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Rent: Auditions

Message from the Director

It’s finally time for RENT at Kitchener Waterloo Little Theatre! I’ve been proposing to direct this show at KWLT for 3 years, so when we received the rights this January, I couldn’t have been more ‘over the moon’! I’m the type of director that welcomes collaboration and ideas so long as it doesn’t come at the expense of productivity. I always aim to respect everyone’s time in rehearsal and when scheduling, and above all else I’m looking forward to fostering a creative, respectful, fun, and safe rehearsal environment. 

In rehearsals, in addition to the singing and movement a musical brings, we’ll be diving deep into character development, the dark history of the AIDS Epidemic, and the history surrounding the production in order to create an honest, raw, and emotional version of RENT. With issues still as relevant today as they were 30 years ago when this musical first premiered on Broadway, our little production of RENT will celebrate life, art, community, and humanity through the lens of vibrant visual displays and intentional production choices.  

KWLT actively works towards fostering new creative talent in the region, so no prior experience is necessary. As a director, I love working with individuals to help them become the best versions of themselves both on and off the stage. Our goal is to cast a diverse range of individuals to make up our company of New Yorkers. We welcome performers of all ages (18+), backgrounds, identities, body types, and lived experiences to audition. 

I’m sincerely looking forward to meeting you at auditions, and can’t wait to (finally!) bring our thrilling production of RENT to life!

Liisa Steinwedel
Director, KWLT’s production of RENT

About The Show

Set in New York City’s East Village during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, RENT follows a year in the lives of a group of struggling young artists trying to survive financially while holding onto their dreams. At the center of the story are filmmaker Mark Cohen and songwriter Roger Davis, roommates living in a freezing loft after their former friend Benny becomes their landlord and demands rent they can’t afford. Neighbour Mimi enters and shakes things up for the grieving Roger, while Mark navigates his friendship with former girlfriend and activist Maureen and her new girlfriend Joanne. When their friend and former roommate Tom Collins comes to town, introducing his new energetic love interest, Angel, this group of friends navigate love, creativity, addiction, illness, and identity, and form a chosen family bound together by resilience and the belief that life should be lived fully, even in uncertain times. 

Blending rock music with emotional storytelling, the musical explores the tensions between art and commercial success, fear and intimacy, and hope and heartbreak. Inspired by Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT captures the energy of New York’s bohemian culture while celebrating friendship, self-expression, and community in the face of hardship. Its iconic songs and diverse characters helped redefine modern musical theatre, making the show a cultural phenomenon that continues to resonate with audiences decades after its Broadway debut.

You can read more about the plot of RENT here.

About The Roles

Roger Davis

A struggling musician and former drug addict. Roommates with Mark in the loft, Roger battles with being HIV-positive. Love interest of Mimi. 
Vocal range: A4-F2
Intimacy: Stage kiss and possible suggestive touch with Mimi. 

Mark Cohen

Filmmaker and video artist. Knee deep in his own soul-searching, Mark is the typical young artist. He and Roger are roommates in the loft. A bit of a nerd.
Vocal range: G4-A2
Intimacy: Possible intimate moment with Maureen. 

Tom Collins

A computer genius and liberal professor. He is a nurturer with a smooth and relaxed disposition. Used to be a roommate in the loft and is HIV-positive. The role is intended to be portrayed by a Black actor.
Vocal range: A4-F#2
Intimacy: Stage kiss and possible suggestive touch with Angel. 

Benjamin Coffin III

The landlord of Mark and Roger’s apartment building. A former roommate in the loft, Benny traded in his personal morals for power and wealth.
Vocal range: F#4-Bb2
Intimacy: Implied close relations with Mimi. 

Joanne Jefferson

A public interest lawyer and headstrong lesbian. She is smart and purposeful in all her decisions. Carries on a tumultuous relationship with Maureen. 
Vocal range: E5-G3
Intimacy: Stage kiss and suggestive touch with Maureen. 

Angel Dumott Schunard

The eccentric HIV-positive street drummer. A drag queen with an incredible gift of dance and a magnetic personality. They become Tom’s lover. Angel was originally written as a drag queen, however we would also love to consider trans actors to portray this role. 
Vocal range: A4-C3
Intimacy: Stage kiss and suggestive touch with Collins. 

Mimi Marquez

An HIV-positive stripper with drug addictions. Slender and sickly, she conceals it all at her job in the local strip club. She lives in the same building as the loft. The role is intended to be portrayed by a person of colour, as the script references a latin origin. 
Vocal range: E5-Eb3
Intimacy: Stage kiss and possible suggestive touch with Roger.

Maureen Johnson

An unpredictably zany performance artist. Maureen oozes sexuality and used to live in the loft. She has recently dumped Mark for Joanne.
Vocal range: F5-C4
Intimacy: Stage kiss and suggestive touch with Joanne, possible intimate moment with Mark. 

Ensemble

The ensemble in our production will consist of 6-8 performers who will depict homeless men & women, junkies, parents (Mrs. Cohen, Mr. & Mrs. Jefferson, Mrs. Marquez, Mrs. Davis), support group (Steve, Gordon & others), cops, bohemians, vendors, and other supporting roles. A role in this ensemble will be difficult work, as with fewer members of the ensemble, each performer will depict multiple roles, and sing in many musical numbers, so attendance will still be frequently required. Please note that the solo in Seasons of Love typically portrayed by Joanne may be played by any member of the cast, to be decided at a later rehearsal date. 
Vocal range: All
Intimacy: Most members of the entire cast will be required to dance suggestively and/or make lewd hand gestures in the songs Contact, and La Vie Boheme.

Content & Intimacy Notice

RENT includes many difficult and potentially triggering topics, which we wish all auditioners to be aware of before auditioning, so you may make an informed decision. 

Topics explored in the musical which may be triggering are: 

  • HIV/AIDS, chronic illness, and discussions of death
  • Drug use and addiction (especially heroin use)
  • Suicide references and grief after suicide
  • Sexual content and sexual references
  • Strong language/profanity
  • Poverty, homelessness, and gentrification
  • Mental health struggles
  • Depictions of discrimination and stigma around HIV/AIDS and sexuality
  • Police violence, and discrimination against people of colour
  • (Possible) partial nudity, and sexually suggestive dancing

Please note that all of these issues are relevant to the plot, and will be explored further during table work discussions, with an intimacy director present. We wish to make sure that each and every member of our cast and crew feel comfortable in the process of depicting these issues, and we will support the cast in any necessary way to ensure a safe and respectful experience for all. Please let us know if you require any accommodation in the audition or rehearsal process. 

In addition to the content listed above, it is important to note that there are several characters who have intimate moments with each other on stage. Those characters and details are listed in the role descriptions above in italics for your consideration. Understanding the content of the show, if any of these intimate moments are a barrier to your auditioning but you would still like to be considered, please let us know on your audition form! For any questions please reach out to rent-musical@kwlt.org. 

Expectations of the Cast

  • Rehearsals/Attendance
    • Rehearsals will be on Wednesdays from 6:30-9:30, Thursdays from 6:30-9:30, and Sundays from 1-6pm. Cast members are required to attend any rehearsal they are called to. 
    • Rehearsals will take place at 44 Gaukel Street, Kitchener, in the KWLT room. 
    • Attendance at tech weekend, dress rehearsals, shows, and day 1 of strike are required for our cast. 
    • Attendance is also requested for the poster run, set build, and day 2 of strike. 
    • Additional dates will be required of some cast for photo and video shoots, which may align outside of rehearsal dates. Those will be scheduled based on group availability. 
    • Cast members will also be required to attend one of several possible ‘costume measurement’ drop-in days in July (if possible), so we can start preparing costumes during the summer. 
    • Please list all rehearsal conflicts on your audition form. Conflicts disclosed after casting cannot be guaranteed accommodation. Should any new conflicts arise after casting, please notify us as soon as possible so we may try to accommodate in the rehearsal schedule. 
  • Membership
    • Participants are required to be an active member of KWLT, which can be done by purchasing a KWLT membership for $15, or $25 for a family membership (if you need to purchase or renew, that will be handled at the read-through).
    • KWLT strongly believes that anyone should be able to have access to participate in theatre, so if the membership fee is a barrier to your participation, we will find a solution. 
  • Volunteering
    • KWLT is an all-volunteer organization. There are no honoraria or paycheques for anyone involved in the organization or productions. We ask that everyone involved in a production helps to pitch-in if possible, especially when it comes to getting the word out about our show. No official amount of volunteer hours are required to participate in a production, but we appreciate any and all help! 
  • Respect
    • It’s important to the RENT production team that everyone comes into this process with a collaborative mindset and a desire to help create a safe, respectful rehearsal space, including being open to sharing ideas while understanding that not all contributions will be used. 
    • RENT is a show that deals with mature and vulnerable themes as outlined above. It is important for all team members to lead with respect, kindness, vulnerability, and understanding in order to create an inclusive and safe experience for everyone involved. 

Important Dates

Rehearsals will be on Wednesdays from 6:30-9:30, Thursdays from 6:30-9:30, and Sundays from 1-6pm.

Read Through: September 3, 2026
Poster Run: October 17, 2026
Set Build: November 7, 2026
Tech Weekend: November 14 & 15, 2026
Tech Dress Rehearsal: November 16, 2026
Dress Rehearsal 1: November 17, 2026
Dress Rehearsal 2: November 19, 2026
Strike: December 6 evening (required) & December 7.
Show Dates: 

  • Friday November 20 (8:00pm)
  • Saturday November 21 (2:00pm & 8:00pm)
  • Sunday November 22 (2:00pm) Covid Cautious Performance
  • Friday November 27 (8:00pm)
  • Saturday November 28 (2:00pm & 8:00pm)
  • Sunday November 29 (2:00pm)
  • Friday December 4 (8:00pm) 
  • Saturday December 5 (2:00pm & 8:00pm)
  • Sunday December 6 (2:00pm) 

KWLT dedicates one performance per run to be accessible for our immunocompromised patrons, by reducing audience capacity, enforcing masks, and limiting concessions to outdoor consumption. The COVID Conscious performance will be on Sunday November 22. If the COVID performance needs to be rescheduled due to any cast illness, it will occur on the following Thursday evening (Dec 3).

About The Auditions

  • Audition Dates and times
    • Saturday June 27: 5pm-9pm 
    • Sunday June 28: 12pm-4pm 
    • Monday June 29: 6-9pm
    • CALLBACKS are Tuesday June 30: 6-9pm 
  • Auditions will be located at 44 Gaukel St. in Kitchener.
    • Wayfinding/Parking: Parking for 44 Gaukel is available behind the building in the city lot, accessible via Joseph street, across from Victoria Park. The closest Bus and ION stations are ‘Victoria Park’. 
    • The entry to the building is at the corner of Gaukel and Charles St. 
  • When you arrive, someone will let you in the front doors, and provide directions. 
  • Audition slots are one hour long. Those signed up will be seen in order of arrival with a group dance audition to follow.
    • Solo auditions will range from 7-10 minutes, you are welcome to bring a book or headphones or quiet activity while you wait for the dance call. 
    • Please sign up for a time slot using the link at the end of this document. 
  • The panel will consist of:
    • Liisa Steinwedel (Director) 
    • Emmanuel Dye (Music Director) or Mariah Martin Shein (Vocal Coach) 
    • Megan Redwood (Stage Manager)
  • No previous experience is required. 
  • Must be 18+ to audition. 
  • All offers of roles will be sent no later than July 3 at 10pm. All auditioners will receive a response via the email provided, regardless of the outcome. 

What to prepare

  • Contemporary Monologue of your choice OR Provided Monologue
    • No more than 1 minute 
    • No memorization required, feel free to bring the words! 
    • Provided monologues if you would like to use one are available in this folder. 
  • Song
    • 1.5 minutes max, ideally not from RENT; choose a song that best reflects the character you are most interested in, and/or best shows your vocal range. 
    • Please bring your own accompaniment track.
      • You can connect to our bluetooth device or you are welcome to bring your own. No accompanist will be available. 
    • Song suggestions include songs from rock musicals like: Tick, Tick, …Boom!, Spring Awakening, Next To Normal, American Idiot, Little Shop of Horrors, Hair, Rock of Ages, We Will Rock You, etc. Sing something you’re comfortable with!
    • In order to respect the time of the panel and other auditioners, please do not go over the 1.5 minute time-limit on your song. 
    • Word memorization is not required. 
  • Harmony Check
    • Please prepare the melody of these 4 bars of “Seasons of Love”
    • We will give you the note, and run it once with you, and then someone at the auditions will sing harmony to your melody notes to ensure you can confidently sing alongside harmony. 
  • Headshots are not required, as photos will be taken at the audition for recognition purposes only, and photos will be deleted after the show has been cast.

What to expect 

  • When you enter the audition room you will be asked to perform your monologue and song in the order of your preference.
  • There will likely be a brief vocal range check if not listed on your audition form, so please arrive warmed up and vocally ready. 
  • You may be provided simple direction to see how you take notes and adjust, or may be asked to read a short dialogue sample. 
  • There will be a short dance/movement portion. We ask that you stay after your solo audition to attend a quick group dance call, (at the 45 minute mark of each hour).
    • You’re also welcome to arrive 20 minutes early to participate in the dance call before your audition (unless you have signed up for the first time slot of the day).  
    • Please wear comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear. 
    • No prior dance experience is required.

Callbacks

  • Callbacks will be on June 30, 2026, from 6-9pm. 
  • You will be notified if you are requested for a callback before June 29 at 10pm. 
  • Not getting a callback does not mean you aren’t still eligible for a role.
    • It is likely that not every role will receive a callback. 
  • Online auditioners will be asked to record their callback material if they cannot make the date in-person. 
  • We may ask you to be familiar with a song snippet and side for your character from this folder. 

Online Auditions

  • If you cannot attend in-person auditions, we welcome you to submit an online audition to the audition panel via this form. You must ALSO fill out the standard audition form. 
  • When possible, we would prefer an in-person audition, and are hoping to reserve the online auditions for people out of town due to summer vacations, or other unforeseen circumstances, so please only submit online if you CANNOT attend in-person. 
  • Online auditions will be accepted until Sunday June 28 at 11:59pm.
    • This is so that the audition panel can review each audition and make informed choices for callbacks following the final audition date Monday evening.
  • Online auditioners will be asked to record their callback material if they cannot make the date in-person. 
  • What to prepare for an online audition:
    • Video Recording of a Song (1.5 minutes as listed above). 
    • Video Recording of a Monologue (as listed above). 
    • Video Recording of a Harmony Check (instructions available here).

Ready to Audition? Sign up now!

Please fill out an audition form AND sign up for a time slot. 

(Please only submit online if you CANNOT attend the in-person auditions). 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

No Day But Today.