Was it really nearly 20 years ago when Adam Pascal made his Broadway debut in Jonathan Larcen’s watershed musical “Rent” about Bohemians in the East Village of New York City struggling with life, love and AIDS?
As the HIV-positive songwriter Roger, the handsome rocker — who was making his legit debut — quickly became a theater heartthrob. He was nominated for a Tony, losing to Nathan Lane for “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” but he nabbed Theater World and Obie awards.
Pascal also re-created the role for the 2005 film version directed by Chris Columbus that featured most of the original cast. He was also in the film “School of Rock,” playing Theo, lead singer of the band No Vacancy, and sang on two songs on the soundtrack.
Pascal played the romantic Broadway romantic hero again in 2000 in Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida” playing Radames opposite Heather Headley. He was also in replacement casts of Broadway’s “Cabaret,” “Chicago” and “Memphis.”
But he has also had a healthy concert career, too. His first solo album “Model Prisoner,” was released on Sh-K-Boom Records in 2000, followed by “Civilian” in 2004 and “Blinding Light” in 2008.
Little known fact: Pascal, who was raised in Woodbury, Nassau County, N.Y., graduated from Syosset High School, along with Natalie Portman, Idina Menzel, and Judd Apatow.
Now 45, Pascal brings his music to a benefit at Norwalk’s Music Theater of Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. (VIP tickets for $125 include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at 6:30 p.m., reserved seating and a post-show dessert reception meet-and-greet with Pascal. Show-only tickets are $75. Information: 203-454-3883 and musictheatreofct.com.
Life Lessons Are Free
Based on a memoir by Mitch Albom, the play “Tuesdays with Morrie,” by Albom and Jeffrey Hatcher, is a sweet and smart story of a journalist’s reconnecting with his old professor who is battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease — and the life lessons the writer learns. (TheaterWorks produced the play in 2004 starring Alvin Epstein.) Previews at Playhouse on the Park, Playhouse begin Sept. 30, opens Friday, Oct. 2 and runs through Oct. 18. Tickets $15 to $40. Information: playhouseonpark.org.
