HATHAWAY BROWN THEATRE INSTITUTE
OPENS ITS SUMMER SEASON WITH
RENT: SCHOOL EDITION
Winner of the TONY award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Rent has become an iconic pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. Transposing Puccini’s 100 year old opera La Boheme into the modern day Bohemia of New York City’s East Village, Rent is an emotionally stirring story about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. As the opening production in its stellar third season, Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute will treat audiences to this modern masterpiece for six electrifying performances, from July 3 – 12, 2015 at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
Performances for RENT: SCHOOL EDITION will be July 3 – 12; July 3, 9, 10 and 11 at 7:30 pm and July 5 and 12 at 2:00 pm on the main stage at Hathaway Brown School, 19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122. Tickets are $11-15 and may be purchased online at www.hb.edu/tickets, by calling 216.320.8796 ext. 7270, or at the door (if available) the day of the performance.
The production features a cast of 28 young people, including Matt Gittins as Mark, Adam Hass-Hill as Roger, Rachel Hoy as Mimi, Leah Saltzer as Maureen, Isabel Billinghurst as Joanne, Cyle Ezekiel Black as Angel, Grant Michael Guyton as Collins and Michael Swain-Smith as Benny. In the company are Seth Bryte, Sweta Datta, Halle Dray, Danielle Duke, Natalie Fischer, Ashley Foster, Jenna Freireich, Sydney Keller, Hannah Kulawiak, Sophie Longo, Ona Martini, Jessica Miller, Jack Philbin, Hannah Schmidt, Mary Sikorovsky, Carson Strnisa, Karson Taylor, Ryan Vincent, Morgan Faith Williams and Ally Yellets. All are students of HBTI who hail from cities throughout Northeast Ohio.
Rent: School Edition, with book, music and lyrics by Jonathon Larson, is directed by Fred Sternfeld.
The HBTI creative team includes Mario Clopton as Music Director, Bebe Weinberg Katz as Choreographer, Ron Newell as Set Designer, Scott Chapman as Lighting Designer, Jackie Guerra as costume designer, Carlton Guc as Sound Designer and Lydia Chanenka as Properties Designer.
Now in its third year, the Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute was created by the Performing Arts Department of Hathaway Brown School. It is a co-ed program open to students across the region in first grade through college. HBTI offers three sessions (June 15 - July 3, July 6 - 24, and July 27 - August 7) with coursework in drama, dance, and music. The program provides high-level training from working artists for young people interested in the performing arts, as well as professional-level production experiences. Students of HBTI's staff of professional artists have gone on to perform on Broadway, in regional theatre, and in film and television.
Visit www.hb.edu/summer for complete description of dates, courses and registration as well as a listing of HB's many other summer offerings.
About Rent: School Edition Director
Fred Sternfeld:
Fred Sternfeld is an award-winning
stage director, with more than 100 shows to his credit. For HBTI, Fred co-directed A Chorus Line and directed The King and I. For more information
about Fred, visit www.fredsternfeld.com.
In addition to RENT, HBTI will present Little Women (July 17 – 26) directed by India Burton, and Oklahoma! , directed and choreographed by Bebe Weinberg Katz (July 31-August 9).
New this year, HBTI is also pleased to offer a Summer Subscription Package. When you select this option, you'll receive one General Admission ticket to three separate shows. Visit HBTI’s online box office at www.hb.edu/tickets for more information.
For more information about HBTI or RENT: SCHOOL EDITION or any of the other productions please contact Bebe Weinberg Katz, HBTI Director at bkatz@hb.edu