(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Art House Productions present the organization's Fall mainstage production of RENT by Jonathan Larson weekends from September 24 to October 18, 2026. Experience the groundbreaking Tony Award-winning musical and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama that defined a generation. It is presented as part of Art House’'s 25th anniversary season.
Presented at Art House Productions during the 30th anniversary year of its original premiere, RENT follows a vibrant community of artists, musicians, and dreamers in New York City's East Village as they pursue their passions, navigate love and loss, and strive to make a meaningful impact on the world around them.
Set against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis, poverty, addiction, economic uncertainty, and a rapidly changing city, these artists discover the power of friendship, the importance of creative expression, and the enduring strength of community. Featuring iconic songs and an unforgettable rock score, RENT celebrates resilience, human connection, and the transformative role of the arts in times of hardship.
"I'm thrilled to be helming this production for Art House's 25th anniversary celebration,” says Joshua M. Feder, Art House’s Producing Director, and the Director of this production. “RENT holds a special place in my heart. I vividly remember seeing the performance on the Tony Awards back in 1996 and being transfixed. The electricity in every performer, the fact that these were characters I'd never seen onstage before, singing in a style I'd never heard in a musical before, all made it impossible to look away. Spending time on the piece now, I continue to fall in love with the complicated, passionate, and joyous characters that Jonathan Larson so beautifully crafted."
Performances take place Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday nights at 7:30pm with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. The venue is located at 345 Marin Boulevard in Jersey City, New Jersey.
This production is especially meaningful as part of Art House Productions' 25th Anniversary Season. Founded in the wake of September 11, 2001, Art House was created to bring people together through the arts during a time of profound loss and uncertainty. Thirty years after its premiere, RENT remains as relevant, timeless, and inspiring as ever, reminding us all to measure our lives in love.
"Twenty-five years ago, Art House was born out of a need to bring people together through creativity during one of our country's darkest moments," says Meredith Burns, Executive Artistic Director of Art House Productions. "The belief that art can hold a community together when everything else feels uncertain is the beating heart of RENT. Jonathan Larson wrote about chosen family, about making something beautiful in the face of loss, and about refusing to give up on one another. There is no better story to anchor our anniversary season, and no better reminder of why this work matters. We're honored to share it with Jersey City, and to keep measuring our lives in love, art, and community."
The production stars Ned Way as Mark, Jake Smerechniak* as Roger, Branden Mangan* as Collins, Sanju Ebanks as Benny, Deanna Thomas as Joanne, Jordi Viscarri* as Angel, Oriana Fifer as Mimi, and Courtney Lauster* as Maureen.
The ensemble includes: Bryce Antonio, Blaze Dalio, Miclo Cuauhtémoc González, Kelsey LeVie, Alyssa Peters, and Maya Santiago.
The creative team includes: Director: Joshua M. Feder, Line Producer: Hannah Lee, Choreographer: Hannah Balagot, Music Director: Marc Dalio, Stage Manager: Wilhelm Peters*, Assistant Stage Manager: Jessica Dell Beni, Technical Theater Manager: Emily Clare Gocon, Scenic Designer: Andrea McKenna, Costume Designer: Ariana Michel-Hamblin, Lighting Designer: Zach Pizza, Sound Designer: Kimberly O'Loughlin+, and Props Manager: Cory Seminowicz.
*Member of Actors' Equity Association (AEA)
+Member of United Scenic Artists (USA)
RENT features Book, Music and Lyrics - Jonathan Larson; Musical Arrangements - Steven Skinner. Original Concept/Additional Lyrics - Billy Aronson; Music Supervision and Additional Arrangements - Tim Weil; Dramaturg - Lynn Thomson.
RENT was originally produced in New York by New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Allan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop
RENT is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
The production is supported by funding through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA) Activation, Revitalization, and Transformation (A.R.T.) – Phase II Grant Program, and the generous support of Exchange Place Alliance, SILVERMAN, and RWJ Barnabas Health: Jersey City Medical Center.
Art House Productions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the performing and visual arts in Jersey City, NJ. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Art House fosters creativity, inclusivity, and accessibility through theater productions, visual art exhibitions, and community programs presented both on-site and throughout the city.
Art House’s 2026 programming is made possible through the generous support of An Anonymous American Foundation; an anonymous donor from the Jewish Communal Fund; Hudson County Cultural Affairs’ Arts in Education and Hudson County History Partnership Programs; Hudson County Parks; the Exchange Place Alliance; the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the NEA; the Historic Downtown Special Improvement District (HDSID); KRE; NJ Beer Co.; support provided through the NJEDA’s A.R.T. – Phase II Grant Program; Panepinto Properties; public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund; RWJ Barnabas | Jersey City Medical Center; SILVERMAN; Super Buy Rite; Tito’s; and many generous volunteers, donors, and sponsors.
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