PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, January 7, 2010 CONTACT: Patrick Finlon, Marketing Director 315-443-2636 or [email protected]

Syracuse Stage and S.U. Drama Present:

Rent The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Rock Musical

Music, Lyrics and Book by Jonathan Larson Directed and Choreographed by Anthony Salatino Musical Direction by Sarah Pickett

ARCHBOLD THEATRE at SYRACUSE STAGE Running Dates: January 18 – February 13 Press Opening: Friday, January 21 at 8:00 p.m.

(Syracuse, NY)—Jonathan Larson’s Broadway phenomenon ignites the stage with passion and energy. One year—525,600 minutes—in the lives of seven young friends from Alphabet City brings love, loss, tragedy and triumph in a whirl of non-stop music. Larson built the show on the artists and addicts he knew in his neighborhood as they battled poverty, drugs, AIDS and the looming gentrification of their Vie Bohème. Urban and gritty, this Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical brims with raw emotion and infectious enthusiasm.

Running January 18-February 13 at Syracuse Stage, is co-produced by Syracuse Stage and the Department of Drama in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (S.U. Drama). Tickets range $16-$48, available at 315-443-3275 or www.SyracuseStage.org. Rent is supported by The Reisman Foundation, Chase Bank, Constellation Energy, Hiscock & Barclay, and Key Bank. Media Sponsors are the Central Business Journal, Eagle Newspapers, and Urban CNY. Syracuse Stage season sponsors are The Post-Standard and Time Warner Cable.

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Based on Puccini's La Boheme, Rent opened off-Broadway in January 1996 to wide critical acclaim. It quickly moved to its Broadway home, the Nederlander Theatre, and went on to win the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for drama and four , including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote, “What makes Rent so wonderful is its extraordinary spirit of hopeful defiance and humanity.” The show ran on Broadway for 12 years, making it the eighth longest running Broadway musical in history.

Rent's original cast featured SU Drama alumnus Taye Diggs '93, , and Adam Pascal, with direction by Michael Greif (, ). Composer, lyricist and scribe Jonathan Larson died suddenly of an aortic aneurism just before previews began off-Broadway, a testament to Larson's message that there is "no day but today."

The Syracuse Stage cast of Rent will feature eight professional actors in leading roles, performing alongside 11 students from SU's Department of Drama who will take on double- duty performing in the ensemble and understudying the principal characters.

Rent marks the 11th time since the year 2000 that Syracuse Stage and S.U. Drama have co- presented a large-scale show, continuing a mutually beneficial relationship that allows Syracuse Stage the resources to produce fully realized productions with large ensembles, while offering a learning opportunity for SU Drama students that is unique among undergraduate theatre programs. Director, choreographer and SU Drama professor Anthony Salatino has directed, choreographed, or directed and choreographed each of the Stage/Drama co-productions, including this season’s Rent.

LOBBY DISPLAY BY ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

An exhibit provided by the Onondaga Historical Association, mounted in Stage's Coyne Lobby during the run of Rent, will trace the origin of the term Bohemianism from the 17th through the 19th centuries. The main portion of the exhibit will highlight the similarities between the late 20th century Bohemian characters depicted in Rent and certain complementary segments of our own local population from the same time period. From the struggle for gay rights, through the stigma of HIV and the controversy over needle exchange and rehabilitation programs, to the establishment of artist communities and affordable, appropriate housing, the exhibit covers the local aspects of the principle subjects represented in Rent.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Prologue: One hour before every performance (except the Wednesday matinee) a cast member will offer an insightful and entertaining talk about the play. Supported by the Grandma Brown Foundation.

M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Can Series: Sunday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m. to watch the final dress rehearsal. $9 suggested donation, tickets available at the door 1 hour prior to curtain.

LGBT Pride Series: Thursday, January 20, one hour before the 7:30 p.m. show. Food, music & friends.

LIVE in the Sutton Series: Friday, January 21, live music following the 8:00 p.m. curtain.

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Happy Hour Series: Thursday, January 27, one hour before the 7:30 performance. Half-price bar drinks and complimentary snacks.

Welch Allyn Signed Performance Series In Memory of Susan Thompson: Saturday, January 29 at 3:00 p.m.

Actor Talkback Series: Sunday, January 30 following the 7:00 p.m. show.

Wednesday @ 1 Lecture Series: Wednesday, February 9 at 1 p.m.

Open Caption Series: Wednesday, February 9 at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 13 at 2 p.m.

*Special event programs are additionally funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation/The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and administered by Theatre Communications Group, the National Organization for the American Theatre.

TICKETS

Adults: $25-$48 40 & Under: $25 18 & Under: $16 Student Rush: $15

*Rush tickets available day of performance, by phone ($5 fee) or in person (no fee) *Discounts available for seniors, students, groups and subscribers

Online: www.SyracuseStage.org Call: 315-443-3275 In person: 820 East Genesee Street Groups (10 or more): 315-443-9844

SYRACUSE STAGE

Syracuse Stage is Central New York’s premier professional theatre. Founded in 1974, Stage has produced more than 230 plays in 37 seasons including a number of world, American, and East Coast premieres. Each season 90,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays and bold interpretations of classics and musicals featuring the finest theatre artists. In addition, Stage maintains a vital educational outreach program that annually serves over 30,000 students from 24 counties. A solid core of subscribers and supporters helps keep Syracuse Stage a vibrant artistic presence in Central New York. Additional support comes from the government, foundations, corporations and Syracuse University. Syracuse Stage is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and a member of the Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance (ACLA), the University Hill Corporation and the East Genesee Regent Association. Syracuse Stage is a member of The League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association in the country.

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Fact Sheet

Syracuse Stage and SU Drama Present:

Rent The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Rock Musical

Music, Lyrics and Book by Jonathan Larson Directed and Choreographed by Anthony Salatino Musical Direction by Sarah Pickett

ARCHBOLD THEATRE at SYRACUSE STAGE Running Dates: January 18 – February 13 Press Opening: Friday, January 21 at 8:00 p.m.

SYRACUSE STAGE SEASON SPONSORS: The Post-Standard Time Warner Cable

PRESENTING SPONSOR: The Reisman Foundation

SPONSORS: Chase Bank Constellation Energy Hiscock & Barclay Key Bank

MEDIA SPONSORS: Central New York Business Journal Eagle Newspapers Urban CNY

CAST Stanley Bahorek (Mark) Jordan Barbour (Tom Collins) Ross Baum (Ensemble) LilyAnn Carlson (Ensemble) Ken Clark (Roger) John Duff (Ensemble) Aisling Halpin (Ensemble) Jené Hernandez (Mimi) Antwayn Hopper (Benny, Ensemble) Mary Claire King (Ensemble) Katie LaMark (Ensemble) Sammy Lopez (Ensemble) Mia Michelle McClain (Ensemble) Matthew Hazen McGuire (Ensemble)

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Eric Meyers (Ensemble) Marcelo Pereira (Ensemble) Rashidra Scott (Joanne) Jose Sepulveda (Angel) Hannah Shankman (Maureen, Ensemble)

DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER Anthony Salatino

MUSICAL DIRECTOR Sarah Pickett

DESIGNERS Troy Hourie (Scenic Designer) Jessica Ford (Costume Designer) Dawn Chiang (Lighting Design) Jonathan R. Herter (Sound Designer) Daniel Aguilera (Videographer)

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Stuart Plymesser

The names in bold are actors and stage managers who are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

TICKETS: Adults: $25-$48 40 & Under: $25 18 & Under: $16 Student Rush: $15

*Rush tickets available day of performance, by phone ($5 fee) or in person (no fee) *Discounts available for seniors, students, groups and subscribers

Online: www.SyracuseStage.org Call: 315-443-3275 In person: 820 East Genesee Street Groups (10 or more): 315-443-9844

SHOW CALENDAR: January/February

SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

7:30 7:30 P 7:30 P 7:30 P 8:00 O 3:00 PWYC 8:00

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

5

2:00 7:30 7:30 7:30 8:00 3:00 S

8:00

30 31 1 2 3 4 5

2:00 7:30 7:30 7:30 8:00 3:00

7:00 D 8:00

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

2:00 2:00 7:30 3:00 OC, W 8:00 7:30 13

2:00 OC

PWYC=Pay What You Can Night (Final Dress Rehearsal) P=Preview O=Press Opening, LIVE in the Sutton Series D=Actor Talkback Series S=Signed Performance Series W=Wednesday @ 1 Lecture Series OC = Open Captioning

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Syracuse Stage I Producing Artistic Director: Timothy Bond I Managing Director: Jeffrey Woodward 820 E. Genesee St. I Main: 315-443-4008 I Box Office: 315-443-3275 I www.syracusestage.org

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