PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS
Rent
Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Musical arrangements by Steve Skinner. Original concept/additional lyrics by Billy Aronson. Musical supervision and additional arrangements by Tim Weil. Dramaturg Lynn Thomson.
Pioneer Theatre Company presents Jonathan Larson’s revolutionary pop-rock opera Rent June 10 through June 25, 2011.
Rent is the cutting-edge musical, based on Puccini’s opera La Boheme, that electrified a whole generation of theatergoers. Rent tells the story of seven friends in the AIDS-ravaged New York City of the 1990s: Roger, Mimi, Tom, Angel, Maureen, Joanne and Mark share their struggle to support themselves and celebrate their lives in spite of the crises that confront them, from shifting romantic entanglements to preserving their artistic integrity to the life-and-death struggle with a disease that is threatening almost everyone they know.
Contains mature themes and strong language.
The principal cast is comprised of JASON GOTAY as Angel Schunard, ANDY MIENTUS as Mark Cohen, FABIO MONTEIRO as Roger Davis, HALLE MORSE as Mimi Marquez, RACHEL MOULTON as Maureen Johnson, ADRIENNE MULLER as Joanne Jefferson, NIK WALKER as Tom Collins, and GREGORY L. WILLIAMS as Benjamin Coffin III.
Playing percussionist Angel Schunard, JASON GOTAY’s New York credits include Sweet Charity, Bright Lights Big City, Dog Sees God and Thoroughly Modern Millie, among others. He appeared in Rent at Westchester Broadway Theatre (understudying the role of Angel), and inShenandoah and The King and I at Gretna Theatre. This marks his PTC debut.
ANDY MIENTUS plays the documentary filmmaker Mark Cohen. Mientus appeared as Hanschen in the original touring company of Spring Awakening, directed by Michael Mayer. He received an Outstanding Individual Performance Award for the New York Musical Festival production Shine! Mientus has appeared in many New York workshops including new work for The Roundabout Theatre Company, MCC Theater, The McCarter and Broadway Across America. This is his PTC debut.
The musician Roger Davis, struggling with his art and his own personal demons, is played byFABIO MONTEIRO. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monteiro has appeared all over the U.S. His credits include Hair (Berger), Les Misérables (Enjolras), Aida (Radames), West Side Story (Tony), R&H’s Cinderella (The Prince), My Fair Lady (Freddy) as well as the European and Japanese tours of The Who’s Tommy (Lover/Hawker). He makes his PTC debut in Rent.
The young, spirited dancer Mimi Marquez is played by HALLE MORSE. Morse appeared on Broadway as Lisa in Mamma Mia! Her regional credits include Little Inez in Hairspray, Little Sally in Urinetown, Carmen in Fame, Francisca in West Side Story and Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly! at theatres across the country. This marks her PTC debut.
Playing the performance artist Maureen Johnson is RACHEL MOULTON. Moulton appeared off-Broadway as Young Zelda Fitzgerald in This Side of Paradise (Theatre at St. Clements). Regional credits include Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (John W. Engeman Theater), Dory inFinding Nemo: The Musical (Walt Disney World), Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream(Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), and Frankie in The Member of the Wedding (The RedHouse). She returns to PTC after appearing in Black Comedy earlier this season.
ADRIENNE MULLER plays the ambitious lawyer in love with Maureen, Joanne Jefferson. Muller’s credits include Nala in the First National Tour of The Lion King and the original Las Vegas cast of Mamma Mia! Regional credits include Hair (Alpine Theatre Project), Aida (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), Les Misérables (Atlanta TOTS), Caroline, Or Change, Ragtime,Smokey Joe’s Cafe (TheatreWorks, CA), among many others. This is her PTC debut.
NIK WALKER plays the anarchist and philosophy professor Tom Collins. Walker’s credits include the national tour of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Theatreworks USA), and regional credits including Rent (as Benny, Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY), Man of La Mancha(Hangar, dir. Peter Flynn), Topdog/Underdog (The Stella Adler Studio), Assassins (Company One in Boston). A playwright and spoken word poet, Nik is the co-founder of the poetry theater ensemble ARTiculation and The Burning Pony Theater Company in NYC. This marks his PTC debut.
The group’s landlord and former roommate Benny is played by GREGORY L. WILLIAMS. His New York credits include Broadway’s Rising Stars III (Town Hall) and York Theatre’s 4@15 production of The Wake. He was in the national tour of the Lincoln Center production of South Pacific, and has appeared regionally across the country. This is his PTC debut.
The cast also includes ensemble members STEPHANIE CHACE BASS, GINGER BESS,ARIANA ESCALANTE, DAVID HOLMES, ERIC JACKSON, IVORY MCKAY, LATOYA RHODES and DANIEL T. SIMONS.
Guest artist KAREN AZENBERG directs and choreographs the production. In New York City,Azenberg directed Blocks (an early work by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Jonathan Larson), as well as The Soup Comes Last by Rachel Lampert at 59E59 Theatre, among others. Azenberg is current president of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. She returns to PTC after choreographing the record-breaking musical Les Misérables, as well as choreographing and directing Miss Saigon.
HELEN GREGORY music directs and conducts the production. Gregory’s credits include national tours of Oklahoma! Grease and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She has also worked at regional theatres across the country, including the Asolo Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, and the Maltz-Jupiter Theatre, where her work has received six Carbonell Award nominations. This is her PTC debut.
Scenic design is by PTC resident set designer GEORGE MAXWELL. Favorite PTC designs include Chicago, Les Misérables, Metamorphoses, Enchanted April, The Importance of Being Earnest, West Side Story, Proof, Peter Pan, Noises Off, Man of La Mancha, Ain’t Misbehavin’,The Foreigner, and Miss Saigon. He has designed the sets for Utah Opera Company’s The Coronation of Poppea and The Ballad of Baby Doe, and productions for the Utah Shakespeare Festival and Alabama Shakespeare Festival. George is a member of United Scenic Artists.
BRENDA VAN DER WIEL designs costumes for this production. As costume shop manager for the University of Utah’s Theatre Department, Van der Wiel has designed several dozen shows for the Babcock Theatre and the Classical Greek Theatre Festival. She also frequently designs for Salt Lake Acting Company and the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. In addition to many other credits at PTC, she has worked with Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.
Lighting design is by guest designer MICHAEL GILLIAM. Gilliam returns to PTC after designing for last season’s A Chorus Line and Romeo & Juliet. His Broadway credits include Brooklyn, Big River and Stand-Up Tragedy. He also designed for the national tours of Brooklyn, Guys and Dolls and Big River. Hair and makeup design (including wigs) is by PTC resident designerAMANDA FRENCH; sound design is by PTC resident designer MATTHEW TIBBS.
Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah’s premier resident professional theatre, performs at Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, located on the University of Utah campus at 300 South and 1400 East in Salt Lake City, easily accessible by TRAX light rail. Free parking is also available and the theatre is equipped with an elevator, handicap parking, hearing assistance devices and other easy-access features.
# # #
MEDIA RECEPTION: There will be a special media reception on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 from 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. 1400 E., SLC. Media will have an opportunity to interview and meet with the cast and members of the artistic team one-on-one in the lobby of the theatre. Cameras will then be allowed into the rehearsal hall to record a segment of a live rehearsal after the meet-and-greet (filming is limited to 30 minutes; no more than 3 minutes of any recorded portion of the performance shall be broadcast, nor may edited footage shown depict an entire scene or musical number).
MEDIA PHOTO SHOOT: There will be a media photo shoot on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. at Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. 1400 E., SLC. Please emailheather.nowlin@ptc.utah.edu to RSVP.
PHOTOS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD: High-resolution color photos of this production will be available for media use on the PTC website beginning Wednesday, June 1, 2011 after 3:00 p.m. Go directly to http://www.pioneertheatre.org/press-room/media-photos/
TV CAMERA FILMING: Filming a short segment of the production during Preview or Opening Night for press use can be arranged. Call 801-581-6270.
INTERVIEWS: Interviews with the cast and artistic staff are available. Call 801-581-7222.
PRESS TOURS: Tours of the set for the press are available. Call 801-581-6270.
WHO: Pioneer Theatre Company WHAT: Rent Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Musical arrangements by Steve Skinner. Original concept/additional lyrics by Billy Aronson. Musical supervision and additional arrangements by Tim Weil. Dramaturg Lynn Thomson. WHEN: June 10 through June 25, 2011 TIMES: Mondays – Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 8:00 p.m. Saturday matinees, 2:00 p.m. WHERE: Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre 300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City PRICE: $34 – $54 ($39-$59 day of show) Children in grades K – 12 are half price on Mondays and Tuesdays MORE INFO: Box Office (801) 581-6961 Open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Mon – Fri www.pioneertheatre.org
CAST:
Stephanie Chace Bass……………………………………………… Ensemble
Ginger Bess*…………………………………………………………. Ensemble
Ariana Escalante……………………………………………………… Ensemble
Jason Gotay*…………………………………………………………. Angel Schunard
David Guy Holmes…………………………………………………. Ensemble
Eric Jackson*…………………………………………………………. Ensemble
Ivory McKay*……………………………………………………….. Ensemble
Andy Mientus*………………………………………………………. Mark Cohen
Fabio Monteiro*…………………………………………………….. Roger Davis
Halle Morse*…………………………………………………………. Mimi Marquez
Rachel Moulton*……………………………………………………. Maureen Johnson
Adrienne Muller*……………………………………………………. Joanne Jefferson
Latoya Rhodes……………………………………………………….. Ensemble
Daniel T. Simons*………………………………………………….. Ensemble
Nik Walker*………………………………………………………….. Tom Collins
Gregory L. Williams*……………………………………………… Benjamin Coffin III
* Denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association.
ARTISTIC TEAM:
Director/Choreographer……………………………………… Karen Azenberg
Asst. to the Director/Choreographer……………………… Eric Santagata
Music Director………………………………………………….. Helen Gregory
Set Designer……………………………………………………… George Maxwell
Costume Designer……………………………………………… Brenda Van der Wiel
Lighting Designer……………………………………………… Michael Gilliam
Sound Designer………………………………………………… Matthew Tibbs
Hair & Makeup Designer…………………………………… Amanda French