When the curtain rises on Stage 62’s production of “RENT” at Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Avenue, Carnegie this week, three Mt. Lebanon residents will be hard at work behind the scenes.

Chris Martin, Shady Drive East, is the production’s property manager, Amy Bonner, Magnolia Place, is publicity manager and Elyse Dalzell, Magnolia Place, is stage manager. Martin and Bonner have been working with Stage 62 since the late 90s, both behind-the-scenes and as performers.

Stage 62, now in its 62nd season, is the non-profit theater company in residence at ACFL&MH. “They’re all there out of a pure love of theater,” Martin pointed out.

“RENT,” Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning show, opened in 1996 and became one of Broadway’s most popular musicals of all time. Set in the East Village of New York City, it follows a year in the life of a group of young artists and musicians struggling to survive under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

“This is a big one. This is one that a lot of people know. Even people who don’t know theater tend to have heard of ‘RENT,'” said Martin.

As prop master, it was a trip down memory lane for Martin as he tracked down shopping carts and pay phones and other items from the 90s that don’t exist anymore.

“This is going to be something special on stage. Spectacular voices and moving performances,” Martin added.

“RENT” runs Thursday to Sunday July 18 through 21 and Thursday to Sunday July 25 through 28. Tickets can be purchased in advance at stage62.org or at the box office before each performance.​