Home | WebMail | Register or Login

      Calgary | Regions | Local Traffic Report | Advertise on Action News | Contact

Posted: 2018-10-29T21:21:39Z | Updated: 2018-10-30T19:05:49Z

Theres only about 129,600 minutes until the Rent live musical premieres yes, we did the math so how do you measure, measure the time until then?

With star-studded casting announcements, of course.

Ahead of Foxs latest foray into live television events, a slew of famous faces have been added to the cast of the latest adaptation of Jonathan Larsons classic musical.

Vanessa Hudgens , who stole the show as Rizzo in last years Grease: Live, will play performance artist Maureen Johnson. Idina Menzel originated the role in the inaugural Broadway production.

Hudgens previously starred as the drug-addled teen Mimi Marquez in a 2010 Hollywood Bowl production of the musical, but this time around, the role will go to pop star Tinashe.

Today for you, we have an announcement meet the cast of #RENT! pic.twitter.com/i4u44CHYwi

RENT on FOX (@RENTonFOX) October 29, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"RENT on FOX","author_url":"https://twitter.com/RENTonFOX","cache_age":86400,"description":"Today for you, we have an announcement meet the cast of #RENT! pic.twitter.com/i4u44CHYwi RENT on FOX (@RENTonFOX) October 29, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1056966465386045442/pu/img/PiuDNxHd2H5gCr3o.jpg","thumbnail_width":720,"title":"RENT on FOX on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/RENTonFOX/status/1056968932194574336","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5bd75b00e4b017e5bfd4add8","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/rent-live-musical-casts-vanessa-hudges-tinashe-and-valentina_n_5bd75b00e4b017e5bfd4add8","entryTagsList":"arts-and-entertainment,vanessa-hudgens,idina-menzel,performing-arts,tinashe,jordan-fisher,brandon-victor-dixon,rent-musical,maureen-johnson,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"entertainment","deptSlug":"entertainment","sectionRedirectUrl":"https://action.news/entertainment","subcategories":"queer-voices","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.entertainment","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5bd75b00e4b017e5bfd4add8","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Arts and Entertainment","slug":"arts-and-entertainment","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/arts-and-entertainment","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/arts-and-entertainment","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/arts-and-entertainment"},"relegenceSubjectId":979432,"department":{"name":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Pop of Culture","slug":"pop-of-culture","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/entertainment/topic/pop-of-culture"},{"name":"Vanessa Hudgens","slug":"vanessa-hudgens","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/vanessa-hudgens","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/vanessa-hudgens","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/vanessa-hudgens"},"relegenceId":3819830,"department":{"name":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Vanessa Hudgens","slug":"vanessa-hudgens","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/entertainment/topic/vanessa-hudgens"},{"name":"idina menzel","slug":"idina-menzel","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/idina-menzel","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/idina-menzel","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/idina-menzel"},"relegenceId":3490532,"url":"https://action.news/topic/idina-menzel"},{"name":" performing arts","slug":"performing-arts","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/performing-arts","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/performing-arts","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/performing-arts"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/performing-arts"},{"name":"tinashe","slug":"tinashe","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/tinashe","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/tinashe","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/tinashe"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/tinashe"},{"name":"jordan fisher","slug":"jordan-fisher","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/jordan-fisher","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/jordan-fisher","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/jordan-fisher"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/jordan-fisher"},{"name":"brandon victor dixon","slug":"brandon-victor-dixon","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/brandon-victor-dixon","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/brandon-victor-dixon","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/brandon-victor-dixon"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/brandon-victor-dixon"},{"name":"Rent musical","slug":"rent-musical","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/rent-musical","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/rent-musical","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/rent-musical"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/rent-musical"},{"name":"Maureen Johnson","slug":"maureen-johnson","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/maureen-johnson","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/maureen-johnson","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/maureen-johnson"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/maureen-johnson"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n","
\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Today for you, we have an announcement meet the cast of #RENT ! pic.twitter.com/i4u44CHYwi

RENT on FOX (@RENTonFOX) October 29, 2018

RuPauls Drag Race star Valentina is set to play street drummer Angel. Brandon Victor Dixon, who was nominated for an Emmy for his work on Jesus Christ Superstar Live, will play her love interest, philosophy professor Tom Collins.

Hamilton star Jordan Fisher will play the shows narrator, the aspiring filmmaker Mark Cohen. Brennin Hunt will star as his roommate, musician Roger Davis.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

Dope actor Kiersey Clemons and Grammy winner Mario round out the cast as Hudgens girlfriend Joanne Jefferson and Benjamin Coffin III, respectively.

The Greatest Showman scene-stealer Keala Settle will also be on hand to belt her heart out during a Seasons of Love solo.

Rent, a story about a group of young artists living in New York Citys East Village neighborhood during the HIV/AIDS crisis, first debuted on Broadway in 1996. It became one of the longest-running musicals to date, ending its 12-year run in 2008. A movie adaptation starring many original cast members and Rosario Dawson premiered in 2005.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost

The live musical television event airs January 27, 2019.

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Support HuffPost