Press Releases

Algonquin Arts Theatre, New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Summer Musical Program, and the New Jersey Youth Theatre Company (NJYT) collaborate to present the famous production, RENT, which will open at Algonquin Arts Theatre on Friday, July 30th and run with seven performances through Sunday, August 8th. It is also scheduled to run at NJPAC's Victoria Theatre on July 16th - July 25th. This Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical redefined Broadway Theatre in 1996. Based on the opera La Boheme, RENT tells the story of a group of struggling young artists and musicians living on NYC's Lower East Side, while battling circumstances that threaten their lives.

Sets, props and wardrobe operations, onstage and backstage, will be in the hands of professionals assisted by young technical interns in each area. The actors, musicians and interns come from across the metro-area and participate free of charge in this unique project. Past Algonquin Arts Theatre/NJPAC/NJYT Summer Musical productions include Sweeney Todd (2009, which recently won four NJ Obie Awards including Best Revival, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director), Ragtime the Musical (named by The Star Ledger as "Best Musical 2006"), Guys & Dolls, Anything Goes, West Side Story (recipient of the 2003 Music Theatre International Award of Excellence), South Pacific, and Carousel.

In a past review by Peter Filichia of The Star Ledger, NJPAC and NJYT were acclaimed for their masterful professionalism: "This is not a case of, 'Hey, aren't they great for kids?' These teens and twenty somethings prove that they're capable professionals. With such astonishing young talent around, New Jersey theater promises a luminous future."

NJYT's RENT will open at Algonquin Arts Theatre on Friday, July 30 with a pre-show Season Sneak Peek highlighting the rest of the events for the season at 7:30 pm and the performance beginning at 8:00 pm. Other performances of RENT include: Saturday, July 31 at 8 pm, Sunday, August 1 at 3 pm, Thursday, August 5 at 8 pm, Friday, August 6 at 8 pm, Saturday, August 7 at 8 pm, and Sunday, August 8 at 3 pm. The August 5th performance is a Chamber networking event sponsored by UBS and coordinated by the Brielle and Manasquan Chambers of Commerce. This evening was designed for all regional business owners and the general public to network and get a sampling of food, cocktails and culture! For more details about this networking opportunity, visit www.algonquinarts.org or call the box office at 732-528-9211.

Tickets are $29 for adults and seniors and $18 for students 18 and under; this show is recommended for ages 15 and older. Group rates are also available. Tickets can be purchased at the box office by calling 732-528-9211 or emailing [email protected], or visiting www.algonquinarts.org. Box office hours are Monday-Friday from 9 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Algonquin Arts is located at 173 Main Street in downtown Manasquan, NJ.

For those who would like to support the New Jersey Youth Theatre, they will be hosting a benefit concert at Algonquin Arts Theatre on August 1st at 7:30 pm called The Best of Broadway: A Benefit Concert to Support NJYT. Tickets are $25 for adults and seniors and $15 for students, and all proceeds will benefit NJYT. To purchase tickets, call 732-528-9211 or visit www.algonquinarts.org.

Algonquin Arts Theatre was founded in 1992 as a nonprofit organization to provide cultural enrichment and educational enhancement of the highest quality for the residents of New Jersey's central region. Algonquin Arts Theatre is handicap accessible. Assisted listening devices are available upon request. Please notify us in advance of your needs by contacting the box office. Programming of Algonquin Arts Theatre is made possible as a result of the continued philanthropic support of private citizens and organizations such as New Jersey State Council on the Arts, OceanFirst Foundation, PNC, Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Target, The Community Foundation of Monmouth County, The Paul F. Zito, MD Foundation, Manasquan Savings Bank, Woman's Club of Brielle, Janice Blanton, Jules Plangere III, as well as many generous individuals and local businesses.