York Little Theatre's Production of RENT Opens 7/29

RENT is the transformational rock opera by Jonathan Larson that played to critical acclaim on Broadway for 12 years.

Based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème, the musical is an inspiring story about friends and artists struggling in New York City's East Village, and tackles addiction, poverty, AIDS and most of all, love. RENT won every major best musical award, including four Tony Awards, six Drama Desk Awards, two Theatre World Awards, and Obie Awards for its creator, director and entire cast. Additionally, Rent is one of only eight musicals to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

YLT's production of RENT opens on July 29 and is directed by Mark Arner. "This was the first musical in which I could relate to the characters as well as the situations," says Arner. "I saw the original cast perform it on Broadway and just fell in love with the show." RENT was ground-breaking and reinvented musicals when it debuted in 1996. "It has been called the Hair of its generation," explains Arner. "It injected energy and excitement into Broadway at a time when Broadway really needed it."

YLT's local cast of 19 includes Aaron Dalton as Mark; Mike McGuiness as Roger; Bradlee Gorrera as Angel; Marquas Fontain as Collins; Angela Wise as Maureen; Paola Gonzalez as Mimi; Melissa McGinley as Joanne; Joe Reed as Benny; and an ensemble including Garth Brady, James Kirk, Sean McComas, Ben Long, Keifer Kemmerly, Jasmine Burns, Megan Michael, Tiffany Beam, Nancy Stanciel, Crystal Ganong and Ashley Fink. "I like to listen to the actors and allow them to express their characters with their own voice," explains Arner. "This cast is fabulous and it's a joy to come down and work with them everyday. They have rallied around this show. They all love it and want it to do well. This cast has created a wonderful community and ultimately, this show truly is about community," says Arner. "There are few opportunities to see honest-to-goodness magic and this show creates it. It moves people for a reason."

The cast and crew of RENT are performing a special Fund-raising Cabaret, Friday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is by donation and all proceeds benefit YLT and The Black and White Party, a non-profit 501C3 organization dedicated to raising funds for HIV/AIDS organizations in South Central Pennsylvania. The Cabaret will feature a variety of musical numbers and rock songs in the spirit of RENT. The evening will also feature the official opening of The Ultimate Rent-Head Raffle featuring a basket full of exciting merchandise valued at approximately $150. A winner will be selected by random drawing at the closing performance of RENT and all proceeds benefit YLT and The Black and White Party. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5 and may be purchased at the Cabaret, at the YLT Box Office and at all RENT performances. The basket includes a RENT Broadway Performance Blu-ray; The Original RENT Broadway Cast Recording; The Final Broadway Performance Poster; Anthony Rapp's Memoir, Without You; a YLT RENT poster signed by the cast; A RENT T-shirt and pin; a gift certificate for dance lessons from Performing Arts Academy of York Dance Studio; tickets to coming YLT shows and more!

In the spirit of RENT, YLT's production includes a Show Ticket Lottery. All 10 shows are offering 10 tickets in the 10th row for $10, 10 minutes before curtain. Contestants must register for the lottery 30 minutes before curtain and winners must pay for their tickets with cash.

Performances are on July 29, 30, August 4, 5, 6 12 and 13 at 7:30; and July 31, August 7 and 14 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 -22 and group discounts are offered. More information and tickets are available by calling the box office at 717-854-5715, 11 - 5, Monday through Friday, or visiting www.ylt.org. Rent is sponsored by Rodd Robertson and Richard Nath, Media Sponsor, Flipside.

York Little Theatre, now enjoying its 78th season of shows, is a nonprofit community theatre which values and nurtures the irreplaceable role of the arts and is dedicated to engaging and enriching its entire, diverse community in the dramatic arts through a broad range of professionally directed, entertaining, stimulating, and sometimes provocative performances.

York Little Theatre is located at 27 South Belmont Street, York PA, just south of Market Street at the intersection of I83.

 

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