WESTON, Vt. – Weston Theater Company continues its 90th anniversary season with Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical, “Rent,” running July 22 – Aug. 16 at Walker Farm.
Thirty years after its groundbreaking Broadway premiere, “Rent” remains one of the most influential and beloved musicals of the modern era. Urgent, ardent, and alive with possibility, this groundbreaking rock musical reveals what it means to love fiercely in uncertain times. Set in New York City’s East Village at the height of the AIDS crisis, “Rent” tells the story of a group of friends navigating love and loss, creativity and chosen family.
Directed and choreographed by Tony and Olivier Award-nominated actor and Obie Award-winning director Michael Berresse, “Rent” arrives at Weston as both a celebration of a landmark work and a reminder of the enduring power of art, compassion, and human connection.
“’Rent’ is a story about art and the power of community, two things Weston knows very well,” said Berresse. “Thirty years later, the extraordinary vitality of this score continues to inspire its audience to live fully and love courageously, even in the face of overwhelming obstacles. Passionate, unapologetic, heartrending, and overflowing with hope, ‘Rent’ reminds us that although loss is inevitable, it should never keep us from connecting with each other. Art unites us. In the words of Jonathan Larson, ‘The Opposite of War isn’t Peace, it’s Creation.'”
The cast stars Christian Hopper as Roger Davis and Trevor James as Mark Cohen. The company also features Stanley Martin, an original Broadway cast member of Disney’s “Aladdin,” as Tom Collins.
The company includes Weston returner Caitlin Doak as Maureen Johnson, Aaron Gabriel Graham as Angel Dumatt Schunard, Amirah Joy as Mrs. Jefferson, Alexis Papaleo as Mimi Marquez, Finley-Imani Rivera as Joanne Jefferson, and Xavier Turner as Benjamin Coffin III.
Weston’s 2026 Young Company, a group of emerging professionals fresh off their Vermont tour of “Schoolhouse Rock Live,” form the ensemble. They include David Bautista, Oliver Boomer, Melea Dessommes, Jessica Olexy, Aidan Ramirez, and Bella Van Bergen.
The creative team features longtime Weston collaborators, including music director Larry Pressgrove, scenic designer Lee Savage, costume designer Leon Dobkowski, lighting designer Seth Reiser, and sound designer Megumi Katayama. The production stage manager is Lia Jennings with support from assistant stage manager Ella Gover. Associate choreographer and associate director are Brionna Trilling and Tomias Robinson, respectively.
The production’s live band features Weston returners Emily Davies on bass, Daniel Gaviria on guitar, Jaz Koft on keys, Amanda Lee Morrill on drums.
Tickets are available by calling the Weston Theater Company box office at 802-824-5288 or online at www.westontheater.org.