Landmark Community Theatre

Event Guide

Table of Contents

Cast of Characters

Production Team

Director's Note

Musical Numbers

Cast Biographies

Production Team Biographies

Rent

Jonathan Larson's hit Broadway musical

Cast of Characters

(in alphabetical order)

Mr. Jefferson/Lead Caroler - Tyler Bard
Mrs. Davis/Junkee - Amanda Benecchi
Waiter/Junkee - Adrien Braun
Polly (Life support leader)/Bohemian - Lindsay Coxhead
Dealer (the Man)/Mr. Grey/Pastor - Jeremy Demers
Angel Dumott Schunard - Pedro Figueroa
Pam/Bohemian - Maya Garofalo
Steve/Squeegee Man/Bohemian - Jozsef Herczeg
Mrs. Cohen/Cop - Lisa LaPlante
Soloist/Junkee/Bohemian - Jai'Shonda Lewis
Ali/Bohemian - Katie Locascio
Gordon/Cop/Bohemian - Taryn McWilliams
Mimi Marquez - Destiny Mea
Mrs. Jefferson/Caroler/Blanket Lady - Christine Mitchell-Robinson
Joanne Jefferson - Chelsea Pollard
Caroler 3/Sue/Bohemian - Rebecca Reimold
Mrs. Marquez/Bohemian - Gabriela Reyes
Roger Davis - Dylan Ryan
Tom Collins - Steffon Sampson
Alexi Darling/Bohemian/Junkee - Rebecca Spalvieri
Maureen Johnson - Ricki Suzanne
Mark Cohen - Justin Torres
Soloist/Vendor/Bohemian - Chelsea Winborne
Benny Coffin III - Jason Winter

Production Team

Producer - Jeffrey P. Dunn
Production Manager - Andrea Bingham
Technical Director - Ian Jones
Director & Costumer - Amy Taylor
Music Director - Beckie Scattergood
Choreographer - Liam Dempsey
Stage Manager - Morgan Griffin
Lighting Designer - Robbie Eselby
Sound Designer - Michael 'Gonzo' Gonsalves
Stage Crew - Theo Barkley, Tayla Borysewicz, Lena Eifes, Michelle Eifes, & Shelby Griffin
Social Media Manager - Katerina Levasseur
Photographer - Luke Coxhead

Director's Note

RENT holds diverse meanings for various individuals. To many, it symbolizes the financial challenges faced by young graduates who possess knowledge but lack marketable job skills. They are thrust into the real world where lofty ideals often fail to provide sufficient income to cover basic expenses. On the other hand, for me, the title underscores the transient nature of our lives—the month-to-month existence without any sense of permanence or guarantees.

I was in elementary school when Rent was on Broadway and delved deeper into its world in middle school. So, not a teen or 20-something either, but young enough that the idea of it felt exciting. At the time (big emphasis on AT THE TIME) it was rare to see that kind of representation and those kinds of stories told on broadway, which had been dominated throughout the 80s and early 90s by those sort of stodgy epic shows that were not telling contemporary stories. It was all Les Mis and Phantom etc. etc. To see a diverse cast with queer stories and depictions of drug use and HIV/AIDS was just remarkable. Also considering that the AIDS crisis, while not at panic levels in the mid-90s like it was in the 80s, was still an issue animating parts of young people's lives, especially those in vulnerable communities, RENT was a big deal. There’s a reason why there are such die hard fans, why the original cast became bona fide superstars and why teens lined up for tickets to the point that RENT created the rush and lottery systems that exists today. Rent CREATED that! While the story may appear somewhat dated in the year 2025, l'd argue that many of the themes are still incredibly relevant, even if the way they're expressed might not be anymore. Gentrification is still an ongoing problem, and existing under capitalism while still holding true to your morals is something that's only gotten more difficult since 1996.

Although this is my first time directing, I’m no stranger to the show. When I was 15, I starred in the ‘School Edition’, which ultimately led me to pursue a career in performing. In 2014, I had the privilege of playing Angel, which was my first encounter with the gender euphoria that was crucial to my transition journey. I used to have a rule that I never performed in a repeat show while actively involved in theater, but RENT was the only exception. Since this show holds immense significance for me, I figured it would be an ideal and fitting choice for my directorial debut. My biggest goal in directing was to challenge people’s preconceived notions about this show. The CT theater community is accustomed to seeing a predictable cookie-cutter retelling of this production. Same blocking, same character choices, same boring straight line. As a trans woman myself, I feel a deeper connection to the material than most do, which is one of the reasons I wanted to take this on. To ensure that this story is told not only through a fresh set of eyes with more insight, but also told accurately and with the right intention.

Many thanks to Jeff & Andrea for trusting me to actually pull this off, and everyone behind the scenes for all the hours and hard work (Ian, Gonzo & Robbie!!) I’d also like to give a huge thank you and shout out to Morgan & Beckie who I’d be lost without. And lastly, I couldn’t have done this without my pooky (and our insanely talented choreographer) Liam. Thank you endlessly for collaborating with me and bringing this vision to life. I know I speak for both of us when I say that this opportunity has been a truly beautiful gift to our lives, and I’ll cherish it forever.

I can’t express enough incredible things about this cast, and my words can only convey a fraction of their brilliance. When you experience the energy, emotions, and sheer talent they exude on stage, you’ll understand what I mean. I feel incredibly lucky to be the director of such an extraordinary group.

Many thanks,

Amy

Musical Numbers

ACT 1