Auditions will be held Jan. 7 and 8 for Youngstown Playhouse’s spring production of the musical “Rent” at Powers Auditorium.

Written by Jonathan Larsen and inspired by the opera “La Boheme,” “Rent” is set in New York City at the height of the HIV / AIDS epidemic. The story follows a group of young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create as they deal with sickness, poverty and death.

“Rent” won four Tony Awards, including best new musical, in 1996 and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It ran for 12 years and more than 5,100 performances on Broadway and it spawned a 2005 film version directed by Champion native Chris Columbus.

“Rent” contains adult themes, including sex, drug use, profanity and same-sex intimacy. All actors must be age 18 or older by Jan. 7 to audition.

The show features eight principal roles for characters in their late teens to 30s and an ensemble featuring eight to 12 performers ages 20s to 60s.Those auditioning should prepare 32 bars of a song from a rock musical and a one-minute monologue from a contemporary play.

Auditions will run from 2 to 6 p.m. Jan. 7 and 2 to 7 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Adler Arts Academy, 258 W. Federal St., Youngstown. To schedule an audition time, go to experienceyourarts.org/online/article/rent-auditions/

The production will be directed by Matthew Mazuroski with musical direction by Rosie Bresson, and it will be staged April 27 to 30 at Powers Auditorium.