This summer, students who have completed grades 8-12 from Canton, Avon, Simsbury, Hartford, Vernon and other towns in the Greater Hartford area and Farmington Valley will come together to produce and perform a dynamic production of RENT: School Edition. This school edition of RENT has been reworked so that it retains its dramatic intent as an historical piece, based on the Puccini opera, La Bohème. While still including the well-known and well-loved songs such as Seasons of Love and La Vie Bohème, some content has been edited or removed to make the show appropriate for high school students to perform.
Avon Summer Theater values all aspects of production, onstage as well as behind the scenes. There are two components to our program, On-stage Performers and Technical Theater (behind the scenes,) and the experience includes half-day rehearsals or technical work for the month of July, except for the final week, which requires extended hours. The diversity of the cast provides great opportunities for the young actors to get to know new friends through shared activities such as bowling, private screenings of movies at the Avon Library, singing at Sweet Frog and the mall and more. “I look forward to AST every year,” says Rachel Beauregard, a junior at Classical Magnet School. “It is great to connect with old and new friends and so much fun to be part of a great production. RENT will be especially good because of its modern music and great songs.”
The show is directed by Doreen Cohn, with Terri Rowe as choreographer, Diana Lawler as music director and Ken Jones as technical director.
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No auditions required! Auditions for the main characters have already been held, but there are great ensemble opportunities with spotlight solos available. Rehearsals culminate in an exciting production July 24-27 at Avon High School. The cost for Avon Summer Theater is $250 for actors, $50 for tech participants, and the program will close at 40 students. Please see the website for more information, and to register. www.avonsummertheater.com
