Galloway Theatre Company presents: RENT

Luke has loved the professionalism of the show and the constant progress made by the company. He measures his life in things that matter.

Alex loved working with Ms. Pitchford and making new friends in this cast! He measures his life in growth.

Natalie has loved watching the different aspects of every number come together over the past few months. She measures her life in memories with her family and friends.

Sawyer has loved the community and friendships he has made throughout the process of this show. He measures his life in hugs.

He has loved getting to dig deeper into the story of RENT, and why it is important in today's day-and-age. He measures his life in hugs from his family and friends. 

Caroline has loved the costumes and the singing most about the RENT process so far. She measures her life in laughs and hugs.

Emily has loved getting to work with everyone and making her senior show the most fun show ever! She measures her life in new friends.

Ariana has loved seeing how much talent the whole company possesses and learning about herself throughout the musical process. She measures her life through songs she writes.

Alex has loved getting to explore himself as a performer and gain more confidence on stage. He measures his life in difficult conversations he has had.

Mira has really enjoyed the community in the cast and working together to make the show the best it can be. She measures her life in time with her closest friends. 

Peyton's favorite part of the Rent process has been becoming closer to so many of her fellow cast members! Doing this musical has given her the opportunity to create so many meaningful bonds with everyone who worked on the show. She measures her life in LaCroix cans.

Claire has loved how everyone has come together to solve problems. Even when the cast make mistakes they always move on and get better. Claire measures their life in friends.

Fritz has loved the level of respect the cast has been given when asked to perform such a mature show. Fritz measures their life in friends.

Bennett has loved the opportunity to work with some of his closest friends to bring this incredible story to life. He measures his life in dance classes.

Allison has loved painting the scaffolding for the set. She measures her life in pets. 

Aidan has loved making new friends and being able to perform for the Galloway community. He measures his life in shoes.

Margaret has loved the supportive community that has grown from the process of bringing this show to life, even in the midst of how intense the process truly is. She measures her life in shows she has performed in.

Sophie has loved the team-building and positive energy going into the show. They measure their life in paintings.

Amelia has loved getting to work on and build a variety of different things, including platforms and a phone booth. Amelia measures their life in time with friends.

Jake has loved the immense variety of song and dance styles that he has had the opportunity to learn about. He measures his life in songs he has sung. 

Dolph loved getting to know the new technicians and strengthening his relationships with the old ones. He measures his life in solved problems. 

Ariana has loved being able to connect with their friends while creating costumes they adore. Ariana measures their life in ducks greeted. 

AJ has loved helping out with the costumes. He measures his life in bowls of Frosted Flakes. 

Hanley has loved the opportunities she has gotten to try as well as getting to know the ins and outs of Rent. She measures her life in cookies she has baked.

Simon loves the wide range of grade levels among the Tech crew. It has created an enjoyable, unique experience which has amplified the quality of the production. He measures his life in Rei Plush GroupMe posts.

Hayden has loved the positive environment and atmosphere provided by the theater company as a whole each and every day.He measures his life through daily Rei Plush GroupMe posts.

Jacob has loved all of the friends he has made. He measures his life in music.

Griffen has enjoyed getting to experience the process of learning and performing a show. He measures his life in trees climbed.

Nate has loved some of the in depth character work the leads got to do and experience during excursion. He measures his life  on the amount of times he has laughed. 

Diego has loved the aspect of collaboration & working as a team with the other members of tech. He measures his life in pictures taken. 

Liza has loved getting to rehearse with all of her friends and be apart of such a fantastic company! She measures her life with the use of the Oxford comma. 

Mason has loved trying new things while being able to see the progress made on the set. He measures his life in the things he creates.

Isaac has loved how enthusiastic everyone is about being in the musical.He measures his life in real friends.

Matthew has loved the music and combining it with the performance of the cast.He measures his life in memories.

Carter has loved being able to rehearse with the cast. He measures his life in moments and memories. 

Meg has loved working with the cast to create dances and seeing them all come together. She measures her life in memories.

Aidan has really enjoyed getting to know his fellow students and staff on the Pit Orchestra. He measures his life in the people who remember him. 

Natalie has loved every aspect of directing RENT with this incredible group of students, faculty, and professionals. She measures her life in songs.

Ms. Levallee has loved building relationships with so many new students in the cast. She measures her life in 8 counts.

This is Ms Whalen’s third year at Galloway, and she has enjoyed all the new ways she got to work with the technicians this year. The song from Emma the speaks to her the most is “Roar” because she feels like a champion. 

Shane has loved getting to know the students at The Galloway School. He measures his life in laughter. 

Ms. Cates has very much enjoyed working with a new creative team! She measures her life in vivid colors.

Truly has loved seeing the colors of the lighting design come together! She measures her life in boba teas.

Mr. Mitchell has loved playing music with the students. He measures his life in kindness.

Mr. Solammon has loved working with a fantastic group of Pit Crew & cast musicians and a dynamic production team! He measures his life in freedom. 

• Sawyer, To our sweet “Angel”. We could not possibly be more proud of you! Can’t wait to see you on stage. We know you will be amazing! Love you so much! Mom & Dad

• Congratulations to our shining star! Luke, we are so proud of you and are looking forward to your performance in RENT! Much love Mimi and Granddad

• Great behind the scenes work, Mason! Way to go!

• Congratulations Emily! We're so proud of you for your leadership on and off the stage. You're our shining light and our only star. Love, Mom & Dad

• Dear Micah - We’re so proud of you, congrats on another great show! Kudos to the whole cast and crew. Love, Mom & Dad

• PAID Sawyer, We wish we could be there. We know you will kill it. We love you bunches. Shelly, Chris, Amanda and Jason

• Aidan—your voice deserves a big stage. We are so excited to see you there!! Love, Mom, Dad, Viv, and Selma

• Go Bennett! We are your biggest fans and are so proud of you! Have the best show ever! Xoxo Love to you, Miss Cara and Bella

• Emily, Hey pancake! I bet you brought your light and love to the stage tonight and lit it up for the world to see. Can't wait to see you to celebrate you! I love you! Aunt Katy

• Sawyer you are awesome. I love you very much! -Cameron

• Congratulations, Bennett! We are so proud of you! VIVA LA VIE BOHEME! Love, Taylor & Amanda Rowell

• Congrats to all! Allison, we are so proud of your work on Tech! Love, mom, dad, Char and all the grandparents!

• Morghan, You rock my dear!!!!! -Mom

• Audrey - What a journey to get here! We’re so impressed with your resilience, your hard work, and your talent. You mean the world to all three of us, Mom, Dad & Cole

• YAY SAWYER!!! We are cheering for you from D.C.! Love, Aunt Kathleen, Uncle Zach, Van and Coco

• Luke - You are fabulous. A real STAR!!! So proud of you! Love you so much! Love, Grandmama

• Dear Micah, Break a leg! Much love and best wishes to you and the cast! Love, Grandma Joani

• Dear Emily, We're sorry we missed the show but we know you were fabulous! We're so proud of you and how you've grown into a beautiful young woman. See you at graduation! Love, Yama and Pop

• Break a leg Sawyer! We love you so much and wish we could be there. So very proud of all your hard work. Xoxo Nana and Grandpa Sugarman

• Slay Bennett! You're going to be amaze! -Nia and Shauna

• SO proud of you and all your hard work, Luke! Still amazed by you! Break a leg, sweetie! Love -- Mama and Daddy

• Sawyer, We are so excited to see the show and especially to see you in it! Break a leg! Love ya, Grandpa Ed & Grandma Dee

• Sawyer have a good show! – Avery

• Congratulations on your first high school musical, Jake! I wish I could see the show because I know it will be amazing. Break legs!!! – Ari

• Mira- Dad and Reese and I are so proud of you and your hard work. We can’t wait to see you shine! Love you more

• Mira, we were all set to see you in RENT in person when Covid interfered. Shine brightly our beautiful star! Love, Mapu and Papu

• Mira, My BESTEST always is and always does her BESTEST!! -Elaine

• Great job Diego! We're so excited for your production and can't wait to see it! Love, Mom + Dad

• Jake, We love you and know you will shine in your performance! Wish we could all be there! Love, all The Dyers

• To Jake & the entire crew: The show will go on & it is!! Can’t wait to see you all shine. Love, Lolo

• Jake, you are a cool grandson. You have so many talents & always make us proud! We love you very much. Boopie & Papa

• Jake, we love you and are so proud of you for working so hard, and we can't wait to see you on stage! Love, your paRENTs (Leslie and Doug)

• Nate, What a total joy it is to see you perform!!! From Grease to RENT, you positively light up the stage! Love, your very proud Family

• Jake: Great job at Rent! I know how much time you have spent and it paid off! I love you so much! Jared

• Alex, We are in awe of your hard work, and we are overjoyed to see you perform!!! Love, your very proud Family

• Emily, we are so proud of you!!! Congratulations! You bless our lives every day Nate’s family 

• Mira, Congratulations on another triumphant performance!!! Wow! From, Kurt, Becky, and Gracie Hansen

• Mira, You are amazing!!! Congratulations!!! Kurt, Becky, and Gracie Hansen

• Mira, We are so proud of, and happy for, your success!! You are so loved ️ Kurt, Becky, and Gracie Hansen

• Congratulations, Micah! We are so proud of you! Love, Grandpa and Susan

• We are so proud of you, Peyton. With all the love in the world- Dad, Mom and Eliza!!!!

• Bennett, So proud of you! Maybe you couldn't participate in the way you wanted but you kept a great attitude and made it work! Love, Mom

• Congratulations, Claire! We are so proud of you - Mom and Dad

• Caroline, we could not be prouder of how hard you have worked for this show! We love you, Mom and Dad

• Margaret, darling: Kudos, Kudos! Love, Mom, Dad, & Matthew

• Ariana, Sing your Heart Out and let the music pour through you as you do everyday. You are great and you are loved. - Mom and Dad

• Way to go, Fritz!!! Your love for theater shows! Keep it up!! Love, Dad

• Fritz, So proud of my bro!! Wish I could be there to see you shine! Love, Sadye

• Bennett, You are SUCH a star! Please know that you would be to us even if you never stepped on stage! Much Love, DotDot & Papa Walt

• AJ, we are so proud of you. Love, Mom, Dad, Reese, Bev, Annie & George

• Congratulations Kathryn! We love you. Mom and Dad.

• The neon lights of Broadway are calling you Bennett!!! We are so very proud of you! Love, Nino and Papa XOXO

• Hanley - Just as you 'light up' the stage, you light up our lives. Congratulations on RENT! Love, Mom & Dad

• Margaret, You shine both on stage and off! So happy you came into our lives and became an extension of our family. Much Love-Angela & Rob

• Margaret, you are amazing at everything you do! You are amazing on stage and I can feel the joy performing gives you! Love, Owen

• Bennett, I hope you have loved your first high school show. No matter if its dance or theater, you kill it on stage! Owen

• Kathryn, I have loved every chance to work with you in these past three years. I know you're going to kill it tonight! Owen

• Audrey S, I'm so glad to call you my friend. You're going to break a leg in this show and I'm excited to see it! Owen

• Will- you are amazing! We love you! Mom, Dad and Goomps

• Luke, after all this I'm so glad to call you my friend. I can't wait to watch you finish high school with a bang! Owen

• Ariana, you are so freaking talented. I'll be cheering from the audience as you finish high school theater with the same talent as always. Owen

• Emily, after 4 years of performing together, I can't wait to watch you this one last time! You're going to kill it! Owen

• Audrey O, you have been a rock for the theater company and I want you to know your contributions make these shows what they are. Owen

• Del, I wish I was there for your last show, I know you've made it a great one! Love, Saya

• Emily, Congratulations on an amazing close to your HS theater career. So glad I could watch you shine on stage! Much love, "Ang"

• Congratulations, Jacob! We are so proud of all the hard work you put in. You were amazing in the show! Love, Mom, Dad, and EJ

• Claire, it has been amazing to work with you in theater and mock trial this year. Keep doing you, because you are amazing! Owen

• Alex, This role was meant for you! I am so very proud of you and can't wait to see you grow on stage! Love, Ms Stone

• Congratulations, Jacob! We know that you will put on a great show! Love, Grandma, Aunty Talia, Uncle Shay, and Samuel.

• Congratulations, Jacob! Have a great show! Love, Uncle Darrick, Aunt Neicy and Eurie

• Jacob! You are so talented and I am so proud of you! Love, Aunty Adrienne

• Jacob, Have a great show! Love, Grandpa

• Kathryn, I have loved watching you from Metamorphoses all the way to RENT! Congrats on a great HS theater run! Much love, "Ang"

• Jacob, Congratulations on a wonderful show. God has blessed you with many gifts and talents and I am so happy to watch them all unfold. Love, Auntie Ailisha

• Jacob, Congratulations on a fabulous show! You and the entire cast, crew and faculty did an amazing job. Take a bow! Love, The Lewis Family

• AJ, Amazing costumes!! We are so proud of you. Love, Mom, Dad, and Reese

• Awesome job Diego!!! From Grandma and Grandpa Shipmon

• So proud of you Ari. To play Joanne in one of my favorite musicals! So excited to see you perform! You go girl! Mom

• Jake, It is so much fun seeing you perform! I'm looking forward to seeing the show on Sunday. Love, Aunt Lauralee

• Bennett, you have been a total delight since the day you were born! So very proud of YOU and all of your accomplishments! Love, Gram

• You make me so proud, Fritz!! Hard to believe this is your last Galloway production. Break a leg!! Love, Mom

Rent, a musical by Jonathan Larson, is a modernized version of the late nineteenth century French opera, La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini. The opera in turn is based on a series of short stories written in the 1850s, Scenes of Bohemian Life, by Henri Murger. Each story deals with a group of “Bohemians,” who try to succeed as artists, one working as a poet, another as a musician, another as a painter, falling in and out of love, cementing friendships, creating family, surviving poverty, coming to terms with death. These themes run across all three works.

One connection across the works is the role of illness, tuberculosis, called consumption in the nineteenth century, and AIDS in Rent. There is also the societal illness of poverty that plays a role in all three works. None of the characters, in the 1850s or the 1980s, has sufficient funds for food, heat, clothing, or rent – hence the name of the musical. The living conditions were bad; and those in a position to help were not interested in alleviating the conditions of the Bohemians, neither the landlord in the nineteenth century nor the absentee landlords in Rent.

Drug addiction is another disease of poverty; it gets worse for those suffering from addiction while living in poverty. There is no way of seeking help. Similarly, AIDS can affect anyone, but the government and the media consider AIDS a “gay disease,” which no one outside the world of contemporary Bohemians needs to worry about. In the nineteenth century the same is the case with consumption; undiagnosed and unmedicated, it ravaged sufferers’ bodies, only affecting the poor and the outcast.

A similarity from one of the original French stories and the twentieth century musical occurs with the characters Schaunard and Angel and their quest for money. Schaunard, a composer and musician, receives a commission to write and perform music so horrible it will kill a parrot that inhabits an apartment next door to the wealthy patron who proposes the commission. Similarly in Rent, Angel is asked to play drums so badly that an annoying dog would kill itself. Larson chose to include this unexpected humorous excerpt from the original source and reproduced it in the contemporary musical.

Another pair of characters illustrates a connection between two works, this time between La Bohème and Rent. Throughout Rent Roger tries to write “one great song,” but unfortunately the only inspiration he can find is the reference to “Musetta’s Walz” from La Bohème. Searching for his creative spark, he meets Mimi, a stripper who lives in his building. Initially he does not want to open up to Mimi, due to his previous girlfriend telling him that they have AIDS, then killing herself. Mimi persists; after a year of relationship turmoil he is finally ready to reveal his song. Tragically, he is too late; Mimi is dying of drug overdose while living on the street. Her friends find her and bring her to the apartment. As a last goodbye Roger plays the song he wrote for her. The song and his love for her are able to resuscitate her, demonstrating that love and art conquer all.

The year 2022 is one of the best times to learn about Jonathan Larson because of the movie tick tick boom on Netflix, recounting the story of Jonathan Larson as he works on writing Rent. Born in 1960 in Mt Vernon NY, Larson loved arts from an early age. After college, he moved to New York City to pursue playwriting. He began with relatively small works, tick tick boom and suburbia, an unofficial adaption of George Orwell’s 1984. Playwrite Billy Aronson approached Larson to update La Bohème. The result was Rent, inspired by stories across two centuries and inhabited by characters who populated Larson’s world in New York City.

Tragically on opening night of Rent’s first off-Broadway preview, Jonathan Larson died of an aortic dissection. He never knew the enthusiastic reception of his musical; the show’s success, influenced by characters and situations drawn from Scenes of Bohemian Life and La Bohème, brings comfort to those who regret Larson’s early death.