'Rent' star Manley Pope to direct local production

ALLENDALE, Mich. -- In its first ever collaboration, Theatre at Grand Valley and Heritage Theatre Group will co-produce the rock musical RENT. Manley Pope, who played the role of Roger in RENT's first national tour and on Broadway, will come to West Michigan as guest director of the production.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for our students and for the West Michigan community,” said Karen Libman, a professor in Grand Valley’s School of Communication, who will co-produce with Keith Oberfeld, Heritage Theatre Group’s co-artistic director. “We’ve been waiting for the right time and place to do RENT, and this is it,” said Oberfield.

Pope divides his time between New York, Nashville and Los Angeles and a myriad of artistic projects as a singer, composer and director. While performing on Broadway alongside Joey Fatone of N’Sync, and touring America with Roger Daltrey of The Who, Manley continues to garner critical acclaim for his own music, selling out shows from New York City to Los Angeles. He also headed up the pre-Broadway productions of Miramax’s ALL SHOOK UP and The Public Theater’s THE UNKNOWN.  Pope has also starred in films, such as the festival favorite FEEDING THE MACHINE (Digidance Best Picture) and Paramount’s music industry satire, MARCI X, opposite Lisa Kudrow and Damon Wayans.

RENT, a modern classic of the American theatre, features a compelling and socially relevant storyline, multi-ethnic cast, and high energy music. It is particularly relevant as the selection for Grand Valley’s annual “diversity” show. Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Musical, Jonathon Larson’s RENT endures as one of the most beloved theatrical experiences of the 20th century and has become the anthem of a generation of theater lovers.

Theatre at Grand Valley and The Heritage Theatre Group look forward to contributing to both of their missions through collaborating on the rock musical production of Rent. By fostering meaningful relationships between student artists and artists in the community, this pilot collaboration will help both companies achieve their artistic, community, and educational goals.

The production will open on November 13 as part of Grand Valley’s 2009-10 Mainstage Season. Performances are scheduled for November 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, at 7:30 p.m., and a November 15 matinee at 2 p.m. All performances will be at the Louis Armstrong Theatre on Grand Valley’s Allendale Campus. Tickets, available at the LAT Box Office starting September 14, are $6 student, $12 faculty/alumni/staff; $14 general public. Call the Box Office at (616) 331-2300.

Auditions will be held September 10-12 at Grand Valley’s Allendale Campus. Auditions slots can be reserved beginning August 24 by calling the Box Office.

For more info on Theatre at Grand Valley, visit: www.gvsu.edu/theatre .
For more info on Heritage Theatre Group, visit: www.htgonline.citymax.com/page/page/2093015.htm