EPIC Players is proud to honor this milestone with a powerful neuroinclusive production that centers the voices of neurodivergent and disabled artists.
“Thirty years after RENT first gave voice to communities rarely represented on stage, its themes remain profoundly relevant,” said Aubrie Therrien, Executive & Artistic Director of EPIC Players. “This production reflects EPIC's mission to create space for every voice, and to ensure inclusion in the arts, and dismantle social stigmas.”
The cast includes: Eric Fegan (Mark), Conor Tague (Roger), Genesis Solivan (Mimi), Jocelyn Elena Stout (Maureen), Lai Williams (Joanne), Joshua Cartagena (Angel), Cameron Walker (Collins), and Hunter Hollingsworth (Benny).
Ensemble members include: Ahjaah Marie Jewett, Alex Herrera, Andrew Kader, Diana Osorio, Elisa Weiss, Ethan Homan, Gravity Queen of Hope and Love, KEVIN Ray Johnson, Laisha Gonzalez, Malcolm Hollis, Micah Tremblay, Nick Prior, Nina Sarna-Jones, Sarah Getzler, and Sven W.
Videos