A theatrical presentation illustrating the 515 discriminatory Minnesota laws against same-sex couples and their families based on marriage will be presented at  5:30 p.m., prior to Saturday evening’s 7:30 p.m. performance of RENT at the Riverland’s Frank W. Bridges theater at the Austin Campus.

515 – The Tour features six actors including Riverland Alum, Bryan Gerber, who also produced and directs the show. Gerber is from Adams and attended Southland High School before attending Riverland.

The tour dramatizes real-world examples of how these laws affect families in Minnesota. In one scene, a slain police officer’s partner is unable to access the death benefits that a married couple could access. Another story involves two women who spend their lives together, only to be separated in the nursing home because they are not married.

Other issues affected by these laws include tax benefits, adoption, end-of-life decisions and even partners not being able to get a fishing license together as a couple.

Project 515 is a Minnesota non-profit organization that started in 2007 to ensure same-sex couples and their families have equal rights under Minnesota law. The tour's purpose is to influence dialogue in Minnesota on the subject of same-sex equality.

The performance is free and open to the public. Riverland's performance of the musical "Rent" will follow at 7:30 p.m. in the same location. Individual tickets to RENT are $15 and currently on sale at the Riverland Box Office, located in room E107 in the East Building of the Austin campus.  Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and one hour before performances.  Riverland students receive two free tickets to each performance with a valid student ID.  The box office can be contacted at 507-433-0595 or by emailing boxoffice@riverland.edu.