IF you're heading to New York and would like an entertainment tip, start right now trying to get tickets to see a rock musical called "Rent." It's currently playing off-Broadway and won't open on the Great White Way until late next month, but from all reports it's going to be a bombshell on the order of "A Chorus Line" or, perhaps a better comparison, "Hair." Some people are already calling it "The 'Hair' of the '90s." A modernization of "La Boheme," only dealing with the Bohemians of Greenwich Village, "Rent" was composed by 35-year-old Jonathan Larson, who died suddenly just before its off-Broadway opening, a tragedy of operatic proportions. Sunday's New York Times, in a series of stories about the hit-before-its-time, has hailed it "The Birth of a Theatrical Comet." High praise indeed ...

IS there a local angle, you ask? But of course. As mentioned here earlier, one of the show's producers is young Kevin McCollum, son of late Hawaii writer Sue McCollum. His stepfather for a time was Janos Gereben, former Star-Bulletin music critic, and I'd love to hear what he has to say about "Rent." The ages of the entire cast of the show range from 21 to 34. And one cast member is 28-year-old Aiko Nakasone, who grew up in Honolulu where she specialized in Okinawan dance. In that mad mix of types making up the cast, she should fit in well ...

Here is another one:

San-sei in Broadway musical

Aiko Nakasone, 28, a third-generation Okinawan-American, is a member of the Broadway cast of the musical "Rent," winner of the 50th Tony Award on June 2. Rent is a modern version of Puccini's opera "La Boheme" set in New York's East Village. Nakasone plays several supporting roles symbolizing the city's ethnic diversity. Her dream while at the University of Hawaii was to appear on Broadway. The high prestige Tony acting awards were founded in 1947 specifically for Broadway performances. (June 6 pm ed)