In Brooklyn's Cobble Hill neighborhood, two sets of parents, Alan, a corporate lawyer, and Annette, who works in wealth management, meet with Michael, a wholesaler, and Veronica, a writer, to discuss an incident in Cobble Hill Park. Their sons, Freddy and Bruno, were involved in a verbal altercation, during which Freddy hit Bruno with a stick, breaking two of his teeth. The parents gather to discuss how to resolve the situation calmly and amicably.

Set in a contemporary high school, Calvin Berger centers on Calvin, a teenager infatuated with the beautiful Rosanna but plagued by insecurities about his prominent nose. Rosanna, meanwhile, is interested in Matt, an attractive new student who struggles to communicate his feelings due to extreme shyness. Hoping to win Rosanna’s affection indirectly, Calvin volunteers to help Matt express himself by writing eloquent love notes on his behalf. In the process, Calvin fails to notice the romantic interest of his best friend, Bret. When the truth behind the letters comes to light, the relationships among the four teens are strained. 

Based loosely on Puccini’s La Bohème, Jonathan Larson’s RENT follows a year in the life of young artists and musicians navigating life, love, and creativity in New York City’s East Village — all under the looming shadow of HIV/AIDS. Roger, Mimi, Tom, and Angel grapple with the physical and emotional impact of the disease, while Maureen and Joanne wrestle with love and loyalty. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, watches the world around him shift, and Benny, once one of them, has traded his ideals for financial success. Together, this group of bohemians faces hardship, hope, and the power of art in all forms.

RENT is exuberant, passionate, and joyous — musical theatre at its best. This promises to be a powerful production!