Helmed by Alex Perez, who has toured with the show nationally, Harbor Lights' staging of Rent will play Sept. 18 - Oct. 4 at the Snug Harbor Music Hall. Perez says he plans to re-envision the show, telling the story primarily through strong movement and dance.
"I’m treating the show as a long form music video. Telling the story through dance, and the timeless music by Jonathan Larson. It’s enough to satisfy Rent fans, and to intrigue new audiences," commented Perez on the show's website.
The production joins the 5th Floor Company's presentation of Rent, beginning Sept. 23 at Long Island City's Secret Theatre, directed by Nick Brennan. Read more details here.
The musical will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year (Rent officially opened Jan. 25, 1996, at New York Theatre Workshop before transferring to Broadway in April 1996).
"When we decided we wanted to do Rent to celebrate the show’s 20th year, we were clear that we didn’t want a re-mounting. We did not want a carbon copy. We wanted a new vision for the show," says executive artistic director Tamara Jenkins on the Harbor Lights website. "We wanted a fresh, young, cast – not of imitators, but of real people. We have found a superbly talented cast to bring the show to life at Harbor Lights and a director with a clear, new vision." The cast features Travis Artz (Roger), Nick DeVito (Mark), Denzel Edmondson (Benny), Madeline B. Fansler (Joanne), Monte J. Howell (Tom Collins), Michael J. Mainwaring (Angel), Emily Jeanne Phillips (Mimi) and Zuri Washington (Maureen).
Filling out the cast are Philip Bolton, Hannah K. MacDonald, Nate McClure, Gavyn Pickens, Ben Rosenbach, Michael Sheehy and Josephine Spada.
The creative team includes Charles Santoro as musical director, Kia Rogers (lighting design), Nathaniel Butler (sound design), Carl Tallent (set design) and Kurt Alger (costume design). Natalie Wisniewski is props mistress, production stage manager is Brendan O’Brien, assistant stage manager is Chris Luner and technical direction is by Michael Mastromarino.
Tickets are priced from $35. Visit HLTC or call Ovationtix at (866) 811-4111 to purchase tickets or for more information.
