Rent cast destined for stardom

NUEMusicTheatre, a young, vibrant theatre company in based in York, are currently in the rehearsal process for their next production, Rent.

With music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, a waiter-turned-composer who tragically died the night before the first performance, his poignant rock score captures a world where hope crawls out of dark despair, and where bohemians find the salvation of love within each other and prove there can be a better world where art thrives, and everything good is free.

NUEMusicTheatre’s cast features a company entirely under the age of 25 and more than a third of its cast destined for prestigious drama schools in September.

Aran MacRae, only 20, plays Roger Davis in Rent and has been offered a place at Guildford School of Acting, world renowned for its successful alumni such as Michael Ball. Joe Douglass, 17, has been offered a place at Italia Conti, funded by a prestigious Dance And Drama Award and plays Tom Collins, a bohemian anarchist.

Robyn Grant, who plays bisexual performance artist Maureen Johnson, has been accepted onto the Acting and Contemporary Theatre course at East 15 at the age of 18.

Grace Lancaster has also been accepted onto the Actor Musicianship course at Rose Bruford College and plays Joanne Jefferson in Rent while Nathan Unthank, playing a multitude of ensemble roles in the show, has gained a place at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, also funded by the Dance And Drama Award Scheme.

Other cast members’ talents and accomplishments lie further afield. Lauren Sheriston, only 15, has already starred as Anya King on ITV’s Emmerdale and Ruby Yearling on BBC’s Eternal Law.

Now choreographer for Rent, I have toured the country in The Sound Of Music and appeared on screens across the continent playing Harry Hastings on ITV’s The Royal and Sam Denton on The Royal Today.

Mikhail Lim, founder of NUEMusicTheatre, moved from the Philippines as a teenager where he was a performing member of the prestigious Philippines Repertory Theatre in Manila and is currently studying Theatre at York St John University.

While there is no doubt that this 14 person cast credit the company with their talent, Callum O’Connell, a York filmmaker and Tom Marlow, a York University music student keep the cast in line as director and musical director respectively.

Rent follows a year in the life of a group of East Village bohemians, examining life, love and loss. Following it’s original 12 year run on Broadway, NUEMusicTheatre are performing this hit musical at the Upstage Centre in York.

• Rent by NUEMusicTheatre is on from Thursday, July 18 to Saturday, July 20 at the Upstage Centre on Monkgate
• For more details, and to book tickets, go to the NueMusicTheatre website