Tonight, a Broadway star takes center stage at Schwab Auditorium.

Adam Pascal, known for his leading roles in the musicals Rent and Aida, will perform a variety of songs tonight in a free concert sponsored by the Student Programming Association (SPA).

"A student came to me with the idea of bringing Pascal here, and I thought it would be a great way to promote Rent coming to Eisenhower later this month," Raj Desai, SPA executive director, said.

Pascal will perform some of the songs he's written as well as selections from Rent that are more rock oriented and from Aida, which features music by Elton John and Tim Rice.

Pascal will be playing the piano on stage in addition to his own instruments and will be accompanied by two other performers who will also be playing various instruments, according to Fernando Disla, SPA director of events.

"Tickets for the event are almost gone; it's a unique experience because it will be a very intimate performance," Disla said. "We want to bring shows to the students that they will enjoy and that won't hit their wallet too hard."

Pascal earned a Tony nomination, Theater World award and an Obie Award for his work in Rent, where he played Roger Davis, who was a struggling musician dealing with AIDS. He also re-created his role in Rent for the film version in 2005.

In Aida, Pascal played the part of Radames, the captain of the Egyptian army who falls in love with Aida, a woman his army captures. The performance is open to everyone and tickets are available at the HUB-Robeson Center, Eisenhower Auditorium, Penn State Downtown Theatre and the Schwab Auditorium ticket office. There are fewer than 200 tickets left, and attendees receive two tickets per student ID.