La Vie Boheme!

Jonathan Larson’s iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning musical that shaped a generation of audiences and taught us all to measure our life in love.

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 has become a pop cultural phenomenon. with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Registration is currently sold out. Join the waitlist below!

What will this production look like?

Rent will be performed by up to three casts of approximately 20-25 people each. Casts will often rehearse together and other times with only their cast. This production will be performed off-book (memorized, no scripts on stage), on a minimal set. The focus will be on singing and acting!

Basic tuition to participate in an AWT’s Rent is $500.

If the $500 tuition is not within your budget, please consider one of our Pay What You Can options ($420 and $460 for this program). Additionally, if you would like to spread your payments out, you can choose from a variety of payment options. Our ability to offer this program with affordable options is contingent on those with the ability to pay full tuition choosing that option. If we do not have enough full priced tuition participants, this may result in cancelling the program.

Discount types can not be combined. Tuition does NOT cover a print out of your script/score/sheet music or your costume. AWT has a small budget to cover some specific costume needs. From there, we work with participants to piece together costumes sourced from their closets, thrift stores and the good will of the community.  All tuition payments are final and non-refundable for any reason.

Below is the rehearsal and performance schedule for Rent. Click on the dot or details below each date for more information!

Launch Day for Rent is Saturday, July 23. Rehearsals will begin on Monday, August 1 and are primarily Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 6:30p to 10p. The final week of rehearsals will include a Thursday rehearsal instead of Labor Day, a Saturday rehearsal, and a Sunday evening Tech. Dress rehearsals and performances will occur between September 12 and September 18.

The tech/performance schedule below includes all potential days and hours when participants will be in rehearsal or a performance. The specific tech and performance schedule, as well as which cast is called when, will be shared once we know how many casts there will be. After the program begins, participants will receive a more detailed schedule with what rehearsals they will be called to attend (not all participants will need to attend every rehearsal).

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Prior to Launch Day, participants will have the opportunity to list rehearsal conflicts. Resources will be made available so you can catch up on anything you miss outside of rehearsal time. Once rehearsals begin, it is up to the discretion of the creative team whether or not a participant’s role must be reassigned due to missed rehearsals.

NOTE: the schedule below is subject to change.

Primary Rehearsal Locations

Speyer Hall at University Settlement House
184 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002

Molloy Studios 50 Broadway (4th Floor) New York, NY 10003

Performances

Speyer Hall at University Settlement House
184 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002

If our Pay What You Can options do not fit your budget, we also offer financial assistance via application for lower tuition options! Apply here through May 22.

COVID safety protocols: In light of current CDC recommendations, we have decided to restrict participation in our programs to individuals who are fully vaccinated and have received all boosters that they are eligible for. Should you become eligible for additional boosters as the program continues, we will ask for proof of that booster within one week of your eligibility.

As of now, in order to perform without a mask, we will require a negative test result within 24-48 hours of your call time. If a venue we are using for rehearsals or performances has a stricter policy, we will defer to them.

We are also extending the vaccination requirement and to our audience members at this time, and they will also be required to wear a mask for the duration of the performance. Our policy on safety protocols may shift over time as the situation changes.

Rehearsal policy: Participants may need to sign in with Lobby Security and show proof of vaccination before arriving at the rehearsal room. Temperatures may be taken on site, and an additional health screener may need to be filled out before each rehearsal.

At this time, we are still requiring masks during most rehearsals. There may be select times when masks will not be required. We will be keeping an eye on policies, and there may be updates as the season progresses.

Director’s Casting Goal

Cardozie and Dewey along with Tremaine (AWT’s DEI Coordinator) and Amanda (AWT’s Executive Director) had a very thoughtful conversation about how they intend to cast the production with regard to the identities represented among the characters. They have a very strong intention of casting the role of Angel with a trans, non-binary or gender non-conforming performer, if these performers wish to take on this role. All other roles in the show, regardless of how they have classically been portrayed might be assigned to any participant in the show (inclusive of trans, non-binary or gender non-conforming individuals). It is their hope to have a diverse group of performers portraying every character across the three casts of this show.

Our Casting Philosophy

The way we approach casting at AWT is very different from what is common in traditional theater. We take any notion of specific “types” and basically throw them out the window, so that any individual, regardless of how they identify or are perceived in the world, can see themselves playing any part. Additionally, it’s important to us that we not cast any one person in lead or principal roles too frequently or consecutively, or favor returning participants over people we don’t know as well.

On launch day, it’s more important that you have fun, make friends, and show your personality to the creative team, than it is to show how high you can belt. Regardless of how you are cast this will be an extremely enriching and rewarding experience. If you have your heart set on a specific part or are seeking stardom, we encourage you to consider different goals for this program. Otherwise, this might not be the theatre company for you – and that’s ok!

Registration

Registration for Rent currently sold out! 

Please join the mailing list and we will let you know if additional spots open up!

AfterWork Theater Cancellation Policy for Musicals, Plays, Sing Outs, Bootcamps and Concerts

Any participant who withdraws from an AfterWork Theater Musical, Play, Sing Out, Bootcamp or Concert (Collectively called a Performance Program) less than 48 hours prior to Launch Day is not entitled to a refund or credit, and is responsible for the full tuition amount regardless of how many monthly payments have incurred at the time of withdrawal. Returning participants who have previously participated in a Performance Program who withdraw more than 48 hours prior to Launch Day may re-purpose their tuition toward a future Performance Program or AWT You Class no more than one calendar year from Launch Day of the initial program purchased. New participants who have not previously participated in a Performance Program who withdraw more than 48 hours prior to Launch Day may receive a full refund and are not responsible for any future payments on their payment plan.

If a program is cancelled due to extenuating circumstances outside the control of AfterWork Theater, there will be no refunds or credits issued, and the value of your unused tuition will be considered a donation to AWT for which you will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

“Try it out” Cancellation Policy Exception

New to AfterWork Theater? We know signing up for new experiences can be scary. That’s why we are offering New Participants a 100% money back guarantee if they attend Launch Day Orientation and choose to withdraw from the program before the end of orientation. By the end of your orientation, if you decide this experience isn’t for you then you’ve made zero commitments, financial or otherwise. New participant attendees who withdraw after their Launch Day orientation is complete – including later that evening or the following day – are not eligible for a refund of any kind and will not be able to repurpose tuition towards a future program.

PLEASE NOTE: A “New Participant” is defined as someone who has never participated in an AWT Musical, Play, Sing Out, Bootcamp or Concert program at the time that Launch Day begins. A New Participant seeking to withdraw from the program must do so via email to info@afterworktheater.org prior to the completion of their Launch Day orientation. They may not postpone their refund request until the cast list is published. Once Launch Day orientation is over, they are no longer entitled to a refund for any reason. Participants who withdraw after Launch Day orientation are responsible for the full tuition amount regardless of how many monthly payments have incurred at the time of withdrawal.

If a program is cancelled due to extenuating circumstances outside the control of AfterWork Theater, there will be no refunds or credits issued, and the value of your unused tuition will be considered a donation to AWT for which you will receive a receipt for tax purposes.