Denise Van Outen to Star in London’s Rent

Stage and television star Denise Van Outen will play Maureen in the “remixed” version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Rent, which will begin previews on October 2 at the Duke of York’s Theatre, with an official opening set for October 16.

Van Outen co-hosted the NBC reality TV series Grease: You’re The One That I Want and the British reality TV series Any Dream Will Do. Her many stage credits include Chicago, Tell Me on a Sunday, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Director William Baker has worked on this new version for two years. He has pruned the musical down to a running time of just over two hours, with electric guitar riffs and some Americanisms removed, and references to HIV therapies updated. The minimalist white “void” set will be enhanced with chrome fire escapes and a digital landscape.
This production of Rent will also introduce a first in West End ticketing: a general admission pricing policy with all tickets at £30, allocated on a first come, first served basis.

The cast will also feature Siobhan Donaghy, Luke Evans, Oliver Thornton, Leon Lopez, Jay Webb, Francesca Jackson, Craig Stein, Ruth Augilera, Jamie Sampson, Antony Luperi, Earl Perkins, Lewis Griffiths, and Philippa Stefani. The creative team includes Steve Anderson (music supervisor), Mark Bailey (sets and designs), David Howe (lighting), Sebastian Frost (sound).

For more information, visit www.whatsonstage.com.