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a tl ' g' N , it E----- a: T3 g V: %C( E , Ton, I I u l 'rr:' I w F, IT ; length 5 e Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award- E’ I winning landmark American rd, musical Rent. written by Elonathan Larson and directed by 3 Michael Greif, is coming to the Centre In The Square for two performances only Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Centre in the Square up for "Rent" A New York booking agent has co- ordinated a unique arrangement with Jamie Grant, Centre in the Square gen- eral manager. The musical will be "tech'd" at the Centre before starting its 2003-04 tour of the United States. "This was too good an opportunity to miss." said Simon Shaw of The Booking Group. "We will be able to finalize all the technical requirements in a venue of the quality of the Centre before starting the tour in New York state. Tony Award- winning musical opens North American tour in K- W "The Centre in the Square has a track record of first-class work in every area of the operation - this is a perfect place for the tour to begin and I am pleased to be able to offer Kitchener- Waterloo residents the chance to see Rent, as this will be the tour's only stop in Canada." Grant announced the arrangement at a press conference Thursday. "I feel Rent is a very important breakthrough musical and since I first saw it a few years ago I have been wait- ing for the chance to bring it to the Centre." Grant said. "When Simon called me to see if the show could be tech'd here, I jumped at the chance but insisted that there were also some per- formances for the public." Inspired by Puccini's La Boheme, Rent is a joyous, breathtaking and often bittersweet musical that cele- brates a community of artists as they struggle with the soaring hopes and tough realities of today's world. Rent, considered by many the most exuberant and original North Ameri- can musical to come along in a decade, has single-handedly reinvigorated Broadway and has taken the world by storm, Sweeping all major theatre awards, including the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Rent captures the heart and spirit of a generation. The show received its world pre- miere Mr Broadway at New York The- atre Workshop on Feb. 13, 1996 to ecstatic reviews, it rapidly became a sold-om hit. The show transferred to Broadway on April 29, 1996 and continues to play to standing room only audiences. On Nov, 2, 2002. Rent became the Nth longest running Broadway show ever, surpassing the legendary musical My Fair lady. The rims! honoured musical since A The North American touring team of the hit Broadway musical Rent will come to the Centre in the Square at the end of September for two performances only Chorus Line in 1976, Rent is only the Rent features musical direction by fifth musical to ever win both the Tim Weil, choreography by Marlies PulitzerPrizeand theTonyAward. Yearby, set design by Paul Clay, cos- The success of Rent is always tem- tume design by Angela Wendi and pered by the death of its creator, 1ightingdesignbyBlake Burba. The success of Rent is always (em pered by the death of its creator Jonathan [arson lanon died unexpectedly of an aor- tic aneurysm on the morning of Ian. 25, I996. 'rust hours after Ram's final dress rehearsal off-Broadway. and 10 days before his arm birthday. ARTS FOCUS Thins for Rent are on sale now at the Centre in the Square box office (578-1570) or online at www.cetttre- squarerom. . Additional show information can be found at www.rentthetourxom. FM 98.5 CKWR. Canada's oldest community radio station, is once again calling on listeners and com- munity members for their support. _ __ CKWR radio holds annual fundraising drive As well, it will allo'w the radio station to further invest in its facilities and broadcast equipment to serve our community with even better. -iii'iiiiis holding its iiutuat "Onwards and Urntards" funding Ar1ttpygl! May 18. V "ifiis §ear's goal ik $50,000 Git enéure that CKWR's diverse prograntlintyp will congnue. "No other radio broadcaster in our listening area links their programs as closely to the community as FM 98.5. We are proud of the fact that CKWR pro- vides programs that are simply not available on any other radio station in our listening area," enthused Paul Scott, general manager and morning host of FM 98.5. Founded in 1973, the radio station offers a win- ning combination of familiar and new programming -- including specialty music and multicultural pro- grams in eight different languages - contests, talk shows and the very best in music from the soft hits of yesterday and today to jazz, blues and folk. For nearly three decades audiences throughout Kitchener-Waterloo and surrounding area have turned to FM 98.5 CKWR as a trusted source of infor, mation, and for entertaining and enlightening pro- grams for all interests. provided 365 days a year. 24 hours a day FM 98.5 is a registered charity. and gets its rev- enue from fundraising advertising and with the help of dozens of committed volunteers. "The funding drive-is a time when everyone at CKWR works together as a team," said Barry Rueger. FM 98.5's campaign coordinator. Adding, "our listeners' con- tinued support is the best way to show that our vol- unteer's work is appreciated." To make a doGation call 886-9878 or online at http:/www.ckwr.com. The Waterloo Historical Society launched its 90th anniversary volume Saturday at a general meeting of the Society in Linwood. This volume is dedicated to Miriam Snyder Sokvitne. a longtime advocate for local heritage and history and former president of the Society, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday. The publication is 180 pages, well-illustrated with 17 articles written by a variety of local writers includ, ing Marion Mes, who writes about the thrills. chills and spills at the Bridgeport Speedway in the late 19505 and early 1960s and Kathryn Lamb about the twin city dairies. There is also a history of Blooming- dale, and a Unwood resident's eyewitness account of the riot in Halifax afterVE Day. Waterloo Historical Society memberships are $25 and include a copy of the annual volume. Single copies are $20 and can be obtained through the Grace Schmidt Room at the Kitchener Public Library, Waterloo Historical Society launches book