Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre will turn the No Exit Café into the Life Café in March. The company, which makes its mark by squeezing big musicals into the shoebox-proportioned No Exit, will next chase down "La Vie Boheme" with a production of Jonathan Larson's Rent. Casting for the 1996 musical's collection of young idealists who think artists should get free apartments was announced this afternoon.
Theo Ubique's production, staged by Scott Weinstein, will feature Matt Edmonds as aspiring filmmaker Mark, Patrick Rooney as musician Roger, Courtney Jones as performance artist Maureen and Nicole Michelle Haskins as her girlfriend, Joanne. Columbia College senior Savannah Quinn Hoover will portray Cat Scratch Club dancer Mimi. Aubrey McGrath and Charles Benson will play Angel and Collins, respectively, with Jaymes Osborne as the group's landlord, Benny.
The ensemble will also include Danielle Davis, Parker Guidry, Luke Linsteadt, Ella Pennington, Deanalis Resto and Demetruis Spidle. Jeremy Ramey will be music director, with choreography by Daniel Spagnuolo. Rent runs March 11–May 1.