Luke Sheppard will return to Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre this summer to direct a revival of Jonathan Larson’s innovative musical Rent.
Returning to the Ancoats venue for the first time since his critically acclaimed production of Spring Awakening in 2018, the director of current West End hit & Juliet will take charge of the new production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning show which is due to play a strictly limited season from 31 July until 30 August 2020.
Produced by A Factory of Creativity CIO for Hope Mill Theatre, Rent will be the second in-house production of 2020 at the award-winning Manchester theatre following on from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella in May and June.
Commenting on the production, Sheppard said: “The Hope Mill Theatre has emerged as a ground-breaking environment to experience theatre that is loud, proud and pushing at boundaries. After redefining musical theatre for a generation, Rent is the perfect match for this unique space and I can’t wait to get started on this new production, placing the audience up close and in the heart of this incredible story and score.”
William Whelton, executive director of Hope Mill Theatre, added: “For many years we have longed to produce Rent at Hope Mill Theatre. Not only was it a genre-defining musical of its time but the themes and music continue to stay relevant and resonate with so many people. Being able to mount a whole new revival and having Luke Sheppard at the helm is truly exciting and I know along with the creative team we are assembling, that this is going to be a Rent not to be missed. As part of our commitment to finding new Northern talent, once again we will be holding open auditions in Manchester, led by Pearson Casting.”
Open auditions will be held in Manchester on Tuesday 18 February 2020. For further information email Auditions@hopemilltheatre.co.uk.
Inspired by Puccini’s opera La Bohème, Larson’s critically acclaimed work won four Tony Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1996.
Rent has book, music and lyrics by Larson, musical arrangements by Steve Skinner, original concept and additional lyrics by Billy Aronson, music supervision and additional arrangements by Tim Weil, and dramaturg is Lynn Thomson.
Angela Thomas
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