RENT School Edition Comes to the Stage at Wheeling High School

            Wheeling High School’s spring musical, RENT School Edition, comes to the stage in the school’s Robert Sang theater Thurday through Saturday, May 1-3, at 7:30 p.m. The school is located at 900 S. Elmhurst Rd. in Wheeling.

            Director Stephen Colella describes RENT as a beautiful story centered on community, support, tolerance, and acceptance. The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical is based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme and is set in New York City in 1991. It follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. This modern adaptation is about how they negotiate their dreams, loves, and conflicts in this groundbreaking rock opera.

            The cast is led by senior Sam Yoshino (Roger), Angela Jordan (Mimi), Marco Mazzetta (Mark), Shannon Richards (Maureen), Maggie Monaxios (Joanne), Ron Roth (Angel), and Aaron Jung (Tom Collins).

            The creative team consists of Director Stephen Colella, Assistant Director Joseph Wolfe, Vocal Director Rini Cory, Diane Rawlinson (choreographer/costumes), Tech Director Derek Ellertson, and Pit Director Sarah Struebing.

            Wheeling's Musical Program is the first in High School District 214 to perform this very impactful story. The cast, crew, and band have partnered with the Aids Foundation of Chicago and will be donating 10% of its proceeds from the performances. 

            Admission is $10 for general seating, and tickets are on sale now. For more ticket information, contact Ann Wyatt at Ann.Wyatt@d214.org.