Caren Lyn Manuel

This show was my Broadway debut in 2002 when I was cast as a swing, understudying all female roles except Joanne. In 2004, I was contracted to play Mark's Mom & Others, while understudying Mimi and Maureen.  In 2005 I contracted the role of Maureen on the "Rent" Southeast Asian Tour. In 2006 and 2008 I contracted the role of Maureen while also understudying Mimi, alongside Will Chase, Renee Elise Goldsberry and Merle Dandridge.  In 2009, I took my newly formed family on tour with the "Rent; Broadway Farewell Tour" starring original cast members Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp & Gwen Stewart, playing Mark's Mom & others, while understudying Mimi & Maureen.  In 2019 I was contracted to record vocals on the "RENT Live!" soundtrack, which was a hilarious and spectacular reunion.

Many theatre companies call themselves a family, and in many ways it is true.  But I have never felt that in such a literal sense as with my Rent family.  I was wild and green when I joined them.  They nurtured my performance and my character through the years as I matured, got married, had a child and stayed wild. Make sure to listen to my podcast for MANY behind-the-scenes stories and memories from these incredible BOHEMIAN SEASONS OF LOVE.

Like the time I somehow locked myself in my dressing room ten minutes before the finale while playing Maureen and literally NO ONE could get me out.  OR the time I was cheated on by another actor in another show and it showed up in the Daily News.  Yup.  Tune in to find out how my Rent family helped me through THAT one.

Playing Sheila in this important, timeless, poignant and beautiful work of art changed my direction in life and restored my values as an artist.  

They called our cast a tribe, and then mindset behind that sentiment was genuine.  In 2008, I was cast as Sheila in the Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park summer series at the Delacorte Theatre.  Performing THIS PIECE in a roofless theatre in Central Park was THE WAY TO DO IT.  Talk about legit.  Working with the two living writers with each production - Galt MacDermot and Jim Rado - provided a nearly immersive experience as we absorbed stories, songs and content from the 60's in NYC.  Playing Sheila alongside Jonathan Groff (Claude), Patina Miller (Dion) and Will Smith 

This company, in some ways, also felt like family.  My daughter Ravyn Sioux took some of her first steps on the Delacorte stage.  As with "Rent," I took Jeremy, Ravyn and our pooches on the "Hair - Summer of Love" tour from 2010 - 2012 which also opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre in 2011 - a bittersweet, come-full circle journey for me that you should listen to my podcast to hear more about.  What a ride.

A short but incredibly sweet experience for me, peppered with redemption, hilarity and a one-two punch of irony - and that's not even the SHOW.  That was just my experience in it - all tales I shamelessly share in my podcast.  

This musical is based on the book by Nick Hornby.  I was nursing a slashed ego after being very publicly ejected from playing the role of Cleo in "The Times, They Are A'Changing" when the producers of "High Fidelity" called me in to audition for the role of Sara, one of the Top 5 breakup stories of Rob Gordon, played by Will Chase, who also played Roger when I was Maureen in "Rent." 

The music for this show was STELLAR.  The script was hilarious.  The SET was UNBELIEVABLE.  The wardrobe was expensive, designer and I', thrilled to have inherited a ton of it when the show announced that it was closing juuuuuuussssst a few days after opening.  Oh yes.  The details are allllll in the podcast. 

aka "The Times, They Are A' Replacing Me in Previews."

Those of us who were in this show knew exactly what it was about.

We were the only ones, is all.

This show wins for the most harrowing audition, most challenging rehearsals, most confusing previews and most tragic outcome. A true circus of hilarious dysfunction, complete with a Twylagram delivered to me in a van. 

Please proceed to the podcast for the T.

What a fun show this was, nestled in the off-Broadway Zipper Theatre.  I'd have loved to see how it would have evolved had it moved to Broadway.

I played the role of Skye, the girlfriend of a would-be rock star, afraid he'll never 'make it' and wind up a wedding singer. 

My favorite experience from this show was working with Maya Days and accepting her generous offer to host my wedding to Jeremy on her beautiful home property. Best decision of my life. Magick.

Listen to my podcast to hear how my behavior at the closing night party in front of the producers led me to quit drinking.  Yowza.

This was my first ground-up experience with a Broadway show, rather than joining up with an already well-oiled machine that I could just pop into after a quick rehearsal process. This was my opportunity - especially as a swing - to observe and absorb the transformative creative process of a large scale musical from incubation to birth.  It was invaluable. 

The music in this show is simply beautiful and the voices that brought it to life are simply incomparable. To be honest, I felt humbled and nervous being a part of it. 

Listen to my podcast to hear about how KO an Eden fostered me through my insecurities while exemplifying unity and activism throughout the production. Also hear about the bathroom we swings had to sing off-stage vocals in which the actors had to run past us to use during the intermission-less show.  Also how Haneefah kept making us laugh and getting us in trouble in the vocals booth/bathroom.

This was the most glamorous experience I've ever had in professional musical theatre.  Wolfgang Bocksch, the producer, created this production because he watched me play Sandy in "Grease" and wanted to see me play Eva Peron.  So he created the European Tour production, flew me from Europe to NYC for the highly press-covered audition, cast me in the role and then proceeded to wine and dine me int he same manner as Eva Peron, purely for my character research and his own enjoyment.  Listen to my podcast for the story of when he had the Christian Dior store closed down so they could dress me in every gown they had, and for the unforgettable story of how he fabricated a story of my Yorkie being stolen from my dressing room to boost ticket sales. 

This show challenged my vocal and acing range, stamina like no other role I've played. The arc of this incredible and misunderstood woman's life is so deep, its impact is one I've never felt from portraying another role. 

I was honored to work with the incomparable Director Ken Urmston in this production.  He IS this show. I adored working within his immense talent. 

Wolfgang produced a live soundtrack recording of this tour when we were in Austria. I'm so grateful he did. 

If you're thinking I have no wild stories from this endeavor, please report to my podcast to hear about how I had to sing "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" to avoid being arrested driving through Prague on my way to Austria. Do it.

I first joined this company in Berlin in the role of Rizzo.  WHAT a fun role to play. Interestingly, the person playing Sandy previously replaced me as Eponine in "Les Miserables." 

During a show hiatus, the Sandy flew back to NYC  and booked an ensemble role in 'Urban Cowboy,' a show destined for Broadway. She used this opportunity as leverage to renegotiate her contract as Sandy in Grease. Instead of biting, Wolfgang called me up and asked if i could learn the role of Sandy in three days, in time to open in Munich.  It came with perks.  I said yes.

My opening night playing Sandy was September 11.  Yes, THE September 11.  We were just about the only live performing show that did not go dark that night.  Listen to the podcast to hear why...and how that went over in the eyes of the world. 

And yes, that IS Sophia Loren standing in between me and Danny (Dominic Nolfi). I'll talk about that, too.  OMG and you won't BELIEVE what David Gilmore (original Grease director) had to say about the REAL PEOPLE some of these characters were based on.  All I can say is....thank goodness I stopped playing Rizzo.  There were DEFINITELY worse things she could do....