July 28. 2004
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The cast of ‘Rent" returns to Portland fora titillating performance about life and its realities.
Marcus Paul
Jameand
Damien
DeShaun Smith
Starin “Rent."
“Rent,” considered by many to be the most exuberant and
original American music to come along in a decade, has
single-handedly reinvigorated Broadway and is taking the
country by storm.
Rent returns to the Keller Auditorium from Aug. 10
M
‘Rent’ Returns to Portland
through 15, after a sold out run in 1998.
Inspired by Puccini’s “La Boheme,” “Rent” is a joyous,
breathtaking and often bittersweet musical that celebrates
a community of artists, representing gays and people of
color in leading roles, as they struggle with the souring
■I
hopes and tough realities o f today’s world.
Tickets are available now by calling 503-790-ARTS, 503-
2 4 1 -1 8 0 2
o r at w w w .p o rtla n d o p e ra .o rg . o r
www.broadwayacrossamerican.com or
■ M N M M i
Summer Blues Concert Benefits Education
Help bring Blues and Roots music into schools by
attending the Cascade Blues A ssociation’s Blues In The
Schools Benefit Concert on Friday, Aug. 13lh. All pro
ceeds from this event will be used to fund presentations
by local and national touring artists in regional schools
throughout the Portland M etropolitan area, N orthw est
ern O regon and Southw estern W ashington.
The son of an original Louisiana bluesm an, Kenny
Neal stands on his own to play a Blues in the Schools
benefit concert at 7 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Aladdin Theater.
N eal h a s tak en his h ig h -e n e rg y p e rfo rm a n c es
around the w orld and has shared the stage w ith many
o f the best-lo v ed m usicians o f our tim e, including
B.B. K ing, B onnie R aitt, M uddy W aters, Buddy Guy
and John Lee H ooker. T h is sum m er, he is to u rin g in
support of his recently released A lligator C D , “D ouble
T a k e ,” a duo e ffo rt w ith renow ned C hicago bluesm an
B illy Branch.
T he b e n e fit c o n c e rt w ill open w ith a ja m session
featu rin g the am azing Ben R ice and the Y outh o f
B lues as the house band. W ith the o ld est m em ber o f
the band being 15, and having recently opened for
C u rtis Salgado and D ave M ason at the R ose F estiv al,
Ben R ice and the Y outh o f B lues is d e fin ite ly a band
w orth keeping an eye on.
“It’s great to find professional m usicians that are
w illing to com e in and not only perform for our young
students, but also to talk with them on a relaxed level they
easily relate to,” said Steve Robertson, director o f bands
at V ancouver’s Skyview High School.
Tickets are on sale at T icketM aster outlets and the
Aladdin Box Office. For information, contact Jimmy Hale
at503-282-2042orjim m y@ fastjim m y.com .