Biography : Claudia trained at the Italia Conti Academy, where she was twice winner of the Joyce Brearley Award and the award for the most outstanding student. During her final two years she landed her first professional engagement in the original cast of Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. After Graduating she went on to play Pip in Moby dick (The Old fire Station, Oxford); Young dinah in The Cotton Club (Aldwych Theatre); chiffon in Little Shop of Horrors (Derby Playhouse). That same year she landed the lead role of Josephine Baker in the European premiere of the musical Bakerfix. Her other credits include Laura in Sweet Lorraine (UK tour); Armelia in Ain't Misbehavin' (Perth Theatre); Sister Debbie in the 80's musical Heavenly Bodies and Lucinda in Sondheim's Into the Woods both at Leicester Haymarket; Yasmin in Inner city (Link Theatre) and Althea Leyton in Snakehips (National Theatre), directed by Clarke Peters. Claudia has performed with many internationally acclaimed artists and has appeared on the television shows Top of the Pops, MTV, This Morning, most recently backing Mark Morrison on the hit single Return of the Mack. Claudia can also be heard on soul artist Jeffrey Darnell's debut album Traveltime due for release this summer. Claudia recently finished a tour of Europe, as one of the leading singers in Singing & Dancing The Blues, devised and choreographed by Paul Henry and Stewart Arnold.

Understudy : Mimi, Joanne

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : February 20th 1999

Biography : Krysten was born and raised in America but has made her home in London. She originated the role of Mimi in the original Canadian cast of RENT (Royal Alexander Theatre, Toronto) to great acclaim and was nominated for the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Actress in a Musical. For her role as Mimi in the London production, Krysten has been nominated for the 1999 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. In America she has appeared in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Into the Woods; West Side Story; Ain't Misbehavin'; Little Shop of Horrors and A Chorus Line. In Europe she toured as one of the leads in Golden Musicals of Broadway. Since arriving in England, Krysten was most recently seen in the leading role of Marta in Company (Library Theatre, Manchester; M.E.N. Award nomination Best Supporting Actress in a Musical) and as tina in the world premiere of Sam Mendes' The Fix (Donmar Warehouse), the original cast of Jesus Christ Superstar (Lyceum Theatre), and Andi in Voyeurz (Whitehall Theatre). Other work includes appearing as Billi Holiday in Mama I Want to Sing (Cambridge and Geilgud theatres). Prior to this she was seen in the national tour of A Tribute to the Blues Brothers for which she was also the choreographer. She also appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in Richard O'Brien's Mephistopholes Smith. Krysten has performed her solo cabaret act at Don't Tell Mama's in New York. Last year Krysten had the honour of performing concerts with the legendary Larry Adler which were broadcast on BBC Radio. Krysten appears on the original London cast recordings of The Fix (First Night Records), Voyeurz (Dress Circle Records), and Mama I Want to Sing (EMI Records) and is currently working on material for her own debut solo album.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : May 17th 1999

NB : Krysten had taken a break between November 14th 1998 and February 11th 1999. Laura Dias (AKA Maya) had then took over as Mimi.

Biography : Hannah graduated in 1997 from Mountview Theatre School, where the roles she played include Ishmael in Moby Dick, Oolie in City of Angels and Clare in Road. Since leaving she has played Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show, Germany. Television credits : Kate in Just Another Bet and Sporty Spice for Agony. Hannah is delighted to be a part of RENT, and thanks her family for their support.

Understudy : Maureen

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : April 24th 1999.

Biography : Wilson made his Broadway debut in Rent for which he received the 1996 Tony and Drama Desk awards for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and an Obie award. Raised in Brooklyn, he previously starred in Elizabeth Swados' The New Americans for which he composed the song No Es Asi. Also appeared in Popol Vuh at Lincoln Center, Intar, and on tour, and The Tower (Danny Kaye Theatre).
Danced (and was choreographer for) several music videos including Joli and Josue de Jesus. He thanks London for making him feel at home, and his true love for always being there. He dedicates his performance to his family and to Jonathan Larson.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : October 3rd 1998

Biography : Bonny trained at Laine Theatre Arts for two years and attended classes at P ineapple Dance Studios. He was then taken under the wing of a choreographer by the name of Ricky Hinkley where he began to learn the ins and outs of the commercial dance world. Many television appearances followed this, The Lenny Henry Show, Paul McKenna Show, Hale & Pace and The Steve Wright Show to name but a few. He then ventured out into the pop world and danced on many pop tours and television shows such as Top of the Pops, MTV Awards, Smash Hits Poll Winners, The Brit Awards, for Boyzone, Peter Andre, Sean Maguire and The Spice Girls. However Bonny's real passion has always been to sing. He worked alongside a producer as a main vocalist for a short while and released two tracks on promo while continuing to gain experience and knowledge in the music industry.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : May 22nd 1999

Biography : As an original member of The New York Theatre Workshop and Broadway productions of Rent, Jesse is proud to be part of the West End debut. Stage (USA) : Timon of Athens and The Government Inspector (directed by Michael Langham for Broadway's National Actor's Theater), Ring of Men (Ensemble Studio Theatre, NY), Two Gentlemen of Verona and Romeo and Juliet (John Houseman's The Acting Company), The Butcher's Daughter (Cleveland Playhouse), Hamlet, Macbeth, As You Like It (Actor's Theatre Club), I Ain't Yo' Uncle (Hartford Stage). Also, ongoing work on his tow self-penned one-man shows Fiend and Marvin (Based on Marvin Gaye). Television : Guiding Light, One Life to Live, New York Undercover, 413 Hope Street and most recently Dr Greg Butters on Ally Mc Beal. Film : Restaurant (opening in the U.S. this fall) and will star in a new film, Chance Encounter, shooting this winter.
Would like to give thanks to all the NY originals (cast crew and production) and kudos to our new British Rent family. J. Larson would be proud.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : September 12th 1998

Biography : Maya was born in New England and has been involved in theatre and performing for some time. Directly from the North American touring production of Rent, she is excited and honoured to join the London company. Maya, the known vocalist of The Tamperer is overjoyed at the release of their debut album Fabulous with Jive Zomba/Peppers Records. Other musical theatre credits include : Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, Grease, A Chorus Line and The Legend. Maya thanks God, her family, T, F, and her sisters for unconditional love; Michael, Tim, Bernie, John, Jeffrey, Kevin and Allan for the opportunity and Jimmy Tavares for just knowing.

Started on : November 16th 1998
Left on : February 11th 1999

Biography : Adrian was part of a television workshop with HTV Wales for four years before going to the Welsh College of Music and Drama. He left college early to play Tobias Ragg in the award-winning production of Sweeney Todd (Royal National Theatre). Other work includes, Schwartz in Reunion (Derby Playhouse) and Silvius in As You Like It (BAC).
More recently he played Annas and also understudied and played the role of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (Lyceum Theatre). Adrian has just spent six months touring America as Roger in the U.S. production of Rent.
Other credits : Sweeney Todd (BBC Radio 2), Jesus Christ Superstar original cast album.
Adrian's favourite pastime is eating chocolate.

Started on : September 14th 1998
Left on : December 18th 1998

Biography : Adam made his theatrical debut as an original member of the New York Theatre Workshop and Broadway productions of Rent. He received nominations for the 1996 Tony and Drama Desk awards for Best Actor in a Musical as well as 1996 Theater World and Obie awards. Adam is set to release the debut album from "The Adam Pascal Band" this summer. He would like to thank his family, friends, Cybéle, God and Jonathan Larson.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : September 12th 1998

Biography : Anthony is proud to have been associated with Rent since its 1994 studio production at New York Theatre Workshop. After following that with the 1996 Off-Broadway production (Obie award), the Broadway production, and an appearance with the first American tour in Chicago, he is thrilled to be making his London stage debut in Rent.
Anthony also received a 1998 Gay and Lesbian American Music Award (GLAMA) for his performance on the original Broadway cast recording of Rent. Other Broadway credits include George Furth's Precious Sons (Outer Critics Circle award, Drama Desk nomination) and John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation. Off-Broadway credits include Larry Kramer's The Destiny of Me, Jonathan Marc Sherman's Sophistry, Dan Rybicky's Youth is Wasted, Edwin Sanchez's Trafficking in Broken Hearts and Nicky Silver's Raised in Captivity. Film credits include Adventures In Babysitting, School Ties, Dazed and Confused, Six Degrees of Separation, Twister, David Searching and Johnnie Twennies. Television credits include The Lazarus Man, The X-Files and the HBO original movie, When Trumpets Fade. He studies and teaches in New York City with Sande Shurin. Thanks to Josh for giving me your heart. This performance is dedicated, in loving memory, to my mother.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : October 7th 1998

Biography : Solomon is an actor, singer, songwriter, born in the heart of New York City. His theatrical credits consist of The Music Man, Dark of the Moon, Death of a Damn Nation and The Wiz where he played The Wiz. His music career has involved various bands from the New York area, as well as a two-song debut on the movie soundtrack A Brother's Kiss.
He'd like to thanks his three children for his greatest inspiration, his mother for her undying guidance and support and last, but not least, God with whom all things are possible.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : September 12th 1998

Biography : Born in London, Jessica has both English and French nationality and is fluent in both languages. At age seven she left England for France where she stayed for 11 years, returning to London to follow her dreams. Although initially a singer, her part in Rent requires acting skills as well which gives her the chance to explore other abilities she has.

Started on : April 21th 1998 (Original London cast member)
Left on : August 19th 1998