Rent
Book, music, and lyrics by Jonathan Larson
Directed by Wendy Barrett and Wendi Brozek, choreography
by Brandon Harvey, musical direction by Margaret Miller
July 8-31, 2011
Jonathan Larson's
Pulitzer-prize winning Broadway
musical is based loosely on Puccini's opera La Boheme. It follows a
year in the lives of seven friends living the disappearing Bohemian
lifestyle in New York's East Village. AIDS and both its physical and
emotional complications pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Tom, and
Angel; Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance
art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the
trouble; Benjamin has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a
hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends; and Mark, an
aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general, always
behind the camera recording the events but never playing a part.
Rated
R
for
language
and adult
themes.
Cast &
Production crew announced:
| Brandon Ford | Brandon Ford (Mark Cohen) began
performing with the Flower Mound Performing Arts Theatre, formerly
Expressions School of Performing Arts, at the age of 13. He has
appeared in various local productions including Godspell, Beauty and
the Beast and Grease. Mr. Ford is the world's foremost authority on Sea
Monkey migration and makes a living consulting on such matters. In his
free time, Brandon enjoys writing haikus, challenging random strangers
to thumb-wars and dancing the occasional jig. |
| Dustin Simington | Dustin will appear in the role
of Mark Cohen on July 15 & 16. You can read more about him
below with the Ensemble. |
| Lance Morse | Lance Morse (Roger Davis) is
happy to return to the GLCT stage. He was last seen here as Frank
Butler in Annie Get Your Gun. Lance stays busy through the year as the
Theatre Director at Decatur High School, so the opportunity to act this
summer is a welcomed chance to recharge. He is extremely happy to be
working with this incredible company in a long-desired role. He sends
special thanks to his wife and daughter for re-arranging life to make
this a possibility. |
| Ecko Wilson | Ecko Wilson (Tom Collins) is
enjoying his first production with GLCT. Ecko performed previously in
other productions with the roles of Horse in The Full Monty, Lovin’ Al
in Working and Lucien P. Smith in The Boys Next Door as some of his
favorites. Rent has been a long-time love and means so much to him.
“This show speaks to my life and the people I love.” To all my loved
ones and friends, join us in the Life Café. |
| Michael McCray | Michael McCray (Angel Dumott
Schunard) is proud to be making his GLCT debut with this amazing show.
Some favorite roles include: Bare (Peter), Reefer Madness (Jimmy), Evil
Dead (Ed), Sweeney Todd (Anthony), Spelling Bee (Mitch Mendoza), Rocky
Horror (Frank), The Wild Party (Black), and Rent (Roger). "Thanks to
ALL of my “families” for their love and support of my passion for the
stage and the ever-increasing number of shows where I appear in tights
and makeup." |
| Rob Findlay | Rob Findlay (Benjamin Coffin
III) is happy to be making his debut at GLCT. A native of the
Chicago suburbs, he performed in numerous shows over the years before
relocating to Texas. Past favorite roles include Joseph in Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Danny Zuko in Grease, Scapino in
Scapino! and Felix in Do Black Patent Leather Shoes…? Rob would like to
thank his wife and family for their continuous love and support. |
| Caroline Dubberly | Caroline Dubberly (Mimi Marquez)
is a rising junior theatre major at the University of North Texas.
Previous roles at UNT include Ensemble in Godspell, Lily in Ah,
Wilderness and The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods, done with UNT's
opera department. At Webster University in St. Louis, she played
Ensemble in The Vagina Monologues and Daughter in the student short
film "Twenty-Six Stretches," which went on to receive wide acclaim at
the St. Louis Film Festival. Most recently, Caroline wrote a play which
was selected to be performed at Kitchen Dog Theatre in Dallas, and she
has just finished work with the Fort Worth Opera's production of The
Mikado. |
| Kelsey Macke | Kelsey Macke (Maureen Johnson) is a newcomer to the GLCT stage. Recently she appeared in Music Theatre of Denton's productions of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Christine) and Funny Girl (Vera). The message of love, tolerance and living life to the fullest fuels her passion for this piece. To the cast and crew, she expresses her undying gratitude for sharing this "season of love" in her life. To family and friends, thank you for the continuous support. To Missy, her original "pookie," and to Daron, her favorite brooding rock star and partner in crime, thank you for lighting the candle. |
| Octavia Thomas | Octavia Y. Thomas (Joanne Jefferson) is thrilled to join GLCT with this tremendous show. Most recently seen as Chantelle in Bare at Ohlook! Performing Arts Center and Meredith in Batboy at the ArtCentre Theatre in Plano, she has performed in several theater venues throughout the DFW Metroplex, including Lyric Stage, Theatre Arlington, Dallas Children’s Theater, Theatre Britain, Stage West and Repertory Company Theatre. She would like to thank the cast and production team for making this a memorable experience, and her family and friends for their continued support. Miss Thomas received her BA from the University of Texas at Dallas. |
| Ensemble: | |
| Josh Bradford is very excited to be a part of this cast of Rent. Josh was recently acclaimed as “the star of the production” for his music directing, arranging, and musical performance for Rose Marine’s production of Kiss of the Spider Woman. He is an independent music artist who has written for six theatrical productions and released three CDs of original songs and compositions. Thank you to the great and supportive directing team and cast of Rent, and very supportive friends: Kathy, Bob, Matt, Paul, Robert, Rudy and the Neighborhood Grillers throughout this very difficult but rewarding year. This performance is dedicated to the more than 20 people I have befriended in the past six months who live with HIV and who have opened up to me in such a profound way about the lives they choose to live every day. | |
| Tony Capps is a senior theatre major at the University of North Texas. He was last seen on stage in The Rocky Horror Show and assistant directed Godspell at UNT. After Rent, he will be co-directing Reefer Madness at UNT next spring. Some of his favorite roles include Joe in Damn Yankees and Mort in Plaza Suite. He would like to thank his best friend Amanda for all of her love and support! | |
| Lindsey Hall graduated in May from the University of North Texas with a BA in theatre performance. She was a member of the Honors College and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Some of her favorite past roles include Elaine in Arsenic & Old Lace, Gloria in Wait Until Dark and Lainie in Two Rooms. She was most recently seen in the mainstage UNT production of Godspell, directed by Bob Hess. She is thrilled to be part of a show with such a loving, uniting message. | |
| Rhiannon Houston is excited to be part of her first show at GLCT! You may have seen her previously as herself in Godspell, Mildred in Ah, Wilderness!, Lydia in Big Love, Conchita in Copacabana or Grace Anderson in What I Did Last Summer. She would like to thank her friends and family for being so supportive! Visit Living Green Outdoor | |
| Danielle Martin is a senior at TCU, where she is pursuing a BFA in theatre with an emphasis in musical theatre and a minor in art. During her time there, she has appeared in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenniere), Spike Heels (Georgie), Urinetown (Soupy Sue), and Talking With (Handler), in addition to serving as Makeup Designer for Midsummer. After graduation, she plans to be a working actor and rock star in DFW. | |
| Matthew Purvis is a 22-year-old senior at UNT. He has been involved in many different theaters around the area, and some of his favorite roles include Scott in Evil Dead the Musical, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Brad in Rocky Horror, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Van in Dog Sees God and Jason in Bare: A Pop Opera. Matt is thrilled to be making his GLCT debut in Rent and would like to thank all of the production crew and cast for making it such an enjoyable experience. | |
| Justin
Reed is a junior vocal
education major at Texas Tech University. He graduated from Lewisville
High School in 2009. Justin has performed in such shows as I Love You,
You’re Perfect, Now Change, Sweeney Todd, La Boheme and Candide. He
will also be appearing in TTU’s fall production of The Secret Garden.
This is Justin’s first performance with GLCT. He would like to thank
his parents for all their love and support. |
|
| Fatima
Rodriguez is making her
debut performance at GLCT. She currently attends TCU and is pursuing a
BFA in theatre with an emphasis in musical theatre. She hails from
Southern California where she has done various shows, as well as a few
in the DFW Metroplex. Favorite roles include Carmen Diaz in Fame, Niki
in the original musical Fuselage and Dolores in Area 51. After
graduation, Fatima plans to pursue theater as a profession. |
|
| Dustin Simington is glad to be making his debut on the Greater Lewisville stage! He was last seen as Jesus in Godspell. You may have also seen him in such roles as Richard in Ah, Wilderness!, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Don Lockwood in Singin' in the Rain, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, and Jason Posner in W;t. He plans to seek professional employment in theater. He would like to thank his friends and family for being so supportive and just generally being awesome. | |
| Maryann Williams is from Allen, Texas and is a sophomore musical theatre major at Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas. At Lon Morris’s Zula Pearson Theatre, Maryann most recently portrayed Vera in The Odd Couple and Little Inez in Hairspray. Maryann is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Greater Lewisville Community Theatre as an ensemble member in Rent this summer. | |
| Production Crew: | |
| Directors: | Wendy Barrett & Wendi Brozek |
| Musical Director: | Margaret Miller |
| Choreographer: | Brandon Harvey |
| Stage Manager: | Cody Williams |
| Tech Director: | John
Damian, Sr |
| Assistant Tech Director: | Shawn Lundy |
| Costumes: | Nancy Birkett |
| Costume Assistants: | Katie Birkett & Bryan Carroll |
| Set Artists: | Ron Givens & Brian Scott Hampton |
| Video Production: |
Kelvin
Baugh
& Kris Henderson |
| Spotlight Operator: |
Chris
Burras |
| Set Crew: |
Adam Honore',
Grant Williams |
| Orchestra: |
|
| Keyboard: Margo Dillard Drums: Paul Jaso |
Guitar: Jason
Smith Bass: John Macintyre |
