Musical in Concert | Produced by AMP Worldwide

RENT Comes to Life in Symphonic Concert at Alexander Kasser Theater

A Symphonic Reimagining of a Broadway Classic Comes to New Brunswick as RENT in Concert Takes Over State Theatre New Jersey

One of the most influential and emotionally powerful musicals in modern theatre history is returning to New Jersey in a striking new form when RENT in Concert arrives at State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on Thursday, February 19, 2026, for a 7:30 p.m. performance that reshapes Jonathan Larson’s landmark score into a sweeping live orchestral event.

Rather than presenting RENT as a fully staged production, this special concert tour places the music front and center, allowing the full emotional architecture of the show to unfold through voice and orchestra. The result is an immersive symphonic experience that honors the raw heart of the original musical while offering audiences a fresh and dramatically elevated way to hear one of Broadway’s most celebrated scores.

This Broadway concert presentation brings together an accomplished cast of vocalists whose performances are designed to highlight both the intimacy and urgency that have defined RENT for nearly three decades. Kris Carrasco leads the ensemble as Angel, bringing warmth, humor, and deep emotional generosity to one of the show’s most beloved characters. Ruchir Khazanchi appears as Benny, navigating the tension between loyalty and ambition that runs through the story. Candice Woods steps into the role of Joanne, while Tommy Kaiser portrays the restless and observant filmmaker Mark. Alex Lugo brings fearless theatricality to Maureen, paired with Jasiana Caraballo as Mimi, whose vulnerability remains central to the show’s emotional gravity. Will Hastreiter takes on the role of Roger, capturing both the guarded pain and creative longing of the struggling songwriter, and Terrance Johnson embodies the gentle wisdom and humanity of Tom Collins.

Together, the company performs the complete score of RENT, allowing audiences to experience every musical moment that has made the show a global phenomenon. From the explosive energy of the title number and the rebellious joy of “La Vie Bohème,” to the emotional honesty of “I’ll Cover You” and “Without You,” the concert format gives each song space to breathe and resonate. The production’s signature ensemble moment, “Seasons of Love,” becomes a powerful centerpiece of the evening, carried by layered harmonies and the full force of live orchestration.

What distinguishes this tour is the musical collaboration behind it. Orchestral accompaniment is provided by Contemporaneous, the acclaimed New York City-based ensemble widely recognized for its bold, immersive, and forward-thinking approach to live performance. Their involvement transforms the familiar rock-influenced score into a cinematic soundscape, expanding the emotional reach of Larson’s music without losing its gritty authenticity. The concert is directed by Sara Brians and conducted by Heidi Joosten, bringing together theatrical storytelling and musical leadership in a unified artistic vision.

For New Jersey audiences, this performance represents a major cultural moment in the state’s ongoing relationship with touring Broadway and concert theatre productions. Fans who regularly follow major stage events and touring presentations can continue to explore what is coming to venues across the state through Explore New Jersey’s theatre coverage, which highlights both classic works and innovative new interpretations arriving in local venues.

RENT in Concert arrives at State Theatre New Jersey as part of the venue’s Broadway Series, reinforcing New Brunswick’s reputation as one of the state’s most important hubs for large-scale touring productions. The historic theater’s acoustics and intimate sightlines make it uniquely suited for a concert experience of this scale, where the power of live voices and orchestration can be fully appreciated without theatrical distractions.

The evening runs approximately two hours and ten minutes, including an intermission, giving audiences the opportunity to experience the entire musical journey in a single, uninterrupted narrative arc. Tickets are currently on sale, with prices beginning at fifty-eight dollars, including fees.

Set in New York City’s East Village, RENT remains a story about artists, outsiders, and chosen family trying to survive, create, and love in the face of uncertainty. The musical follows a tight-knit group of young filmmakers, musicians, and performers struggling to define their identities and hold onto their dreams while living on the margins of a rapidly changing city. Beneath the humor, romance, and rebellion, the show confronts the realities of illness, loss, and social isolation, particularly under the shadow of HIV and AIDS.

At the center of the story are Roger, Mimi, Tom, and Angel, whose lives are deeply shaped by both the physical and emotional toll of the disease. Around them, friendships fracture and reconnect. Romantic relationships are tested. Personal ambition clashes with loyalty. Maureen uses performance art as both expression and escape, while Joanne wrestles with what commitment truly means. Benny, once part of the same struggling artistic circle, has chosen financial security and corporate success, creating painful divisions between past ideals and present realities. Mark, documenting everything through his camera, often feels disconnected from life itself, caught between observation and participation.

Inspired in part by Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT reimagines that classic story through the lens of late twentieth-century New York, infusing it with rock music, political urgency, and deeply personal storytelling. Its impact has been lasting and transformative. The musical earned both the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and its influence continues to shape contemporary musical theatre, popular culture, and live performance.

What makes RENT in Concert especially meaningful for today’s audiences is how directly its message still speaks to the present. Community, creativity, compassion, and the courage to live truthfully remain at the heart of the show. In a world still defined by social divisions, economic uncertainty, and cultural change, the voices of these characters continue to feel unmistakably current.

By presenting the full score in a symphonic setting, this tour places renewed focus on the emotional storytelling embedded in the music itself. Every lyric, harmony, and musical transition becomes part of a shared experience between performers and audience, inviting reflection as much as celebration.

When the orchestra swells and the cast unites in song at State Theatre New Jersey this February, RENT in Concert will offer more than nostalgia. It will deliver a powerful reminder of why this musical has endured for generations, and why its call to live boldly, love deeply, and stand together continues to matter now more than ever.