Independent Arts News Reporting Bucks County Playhouse Announces Cast for Bold New Production of "Rent"
Reported on Thursday, July 30, 2026
Pictured Above: Top L-R: Austin Turner, Sam Primack, Alysia Velez, Owen Scales Bottom L-R: David Merino, Tiernan Tunnicliffe, Veronica Otim, Kevin Trinio Perdido. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWRSOOM POST: NEW HOPE, PENNSYLVANIA
Jennifer Weber directs and choreographs Jonathan Larson's iconic rock musical in celebration of its 30th anniversary
New Hope, PA – Bucks County Playhouse marks the 30th anniversary of Jonathan Larson’s iconic rock musical “Rent” with a bold new production that honors the landmark musical’s legacy while inviting a new generation to experience its timeless story of love, friendship and community.
Directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award nominee Jennifer Weber (Broadway’s “& Juliet,” “KPOP”), “Rent” runs August 13 through September 13.
Leading the cast are Austin Turner (“Rent” at North Shore Music Theatre) as Roger Davis, Sam Primack (Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen”) as Mark Cohen, Alysia Velez (“Into the Woods” on Broadway) as Mimi Marquez, Owen Scales (“Frozen” at Fulton Theatre) as Tom Collins, David Merino (Broadway’s “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club” and “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”) as Angel Schunard, Veronica Otim (Broadway’s “& Juliet,” “Redwood”) as Joanne Jefferson, Tiernan Tunnicliffe (Broadway’s “& Juliet”) as Maureen Johnson and Kevin Trinio Perdido (Broadway’s “Once Upon a One More Time”) as Benjamin Coffin III.
The company also features Dré Hinds (“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” National Tour), Aubrey Jones (Pace University’s “Pippin”), Jack Hopewell (“Jesus Christ Superstar” National Tour), Michael Marrero (“Peter Pan” National Tour), JP Qualters (“Mrs. Doubtfire” National Tour), Lauren Soto (“Mamma Mia!” on Broadway) and Sunayna Smith (“Grease” at Bucks County Playhouse).
The creative team includes Scenic Designer Tom Rogers (“We Will Rock You” International Tour), Costume Designer Nicole V. Moody (“The Rocky Horror Show” at Bucks County Playhouse), Hair and Wig Designer J. Jared Janas (Broadway’s “&Juliet”), Lighting Designer Yael Lubetzky (“South Pacific” at Bucks County Playhouse), Sound Designer Ashton Michael Corey (“Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” at Bucks County Playhouse), Props Supervisor Anya Kutner (“Starstruck” at Bucks County Playhouse), Music Director Alexander Tom (“Jesus Christ Superstar” at The Rev) and Production Stage Manager Amy Rauchwerger (“Elf: The Musical” at Bucks County Playhouse).
Since its Broadway premiere in 1996, Jonathan Larson’s “Rent” has inspired generations with its unforgettable score and powerful story of friendship, resilience and chosen family. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and four Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, the musical helped transform Broadway and continues to resonate with audiences around the world 30 years later.
Rather than attempting to recreate the original production, Weber approaches “Rent” as a living work of theater—one that remains rooted in New York City’s East Village of the 1990s while speaking directly to today’s audiences.
“Rent is 30 years old, but we still tend to think about it as if it was written yesterday,” Weber said. “There are people in our cast who weren’t even born when ‘Rent’ premiered. They’re discovering this story with fresh eyes, and that creates an exciting conversation between the original generation of ‘Rent’ fans and a new generation experiencing it for the first time.”
Known for her highly physical storytelling, Weber creates a unique choreographic language through which the characters express emotion, explore memory and experience connection. Inspired by her own years living in a New York artists’ loft, Weber envisions the production’s iconic setting as the heart of a creative hub where diverse artists gather, collaborate, struggle, celebrate and ultimately, find community.
“I want audiences to reconnect with ‘Rent’ in a way that feels present,” Weber said. “I want people to hear the music differently because of what they see on stage.”
“‘Rent’ has earned its place among the defining works of American musical theater because it speaks so honestly about love, loss, hope and community,” said Producing Artistic Director BT McNicholl. “Jennifer’s vision honors the heart of Jonathan Larson’s remarkable musical while revealing new layers that make this story feel immediate, deeply human and as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.”
Set in New York City’s East Village during the height of the AIDS epidemic, “Rent” follows a close-knit group of artists navigating friendship, love, loss and the pursuit of their dreams. Featuring beloved songs including “Seasons of Love,” “La Vie Bohème,” “Take Me or Leave Me” and “I’ll Cover You,” Larson’s electrifying score celebrates the enduring power of community and reminds us that the measure of a life is found in love.
The production is the fourth show in Bucks County Playhouse’s 2026 Season, sponsored by Bank of America, with Nurture Spa of New Hope serving as production sponsor. “Rent” Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
Tickets to “Rent” at Bucks County Playhouse are on sale now. Performances run August 13 through September 13. For tickets and information, visit BucksCountyPlayhouse.org or call the Box Office at (215) 862-2121.
About Bucks County Playhouse
Bucks County Playhouse, whose theatrical legacy dates to its founding in 1939 by a roster of Broadway luminaries, celebrates the 14th anniversary of its 2012 reopening and restoration by the Bridge Street Foundation. Welcoming more than 80,000 patrons annually, the Playhouse continues to help drive the economic resurgence of New Hope and the surrounding region.
Beginning in 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser, Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler led the Playhouse’s artistic revitalization, helping it reclaim its reputation for attracting top Broadway and Hollywood talent. Productions of “Company,” starring Justin Guarini, and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” were named to The Wall Street Journal’s Best of Theater list in 2015. In 2018, the Journal again recognized the Playhouse and artistic associate Hunter Foster for its acclaimed production of “42nd Street.” The following year, the publication hailed Bucks County Playhouse as “one of the best regional theaters on the East Coast.”
The Playhouse has continued to build on that momentum with record-breaking productions including “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” “Steel Magnolias,” “The Rocky Horror Show,” “Grease!,” “Anastasia: The Musical,” “White Christmas” and “Elf: The Musical,” which became the highest-grossing production in Playhouse history. In 2022, the Playhouse produced Candace Bushnell’s “Is There Still Sex in the City?,” directed by Lorin Latarro, which transferred Off-Broadway.
Now under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director BT McNicholl, the Playhouse continues its commitment to artistic excellence and new work development. A veteran Broadway director, producer and educator, McNicholl has staged productions across the United States and internationally and collaborated with many of the theater’s most celebrated artists. He builds on the organization’s tradition of producing first-class musical theater while honoring its remarkable legacy.
