Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the metro area's only local professional musical theatre company, presents Jonathan Larson's hit musical, RENT, June 10 through 26 at the historic Strand Theatre in Marietta. Tickets are $30-$45, with discounts for seniors, students, and groups of ten or more.
RENT is a rock opera with music and lyrics by
Jonathan Larson, loosely based on
Giacomo Puccini's opera, "La Boheme." It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of AIDS.
Artistic Director Brandt Blocker and Director
Alan Kilpatrick have assembled an amazing cast of actors for The Lyric production.
Felicia Boswell stars as Mimi Marquez, a sexy HIV-positive stripper and dancer who is also a heroin junkie. Boswell is fresh of the Broadway stage starring in the 2010 Best Musical "Memphis," and will also star in the 1st National Tour as Felicia Farrell.
Maxim Gukhman plays the role of
Mark Cohen, a struggling documentary filmmaker and best friend of
Roger Davis, an HIV-positive musician who is recovering from heroin addiction played by Stanley Allyn Owen.
Alison Brannon plays spunky performance artist Maureen Johnson, who is Mark's ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend of Joanne Jefferson, a tough, headstrong Harvard-educated lawyer played by Kenya Hamilton.
Tom Collins, the HIV-positive philosophy teacher, friend and former roommate of Roger, Mark and Maureen is played by Kevin Harry. Adam Carl Peyton is cast in the role of Angel Schunard, an HIV-positive drag queen with a heart of gold and Tom Collins' love interest. Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III, played by
John Stewart, is the former friend and landlord of Mark and Roger.
The rest of the cast includes: Kayce Grogan Wallace,
Googie Uterhardt, Jas Sams, Jono Davis, Joseph Brewer, Clinton Dillard and Dasie Thames.
In addition to director
Alan Kilpatrick, The Lyric staff of RENT includes music director Wesley Morgan, choreographer Ricardo Aponte, scenic designer Thane Molnar, lighting designer Bradley Bergeron, sound designer
Bobby Johnston and technical director Daniel Pattillo. Charlie Moore is the production stage manager.
The musical was first seen in a sold out, limited three-week workshop run at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1994. This same New York City off-Broadway theatre was also the musical's initial home following its official January 25, 1996, opening. Tragically, the show's creator,
Jonathan Larson died suddenly the night before the off-Broadway premiere.
RENT, opened at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre, on April 29, 1996. The musical went on to win every major best musical award, including the Tony Award, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for drama. RENT played its final performance at the Nederlander Theatre on September 7, 2008 after playing 5,124 performances and 16 previews. RENT is the seventh longest running show in Broadway history and grossed over $280 million during its Broadway run. Over the course of its groundbreaking 12-year New York run, RENT transformed the definition of musical theater - and changed Broadway forever.
Tours of RENT have crisscrossed the country almost continuously since late 1996 and the U.S. national tours have grossed over $330 million. The musical has been translated into every major language and been performed on six continents, including in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
RENT has changed theatre forever and transformed how a generation feels about musical theatre. Whether it's your first time or your 100th time, you won't want to miss this production of RENT.
Recommended for mature audiences, RENT contains adult language and situations.
All performances are held at The Earl Smith Strand Theatre at 117 N. Park Sq., on the historic Marietta Square.
For tickets and information call 404-377-9948 or visit
www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com.
Performance Schedule
June 10, 11, 12 Friday & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00
16, 17, 18, 19 Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sun. @ 2:00
23, 24, 25 & 26, 2011 Thurs., Fri. & Sat. @ 8:00, Sat. & Sun. @ 2:00
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