Rent at UCI Claire Trevor Theatre

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, friends in Manhattan’s East Village struggle to build the lives of their dreams. Pennilessness, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, social tension, and political unrest, among other hardships, challenge the group physically and emotionally. Facing the problems head on, they make personal self-discoveries and find what really matters most in life.

“Connection in an isolating age.” Jonathan Larson’s lyric from “What You Own” from RENT was first heard in 1996, but it loudly resonates two decades later after the isolation we collectively experienced during the pandemic. What got us through it? Our “pod.” Our community. Our chosen family. RENT is about the power of community, and the need for connection to heal what is broken. We need this show now more than ever.