Jonathan Larson's international hit musical Rent is scheduled to open in Mexico City late Summer 1999. This will be the first time Larson's Tony Award-winning musical will be performed in Spanish.

Rent is currently playing on Broadway, and two national tours are on the road. International productions include London, Australia, Germany and Norway.

The original English title, Rent; will be preserved for the Mexican production, according to producer Morris Gilbert, who is producing the musical in association with OCESA, the same company responsible for the 1997 Mexican production of Beauty and the Beast.

The cast for Rent-Mexico includes Erik Rubin, member of the popular "Timbiriche" band; Enrique Chi, whose performance as Harry Houdini in the musical Houdini, La Magia del Amor was generally praised; Alberto Castillo (Houdini), Sergio Saldivar (Gaston in Beauty and the Beast), Laura Cortés and César Romo.

The opening date and the venue forRent have not been announced yet; although rumor has it the Teatro Alameda 2 has been booked for this show.