Hope Mill Theatre Manchester To Open In October With Rent - Cast Now Announced

Rent is finally hitting Hope Mill Theatre from 30th October til 13th December, 2020

Full cast and creative have now been announced for the much awaited production.

RENT is directed by Luke Sheppard, Choreographer Tom Jackson Greaves, Musical Supervisor Katy Richardson, Musical Director Chris Poon, Set & Costume Designer David Woodhead, LX Designer Howard Hudson, Sound Designer Paul Gatehouse, Projection Designer George Reeve, Assistant Director Priya Appleby, Costume Supervisor Ester Mangas, Production Photographer Dujonna Gift-Simms, Make Up and Wigs Designer Jackie Saundercock, and Casting by Pearson Casting.

Jocasta Almgill (& Juliet, Dreamgirls - West End) will play Joanne; Blake Patrick Anderson (Be More Chill - The Other Palace, Closer to Heaven - Off West End/Above the Stag) will play Mark; Tom Francis (Arts Ed 2020 graduate) will mark his professional debut as Roger; Ahmed Hamad (The Boy in the Dress - RSC, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - West End) will play Benny; Dom Hartley-Harris (George Washington in Hamilton - West End, Bat Out of Hell - Manchester & West End) will play Collins; Millie O'Connell (Olivier nominated as Anne Boleyn in SIX The Musical - West End & UK Tour, 42nd Street - West End) will play Maureen; Maiya Quansah-Breed (Olivier nominated as Catherine Parr in SIX The Musical - West End & UK Tour) will play Mimi; Alex Thomas-Smith (Dear Evan Hansen - West End, Bat Out of Hell - West End) will play Angel.

Rent is a rock musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson and is loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème.

It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in Lower Manhattan’s East Village in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

The Social distanced performances will be in line with government COVID 19 guidelines to ensure safety of audience members and everyone involved. These precautions include but are not limited to:

1. Operating at 50% capacity per show with audience rows spaced 2 metres apart and a transparent safety screen separating bookings
2. The show will rehearse with social distancing in mind and in a covid-secure environment
3. The venue will be clearly signposted with essential information and will put in place hand sanitising stations, extra toilets for patrons, staggered arrival times and temperature checks on arrival.
4. The theatre space will be fully sanitised before each performance and audiences will be asked to wear face coverings during the show or visors for those who are exempt.
5. In line with current guidelines the venue will not allow groups of more than 6 people per booking from different households and will be collecting audience details to comply with the NHS Test & Trace scheme.

Tickets are on sale now