Spring Musical
Rent
Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson
April 8, 2016
Venue
Memorial Auditorium
Stanford University Campus
Stanford, CA 94305
Creative Team
DirectorElizabeth Knarr '16
Music DirectorMakulumy Alexander-Hills
ProducerEmily Ashton
“Ram's Head presents Rent — still relevant, still rocking.”
Stanford Report
About the Production
Ram's Head designed the production to recreate intimacy despite Memorial Auditorium's 1,700-seat capacity. Producer Emily Ashton employed automated platforms with motors that move across the stage and rotate, shrinking the vast space before the audience's eyes.
The five-piece live band was positioned in set scaffolding on the stage sides. Music director Makulumy Alexander-Hills (double major in Music and Earth Systems) utilized three keyboards programmed through a single computer. LITES (a student group) implemented computerized set automation with $30,000 in funding.
Fewer than 5% of the 22 cast members were theater majors—a testament to Ram's Head's "Enthusiasm, not talent!" philosophy.
