RENT: School Edition

AIDS Calgary Awareness Association is proudly partnering with Summerstock Theatre Society this summer on their production of RENT: School Edition. We are excited to be involved in the presentation of this classic musical and to contribute in the education of the students involved as well as the audience. This version of RENT is the “schoolized” version of the Broadway classic and is performed entirely by students from high schools across Calgary, hosted by Westmount Charter School.

Summerstock Theatre productions are known to be lively, energetic, and just plain fun to watch. This rock opera deals with the lives of different characters as they struggle with HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s. The theme of AIDS being “everyone’s disease” is explored with empathetic depth depicting everyone from a gay NYU professor to a shy nightclub dancer. At one point in the epic song La Vie Boheme the entire cast bursts forward with the lyrics “Living with, living with, not dying from disease…” RENT: School Edition is about coping; it’s about HIV awareness - it’s about AIDS in all facets of our society.

Educational workshops have already taken place with the cast and these young performers were eager to increase their understanding of HIV and the reality of the stigma and discrimination that can still come from a positive diagnosis.

Our education and awareness booth will be set up at the performances to distribute HIV/AIDS and STI information to those interested in learning more about these preventable diseases.

What: RENT: School Edition
When: July 27 – August 8, 2009
Shows nightly at 6:30pm
Where: Outdoors at Olympic Plaza

To purchase tickets to RENT: School Edition visit www.ticketmaster.ca

See you on the Plaza!