The award-winning rock opera, Rent, is coming to the Gorleston Pavilion stage next month. Based on La Boheme, Rent is set on the Lower East Side of New York City and is the story of young bohemians Mark, Roger, Maureen, Tom Collins, Angel, Mimi, Joanne and their friends, all struggling to create and survive during the era when Aids emerged.

The award-winning rock opera, Rent, is coming to the Gorleston Pavilion stage next month.

Based on La Boheme, Rent is set on the Lower East Side of New York City and is the story of young bohemians Mark, Roger, Maureen,

Tom Collins, Angel, Mimi, Joanne and their friends, all struggling to create and survive during the era when Aids emerged.

Socially relevant, youthful and moving, Rent is said to be as poignant today as it was when it first came to the stage in the early 1990s.

Exploring themes of drug abuse, gay relationships and HIV, it is a musical with a positive message under the umbrella motto, “No day but today”.

Jonathan Larson, composer and writer of Rent, said himself: “It's not how many years you live but how you fulfil the time you spend here: that's sort of the point of the show.”

The Broadway production closed in September 2008 after a 12-year run and 5,124 performances.

At Gorleston, the lead roles of Roger and Mimi are taken by Bim and Tara Ainslie, who have been associated with both the Gorleston Theatre Company and Lowestoft Players for many years.

Nicky Rushton, Anna Stagg and Matthew Canwell, who all appeared in the Gorleston company's successful production, Now That's What We Call Broadway, join the line-up of principals.

The remaining roles of Mark, Angel and Benny are taken by newcomers Jack Thompson, Tyler Curtis and Philip Atherton.

Rent, which is not suitable for children under 14, runs from Wednesday, April 7 to Saturday, April 10, at 7.30pm. Tickets for the production cost �10 and �12.

You can reserve your seats at the Gorleston Pavilion box office on 01493 662832

or by booking online at www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk