RENT to Open at Blackfriars Theatre This Month

Get ready to rock with Blackfriars Theatre for the show that set the tone of the modern musical, running July 19-28. 

Anyone who’s a fan of American musical theatre knows the bittersweet story of Rent, and how its catapult into fame coincided with its young and promising writer’s untimely death the day before opening. So how, almost thirty years later, is this piece about such a specific moment in history still so relevant to young theatre lovers? “To people who were young adults during the 90s, Rent was the first time we saw ourselves reflected in musical theatre in our own time, with our own music, in our own culture,” says Blackfriars artistic director, Brynn Tyszka. “Though the subject matter can feel a bit dated to us now—after all, we all know at this point that you DO have to pay rent—there is something about this music and these characters and the literal life-or-death struggles they’re facing that pull us right back in again and again. For the younger artists attacking this material today, they can still relate to the bohemian optimism combined with a rebellious sense of anarchy that allows them to exist in a place of power and truly believe that anything is possible … even in the face of great loss.”
 
Though the term “rock musical” is as ubiquitous now as “Fred and Ginger,” when Rent first arrived on the scene, the concept of infusing a musical theatre score with the raw sounds of modern rock was unheard of. Perhaps, though, that is why Jonathan Larson’s masterpiece instantly stole young people’s hearts and solidified its place in history as the musical that changed it all, setting the stage for shows like Six, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and even Hamilton. Based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme, Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create their art in New York's Lower East Side while living under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. It was the first show of its kind in many ways, being one of the first to feature LGBTQ+ characters while also confronting a deadly epidemic that even contemporary politicians were struggling to discuss.
 
While you can’t take the show out of its 90s setting without losing everything that keeps it honest, what keeps each incarnation of this classic fresh is the new life breathed into these now-iconic characters by the young performers who portray them. For performers in the Blackfriars Theatre Summer Intensive (BTSI) program, a professional summer training program for high school and college students, it’s an ideal piece to tackle. This is just one of many reasons why former Blackfriars artistic director and Rent director, Danny Hoskins, was so keen to suggest the piece.
 
“RENT holds a special place in my heart and, likely, in the hearts of many artists and audiences of my generation,” says Hoskins. “We were all caught up in the overwhelming culture craze of the mid-90s when RENT hit the scene. All of our BTSI students in this production weren’t even born when RENT changed the landscape of musical theatre. But if you reference Hamilton, this generation understands the experience of a cultural phenomenon taking their musical theatre world by storm. It’s been a joy sharing this incredible music and these powerful storylines with a new generation. RENT is still deeply relevant today, highlighting the struggles of a generation through art, gender, sexuality, and diversity, and celebrating what it is to be human; yearning to fill every single moment with love, hope and a fearlessness to survive.”
 
Jonathan Larson fans can attend Rent performances at Blackfriars Theatre July 19-28. The theatre suggests purchasing tickets online or through the box office in advance, as this production is likely to sell out.
 
The Rent cast includes Dylan Burley (Ensemble), Mikey Champion (Angel), Melania deSa e Frias (Mimi), Hugh Finnigan (Mark), Hope Galloway (Ensemble/“Seasons” Soloist), Joshua Hemmings (Tom Collins), Sawyer Herbst (Roger), Casey Howe (Ensemble), Emma Izzo (Maureen), Tessa Meyers (Ensemble), Tatyana Montalvo (Ensemble), Gabriel Pierce (Benny), Genevieve Prinsen (Ensemble), Jyonnah Ware (Joanne), and Owen West (Ensemble). The show is directed by Danny Hoskins, musically directed by Sarah Staebell, and choreographed by Lani Toyama Hoskins.
 

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