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The Weekend Theater Presents
Rent (Musical)
Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
July 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26
There may be "no day but today," but that's all the more reason to live it as passionately as possible - or so the philosophy goes among the creative young characters of "Rent," the second in the series of summer musicals at the Weekend Theater in downtown Little Rock.
The rock opera with book, music, and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, a Broadway mainstay for 12 years, gets its first locally produced Little Rock staging this month, opening with a performance at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10 in the Weekend Theater performance space at Seventh and Chester streets. The show, sponsored by Moses Tucker Real Estate, continues at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through July 26. Tickets are $18 for general admission and $14 for students and seniors age 65 and older.
"Rent" is
recommended for mature audiences. For more information or reservations, call
501-374-3761 or visit www.weekendtheater.org
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, "Rent" attracted a passionate following from the time it premiered in 1996, first in an intimate off-Broadway venue before popular demand prompted a move to Broadway proper.
John Thompson, director of the Little Rock production, was not one of those "Rent heads" to start with, though he did like the show.
"This is the first time I've directed a show I didn't know from inside and out. The advantage of that is, I see it from a new perspective, not of how it 'should' be," he says.
Not that there will be any radical revisions, of course. "If something works, you don't try to fix it, but we will put our own spin on things," Thompson says.
"Rent" was inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Boheme" - instead of artistic young bohemians living in 19th-century Paris, we have artistic young bohemians in 20th-century New York, pursuing their passions in the Alphabet City neighborhood of Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Tuberculosis was the dread disease overshadowing Puccini's people, while Larson's live with the specter of AIDS. But to say that "Rent" is "about AIDS" is an oversimplification, Thompson says, as there are so many other themes, such as dealing with drug abuse, maintaining integrity in pursuit of your art, and overcoming prejudice.
The action begins on Christmas Eve, during which we meet the core group. Mark Cohen (Gabriel Washam), a filmmaker, is putting together a documentary about the neighborhood and its people. Roger Davis (Greg Robinson), a songwriter, and Mimi Marquez (Laura Choate), an exotic dancer, both HIV positive, meet and are drawn to each other. Maureen Johnson (Micah Qualls), a bisexual performance artist and former girlfriend of Mark, is now the girlfriend of Joanne Jefferson (Kim Duval) a20lawyer. Tom Collins (James Thweatt), is a gay philosophy professor and anarchist with AIDS, while Angel Dumott Schunard (Brandon Nichols ) is a drag queen, also with AIDS. Not so welcome is Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III (Darren Drone ) a former resident of the area who has married into a wealthy family, bought the buildings where most of the gang lives and, going against his promise to let them live rent free, is insisting on charging for the space.
Then, in Act 2, we follow these people over the course of a year, as they try to keep the connections between each other alive, to live lives that rise above the commonplace, maintaining some semblance of integrity and dignity.
Along the way, we also see the friends, family, and various others populating the scene, played by local actors Courtney Speyer (Alexi Darling), Jennifer S. Jackson (Mark’s Mom/Others), Kevin Green (Joanne’s Dad/Mr. Grey/Others), Regi Ott (Joanne’s Mom/Mother Earth/Others), Ryan Whitfield (The Man/Others), Caroline Holt (Roger’s Mother/Others), Roben R. Johnson (Mimi’s mother/Others), Danette Scott Perry (Blanket Lady/Others), Anthony Gerard (Squeegee Man/Others), Christopher B. Straw (Pastor/Others), Jeremy Ricketson (Gordon/Others), Carl Carter (Steve/Restaurant Man/Others), and Amanda Craven (Coat Vendor/Others)
"I've never worked with a more dedeicated, passionate, group of people," Thompson says, adding that many of the cast members were well acquainted with the show, and those who20didn't arrive already knowing their lines learned them pretty quickly.
Music direction is by Lori Isner. "Seasons of Love," is the one song that even those unacquainted with the show would know, as it gets a lot of air time, but Thompson also notes that the score is filled with strong songs, including "La Vie Boheme," "Another Day," "Rent," "I'll Cover You," and "Living in America."
In addition to the already passionate fans, Thompson is hoping to draw in folks who have never seen it before - perhaps like some of the original attendees of "Rent" in New York, who weren't particularly musical fans, but became enchanted by the passion and humanity in the show.
"The people who love the show are going to love it even more and people who are not sure about it will be surprised at the emotional impact," he says.
Rent is recommended for mature audiences only.
Curtain Times
On Fridays and Saturdays, curtain times are at 7:30 p.m.
For special Sunday showings (Musicals only) curtain times are at 2:30 p.m.
The Box Office opens 1 hour prior to curtain.
The House opens 30 minutes prior to curtain.
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