Newport Beach high school to stage ‘Rent’ after all

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

It appears the drama students of Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach will get a chance to win over some new ‘Rentheads,’ after all.

‘Rent,’ in a ‘School Edition’ version somewhat toned down for young audiences, is back on the marquee as the spring musical, now that principal Fal Asrani has had a chance to read the script that drama teacher Ron Martin delivered to her Monday. Martin had canceled the play because, as he said in an interview last week, he was picking up ‘an atmosphere of homophobia ... from the administration’ over a show that prominently features gay and lesbian couples.

‘I never had a problem with the play selected by Mr. Martin,’ Asrani said in a statement released by the school district. ‘The selection of our drama productions is his call. I just requested the opportunity to review the script before it was final.’

— Mike Boehm and Susannah Rosenblatt

1996 touring cast of ‘Rent.’ Credit: Joan Marcus / Carol Rosegg