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Philly loves @RentOnTour… back by popular demand @KimmelCenter 10/18-10/20, kicking off #BWYPHL 2019-20 season! More info at kimmelcenter.org. #ArtHappensHere
Press Contacts:
Lauren Woodard
(215) 790-5835
lwoodard@kimmelcenter.org
Carole Morganti, CJM Public Relations
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RENT RETURNS TO PHILADELPHIA FOR ENCORE ENGAGEMENT
OF 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
AT THE KIMMEL CENTER’S MERRIAM THEATER
OCTOBER 18 – 20
PRODUCTION WILL LAUNCH 2019-20 BROADWAY SEASON!
LOCAL PHILLY CAST MEMBER & FORMER KIMMEL CENTER SHOWSTOPPERS MUSICAL THEATER STUDENT STARRING IN LEAD ROLE!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, September 9, 2019) – Back by popular demand following a sold-out March 2019 engagement, the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus is proud to welcome back the RENT 20TH Anniversary Tour, returning to Philadelphia October 18 – 20 at the Merriam Theater on the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus, as the first production of the Kimmel Center’s new Broadway 2019-20 season.
“We are thrilled to once again give our fellow Philadelphians an opportunity to experience this wildly popular, powerful cult-classic musical” said Ed Cambron, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “Last spring’s sold-out engagement is a real testament to Philadelphia’s love affair with RENT. It’s the perfect musical to launch another storied Broadway season, as we continue to bring the best of touring Broadway to Broad Street!”
In addition, the cast features Philadelphia native Shafiq Hicks as Tom Collins and University of the Arts graduate Lexi Greene, who is a member of the ensemble and understudy for the role of Maureen Johnson. Shafiq performed as a member of the Kimmel Center’s musical theater ShowStoppers program and also attended the Kimmel Center’s Jazz camp. He graduated from the Philadelphia High School for the Performing Arts (CAPA) and is a student at Temple University when he is not on tour.
In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway… and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage in a vibrant 20th anniversary touring production. A re-imagining of Puccini's La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.
The show received its world premiere off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop on February 13, 1996 to ecstatic reviews and transferred to Broadway on April 29, 1996. RENT won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Based on original direction by Michael Greif (Tony and Drama Desk Nominations, RENT), Evan Ensign re-stages the 20th anniversary tour. Original Broadway creatives Marlies Yearby (Choreography), Angela Wendt (Costume Design), and Tim Weil (Music Supervision and Additional Arrangements) are joined by Jonathan Spencer (Lighting Design), Keith Caggiano (Sound Design), MiRi Park (Associate Choreographer), and Matthew E. Maraffi (adapting original scenic design by Paul Clay) to make up the creative team for the tour. Casting for the tour is by Wojcik | Seay Casting.
The RENT 20TH Anniversary Tour is produced by Work Light Productions, whose other touring productions include the 2016 Olivier Award-winning production of Jesus Christ Superstar, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Bandstand, and the upcoming tour of the Tony Award–winning musical Ain’t Too Proud.
RENT 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Kimmel Center Cultural Campus’ Merriam Theater
Friday, October 18 ,2019 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm
Recommended for ages 13 and older.
The listed age is a recommendation, but please use your own discretion when making a decision for your young-theatergoer. Ultimately, the recommended ages are guidelines. Only you will know how your child will respond to the live theater experience. Please consider the following factors when making your decision: the content in the show, age recommendations, the age and personal development of your child, and previous experiences. All patrons regardless of age require a ticket, including babes in arms.
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now and start at $45.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling (215) 893-1999, visiting www.kimmelculturalcampus.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling (215) 790-5883. More information at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org.
In addition, RENT will hold a ticket lottery. A limited number of seats in the first two rows of the orchestra will be available for $25 (cash only) for each performance of RENT. The $25 (cash only) tickets are available for in-person purchases at the Merriam Theater Box Office, located at 250 S. Broad St., on the day of each performance only, two hours prior to the show. The ($25) tickets are limited to two tickets per person, while supplies last.
The Shubert Organization
The Shubert Organization is America's oldest professional theatre company and the largest theatre owner on Broadway. Since the dawn of the 20th Century, Shubert has operated hundreds of theatres and produced hundreds of plays and musicals across the country. Shubert currently owns and operates seventeen Broadway theatres, six off-Broadway venues, and the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. Under the leadership of Philip J. Smith, Chairman, and Robert E. Wankel, President, Shubert continues to be a leader in the theatre industry. Notable productions and co-productions includeCats,Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls, The Heidi Chronicles,Jerome Robbins' Broadway,Amadeus, Children of a Lesser God,The Grapes of Wrath, Ain’t Misbehavin’,Hedwig and the Angry Inch,Spamalot, The Elephant Man, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,School of Rock,Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, and more. Shubert Ticketing sells millions of tickets each year through its Telecharge interface and private-label solutions—via a range of online distribution channels, box offices and call centers, and hundreds of third-party agents. Shubert’s ticketing brands offer unparalleled distribution and marketing to the theatre industry and beyond: Telecharge for retail ticket sales; Broadway Inbound for group sales and the travel industry; and Entertainment Benefits Group for corporate markets. The Shubert Foundation, sole shareholder of The Shubert Organization, Inc., is dedicated to sustaining and advancing live performing arts in the United States, providing $32 million in grants in 2018 to not-for-profit theatres and dance companies. The Shubert Archive is a special project of The Shubert Foundation.
The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region’s diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1 million guests per year and includes the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, the Academy of Music, and the Merriam Theater- representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. We are home to eight esteemed Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially-responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region’s young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is our proud sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2019-2020 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit www.kimmelculturalcampus.org.
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For a PDF version of this press release, click here.