Anthony Rapp, who played the character Mark in Rent both on Broadway and on the big screen, has a new one-man show that tells the story of how he met Rent creator Jonathan Larson and auditioned for the show, and it's coming to SF this fall.
The show is called Without You, and it's based on Rapp's 2006 bestselling memoir, Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. Rapp had some minor fame as a teen starring in Adventures in Babysitting, and then later had small roles in Dazed and Confused and Six Degrees of Separation. But he was nonetheless still a struggling actor in 1994, working at a Starbucks, when he went to audition for a new musical called Rent.
Rapp's own story is set to music, including a number of songs from Rent, original songs by Rapp and David Matos, and the song "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M., which was Rapp's audition song. Without You follows the saga of Rent as it was developed off-Broadway in 1996 and then transferred to Broadway later that year.
Larson, tragically, died of an undiagnosed aortic dissection the same day that Rent was to have its first off-Broadway previews, January 25, 1996 — and the tragedy of that coincidence, as well as the brilliance of the music, propelled it quickly to Broadway and to major success there and on tour.
Without You describes the pain of that loss, as well as the loss of Rapp's mother to breast cancer a year later.
The show just finished a six-month run in June at New York's New World Stages after being extended there. And BroadwaySF just announced that it will play a limited engagement at the Curran theater October 19 to 22 — with tickets going on sale tomorrow, Friday, August 4 at 10 a.m. Tickets start at $49.
The play is directed by Steven Maler, and features a five-piece band led by Daniel A. Weiss, and sound design by Tony winner Brian Ronan.
Also coming to the Curran this fall will be a few more one-offs and limited engagements, including Todrick Hall's Velvet Rage tour on September 12, Elton John cover performer Scotsman Rus Anderson's The Rocket Man Show on September 23, and Kristi Yamaguchi interviewing several notable former 49ers players on September 27.
'Without You' - September 19 to 22 at The Curran - Find tickets here starting August 4.