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RENT
February 23 - March 31, 2024
The Cast
Cast Bios
SLEIMAN ALAHMADIEH (Roger) is so excited to make his Berkeley Playhouse debut! He's been acting for as long as he can remember. Some notable roles include Charlie Price in Kinky Boots at Throckmorton Theatre, Gabe Goodman in Next to Normal at Pacifica Spindrift Players, Nino Quincampoix in Amelie at Masquers Playhouse, and Brad Majors in Rocky Horror at Marin Musical Theatre Company! This show highlights such a beautiful story that comments on real people with real experiences, and he is so excited to bring it to life for you. Enjoy the show! To learn more about and support the ACT UP aids movement, go to actupny.com!
KASSANDRA LOPEZ (Mimi) (she/her) is so excited to be making her debut at Berkeley Playhouse in their production of Rent! She is currently an undergraduate nursing student at the University of San Francisco. Previous theater credits include Maria in West Side Story at Rialto Community Players, Vanessa in In the Heights at Rialto Community Players, Veronica in Heathers at the University of San Francisco, and Carla in In the Heights at the California Theatre. IG: @_kassandraoftroy
TOMMY LASSITER (Mark) (he/him) is thrilled to be appearing in his second show at Berkeley Playhouse! You might recognize him from A Christmas Story (Berkeley
Playhouse). Some of his recent professional credits include Jack Kelly in Newsies (Tri- Valley Repertory Theater), Shakespeare in Something Rotten (Tri-Valley Repertory Theater, Billy Cane in Bright Star (Lucky Penny Productions), and Prince Topher in R&H Cinderella (West Valley Light Opera). Tommy is a born and raised San Francisco
Bay Area actor. He studied musical theater at Diablo Valley College and has taken numerous workshops and classes over the years to further hone his craft. He would like to thank his family, friends, and cast for supporting him through this show! IG: @tommylassiter_ www.tommylassiter.com
ANTHONY ROLLINS-MULLENS* (Collins) is a native San Franciscan performer of both stage and independent film for many years here in the Bay Area. His theatrical credits include: Buddy Plummer in Follies, Narrator/Mysterious Man in Into the Woods, Willie in The View Upstairs, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Toad in A Year With Frog and Toad, Fred in Smokey Joe's Cafe, Willie in Master Harold...and the Boys, and Waymon as Hunter Priestess in Good Goods. Anthony has had the joy of working with many storytelling companies, including ACT, Berkeley Playhouse, SF Playhouse, the New Conservatory Theater Center, Oakland Theater Project, and Center REPertory Company of Walnut Creek. Please visit Anthony’s website: www.rollinsmullens.com
ALEX RODRIGUEZ (Angel) is thrilled to return to the Berkeley Playhouse stage after directing Into the Woods in 2021! Previous Berkeley Playhouse credits include Pippin (Leading Player), The Addams Family (Gomez Addams), Mary Poppins (Bert), YAGMCB (Snoopy), and Ragtime (Choreography - TBA Nom). Additional Dir/Choreo: Kinky Boots, Rocky Horror '19, Jesus Christ Superstar (Choreography - TBA Nom), The Wild Party (Choreography - TBA Award), and Heathers: The Musical (Choreography - TBA Award) for Ray of Light Theatre. Performer Highlights: A Chorus Line (Paul San Marco), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Quasimodo - TBA Nom/BATCC Award), Evita (Che - TBA Award), Triassic Parq (V. of Science - TBA Award). National Tour: Miss Saigon. For Thor, Herc, and his PIC.
ANDREA RAE (Maureen) (she/they) is so excited for her first show with Berkeley Playhouse! An Orange County-based artist, recently relocated to the Bay Area, she enjoys all things theater and staying at home being cozy. Some of their previous roles include: Rosalie - School of Rock (Spindrift School of Performing Arts), Alice - The Addams Family (Landmark), Heather McNamara - Heathers (Saddleback Players), Audrey - Little Shop of Horrors (The Gem Theatre), Pennywise - Urinetown (Orange Cost College), Snoopy - You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Aliso Niguel Players) and Helen Keller - The Miracle Worker (Aliso Niguel Players). IG: AndreaRaeH
LUCCA TROUTMAN (Joanne) is an electro-acoustic composer, director, and performer who earned her BA in Psychology and Music from Smith College and her MA in Composition from Mills College in Oakland. She regularly performs throughout the Bay Area and is grateful for the opportunity to work with Berkeley Playhouse again. She was recently featured in Ruthless at NCTC, Fun Home at Berkeley Playhouse, Little Shop of Horrors at TheatreWorks, and Digital Milk at CounterPulse with her multidisciplinary ensemble, Driven Arts Collective. Outside of performing, Lucca teaches and creates eclectic art while spending quality time in nature with her affable dogs, Ama and Valo.
MARSHALL FORTE (Benny / SOL Soloist) (he/him), originally from the Chicagoland area, is over the mooooon to make his Berkeley Playhouse debut with Rent! Relatively new to the Bay Area, you may have seen him in his roles as Ronald Clifford in Cruel Intentions or as Lola in Kinky Boots, both with San Francisco’s Ray of Light Theatre. He hopes that “You’ll See” how much fun this production was to be a part of! Special thanks to his loving mother :)
JESUS PEDROZA-MORENO (Paul / Ensemble / US Mark) is thrilled to be on the Berkeley Playhouse stage once again for such a special show. He last appeared in Becoming Robin Hood last season as the understudy for Cooper. He is a graduate from the University of California Santa Cruz where he received his B.A. in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Acting. Before his return to the Bay Area he was seen touring the South Bay as Romeo in Shakespeare to Go's production of Romeo and Juliet. He wants to thank the team at Berkeley Playhouse for holding space for him to continue the dream, and to his family, friends, and creatives for the overwhelming support.
LESLIE CHOCANO (Alexei Darling / Mimi's Mother / Sue / US Mimi) (she/her) is a Bay Area native musical theater artist who has worked with community theater companies like Broadway by the Bay, Sunnyvale Community Players, Redwood City Community Theater, West Valley Light Opera, and Pacifica Spindrift Players. Some of her past production credits include In the Heights, West Side Story, Catch Me If You Can, and The Addams Family Musical. She also works as an Artistic Associate for Latiné Musical Theatre Lab (@latinemtlab), and as a performer, producer, and social media coordinator for Rise Above It Productions and Haus of Win. She hopes to continue to build toward creating a more inclusive and diverse theater environment.
ILANA SASSON (Mark's Mom / Pam / US Maureen / Dance Captain) (she/her) is thrilled to be returning to the Berkeley Playhouse stage! Her Bay Area credits include Cinderella Enchanted (Berkeley Playhouse), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Cabrillo Stage), Annie Warbucks (Landmark Musical Theatre), Scrooge in Love (6th Street Playhouse) and American Idiot (Left Hand Theatre Co). Ilana would like to dedicate this show to her late grandmother, Baba Rosalie, who always created a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community in Columbus, Ohio amidst the high levels of homophobia and through the AIDS epidemic. To learn more about Ilana, check out her website at ilanasasson.com.
BEN LAUING (Gordon / The Man / Mr. Grey / Pastor / US Roger) (he/him) is thrilled to make his Berkeley Playhouse debut! He was recently seen as Harold in The Boys in the Band with Pacifica Spindrift Players and is excited to revisit Rent after having appeared in Palo Alto Players’ production way back in 2010. Other favorites include
Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, Reginald Van Cleef in The Dinosaur Musical, and Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! A Bay Area native, Ben grew up performing at the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre before continuing his training with American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
SYDNEY JACOBS ALLEN (Mrs. Jefferson / Ali / Vendor / SOL Soloist / US Joanne / Roger's Mother) (she/they) is thrilled to be back at Berkeley Playhouse, the place Sydney considers to be their musical theater home. Sydney has enjoyed roles such as Crystal in her very first stage production, Little Shop of Horrors, at Shotgun Players with the Imagination Players (Berkeley Playhouse at the time). Sydney went on to perform with Berkeley Playhouse in the following productions: Once on this Island, Sweeney Todd, and Urinetown. Sydney graduated from Oakland School for the Arts School of Vocal Music where she was a part of the award-winning acapella group Vocal Rush. Sydney has been a part of Oakland Theater Project’s Dance of the Holy Ghost.
DANY BENITEZ (Sammy / Waiter / Squeegee Person / US Angel) is a Puerto Rican actor, dancer, theater educator, choreographer, makeup artist, and drag queen located in San Francisco. As an actor and theater-maker, they have performed and collaborated in shows with the Presidio Theatre, Playground, Poltergeist Theatre Company, Oasis, San Francisco Youth Theatre, Throckmorton Theatre, and La Lengua. They are excited to be making their Berkeley Playhouse debut and they look forward to returning for Head Over Heels later this season!
MILES MECKLING (Mr. Jefferson / Cop / Vendor / Ensemble / US Benny / Caroler / Pastor / SOL Soloist / Ali) (he/him) is overjoyed to return to Berkeley Playhouse for Rent. He was last seen on the Playhouse stage strutting his boots as an Angel in Kinky Boots. Regional credits include San Francisco Playhouse: Guys and Dolls, 42nd Street Moon: The Scottsboro Boys, Sierra Rep: West Coast Premiere of Elvis the Musical, Center REP: A Christmas Carol, Woodminster Summer Musicals: On Your Feet, Sacramento Theatre Company: Mamma Mia, HMS Pinafore, Classic Theatre: The Gift of Magi. He thanks his family and friends for the love and support. Follow his journey on Instagram @Leroi23. Catch him next in Berkeley Playhouse’s production of Head Over Heels! La Vie Bohème!!
SERENE HAMMAMI (Roger's Mother / SOL Soloist / Ensemble / US Woman with Bags / Coat Vendor / Sue / Pam) (she/her) feels honored to be performing in her third Berkeley Playhouse production. She was previously seen in Into The Woods (Rapunzel) and Ragtime (Ensemble). She was also most recently seen as Alice in The Addams Family at Diablo Valley College. Serene is a musician, composer, arranger, singer-songwriter, musical theater-er, and aviation enthusiast. Big love to her family, community, and you! @serenemachine
SCOUT DEL REAL (Cop / Ensemble / US Paul / Gordon / Sammy / Squeegee Person / Waiter / The Man / Mr. Grey) is honored to be joining the ensemble of such an iconic show! This is his third show with Berkeley Playhouse, his first two being Becoming Robin Hood (Ensemble) and Kinky Boots (Swing). He has also performed with companies such as Walnut Creek’s CenterRep and Lafayette’s Town Hall Theatre and is currently a student at Las Positas College where he hopes to continue building his theatrical career. Viva La Vie Bohème!
SOLONA HUSBAND (Joanne 3/21-3/24, 3/29-3/31) is so excited to be back at Berkeley Playhouse after her magical debut in the ensemble of Cinderella Enchanted. Solona has been doing musical theater since she was in kindergarten and has dreams of doing it forever! You may have seen Sol in other productions around the Bay Area, such as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (Sunnyvale Community Players), Sandy Cheeks in The Spongebob Musical (Palo Alto Players), Amelie in Amelie (Masquers Playhouse) or Ti Moune in Once on this Island (Plethos Productions). She hopes you enjoy the show and that you continue to support theater forever!
*Member of Actor’s Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
What is a Pay What You Can performance?
Berkeley Playhouse presents one Pay What you Can performance for each of our productions. This promotion is cash only at the door - no reservations required. Seating is general admission. We suggest a donation of $20, but can accept a minimum of $5. The box office will open at 6pm on the night of the performance to begin the sale of Pay What You Can tickets. There is a limit of 6 tickets per purchaser.
