Supreme

Everything is 'RENT'

January 22, 2011 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines – Funny how a few years can change a musical. After Tony awards, countless revivals, Vanessa Hudgens, and a movie adaptation, RENT resurfaces in 2011 as a sort of period piece — a musical sign of the times if there ever was one.

RENT is the imaginative retelling of the classic Puccini opera, La Boheme, set in New York City’s gritty East Village. This unforgettable and timeless story of a group of starving artists, who, despite poverty and illness, learn to fall in love and find their voices, brings a universal message of hope for everyone.

Due to insistent public demand, 9 Works Theatrical brings back its hit musical, RENT, on February 12 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize, RENT with book, music and lyrics by the late Jonathan Larson, has made a lasting mark on Broadway with its iconic score which includes the crowd-favorite, Seasons of Love.

Fredison Lo as Mark Cohen, Mian Dimacali as Maureen Johnson, and Jenny Villegas as Joanne Jefferson

Among the country’s talented theater artists who will reprise their roles for the re-staging of RENT (previously staged by 9 Works Theatrical — Feb. 2010 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, and Dec. 2010 at the Power Plant Cinema 2) is singer/TV host Gian Magdangal as Roger Davis, the songwriter. Gian recently starred in 9 Works Theatrical’s hit musical The Wedding Singer and regularly appears in GMA-7’s Party Pilipinas.

Sheree Bautista, TV personality/singer and Magdangal’s real-life girlfriend, will reprise her role as Mimi Marquez, the AIDS-afflicted dancer from the Cat Scratch Club.

Alternating with Sheree and joining the cast for the first time is singer/TV personality and showbiz royalty Ciara Sotto. Ciara recently appeared in the local theater production of Magsimula Ka! and is thrilled to be playing a role that will both challenge her and put her pole dancing skills to great use.

Show dates are February 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27; March 4, 5, and 6. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 8pm. Saturdays at 3:30PM and Sundays at 4:30p.m. Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Ayala Corner Sen. Gil Puyat Avenues, Makati City.

For tickets: call 557-5860, 586-7105, or 0917-5545560, or visit www.9workstheatrical.com, or call TicketWorld at 891.9999.