Jonathan Larson's groundbreaking rock musical, "Rent," now is in rehearsals for a July 4 premiere at Mamiya Theatre, Saint Louis School.

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ts director, Kyle Kakuna, acquired a School Edition of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, and is infusing the production with elements of the Broadway original, to bring awareness to the community of youth it depicts on stage and to utilize the show's message to those in the audience who might have social, medical and emotional challenges that require healing and care.

"Rent" strikes a particular chord with Kakuno because the late John Kaufmann, who was artistic director at Honolulu Theatre for Youth, hired him for the HTY company which help establish his stakes in Island theater. Kauffman died of AIDS in 1990.

"'Rent' has such depth, touches controversial issues and is so important to the awareness of the younger generation that it's the perfect labor of love to be working on in John's memory," said Kakuno.

The production reflects participation from an array of schools —Saint Louis, Punahou, Kamehameha, Sacred Hearts Academy, La Pietra Hawai'i School for Girls, Kaimuki, McKinley and Roosevelt — because of a summer outreach program. Saint Louis Center for the Arts normally casts from its campus and from "sister" parochial schools.

"Rent" is based on the Puccini opera, "La Boheme," and dwells on a group of eight struggling fringe artists in New York's Lower East Side, living a bohemian lifestyle that embraces everything from art, finances, heroin and AIDS. It won a Tony for best musical and had a legendary backstage drama when creator Larson died before the show's opening.

Kakuna has enlisted Roslyn Catracchia, widely known for her musical work with the late Lisa Matsumoto's 'Ohia Productions, who will be musical director. And James Davenport, who has been teaching scenic design at the University of Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand, will be tech director. Both Catracchia and Davenport also where HTY hires, so are dedicating "Rent" to Kaufmann.

Saint Louis is the among the first high schools nationally to stage "Rent," which previously had its lone Blaisdell Concert Hall engagement in a national tour. It is the third coup for Kakuno, whose little theater group staged the first Honolulu production of two Broadway hits: "Footloose" in 2002 and "Aida" in 2005.

One the the indelible hit songs from "Rent" is "Seasons of Love."

Because of the high school link, one tune from the score, which had frank language, has been removed and approved by the Larson Foundation, to make it accessible for youth audiences.

Ramon Del Barro will choreograph; he is just off a national tour with Chita Rivera.

"I think what Kyle is doing — making it a fundraiser for the organizations that help some of these individuals in need of healing and care — is great and overdue in Hawai'i," said Del Barro.

Part of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Life Foundation, Gregory House Programs, Save the Food Basket and the Jonathan Larson Foundation.

One element that prevails in the still-running Broadway production will be in practice, too: A student "rush" sale, with the first two row of seats available on the day of each performance, at $15 apiece.

'RENT'

Preview benefit at 7:30 July 4; regular performances at 7:30 p.m. July 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19; 4 p.m. matinees on July 6, 13 and 20

Mamiya Theatre, Saint Louis School

Preview tickets, $15; regular tickets $27 adults, $22 students, military, seniors over 60; $15 "rush" tickets for seats in the first two rows on the day of each performance, at first-come, first-sold basis (lineups from 4:30 p.m. for Thursday-Saturday shows, from 1 p.m. for Sunday shows)

550-8457, www.honoluluboxoffice.com

PRINCIPALS IN

THE 'RENT' CAST

• Seth Lilley (Mark). He'll be a McKinley senior.

• Jonah Ho'okano (Roger). He'll be a Kamehameha freshman.

• Dwayne Sakaguchi (Angel). He will be a Kaimuki freshman.

• Akea Kahikina (Benny), He'll be a Kamehameha sophomore.

• Ally Holtz (Mimi). She'll be a Punahou sophomore.

• Briana Pratt (Maureen). She'll be a Kamehameha junior.

• Sumi Matsubara (Joanne). She'll be a Punahou senior.

• Drew Tandal (Collins). He'll be a Kamehameha senior.