CENTREStage Youth Theatre (CYT) presents an uncut production of the Broadway musical RENT on Sunday April 25 at LIT Millennium Theatre, 3pm and again at 8pm.
RENT is a rock opera with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson that is based on 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, under the shadow of AIDS, the 20th century spectre of tuberculosis.
As with so many shows in town – Limerick Musical Society, CentreStage, Christmas concerts and fundraisers – the artistic director is Richie Ryan. He has assembled a huge cast for RENT, which is CYT’s fourth production, and its complex themes of challenge, success and failure in affairs of the heart as well as work and health.
With more actors on stage than is possible to list, Arts page can just glance at the principal parts, most of whom are 17 years of age. Tommy Collison plays the role of Mark Cohen, a struggling documentary filmmaker and best friend of Rent’s Roger Davis, HIV-positive musician who is recovering from heroin addiction played by Conor Clancy. Isadora Killeen is Mimi Marquez, a sexy HIV-positive stripper and dancer who is a heroin junkie and Roger’s love interest.
Robyn Cahill plays a spunky performance artist Maureen Johnson, Mark’s ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend of Joanne Jefferson. Jefferson is tough, headstrong Harvard-educated lawyer played by Aoife Doolan.
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. It’s the seventh longest running show in Broadway history and grossed over $280 million during its Broadway run.
The Limerick shows music director is Maire Keary Scanlon, Susan Ryan choreographs and Eoin Scanlon is assistant musical director.
Readers, do note that RENT contains adult language and situations.
You can book online at www.lit.ie
