Rent
This Tony-Award-Winning rock opera turned Broadway on its ear as it follows the lives of struggling artists living in New York’s Alphabet City.
Possibly no other musical in recent Broadway history received such anticipation for its opening or such immediate stardom after its very first performance than RENT. Rolling Stone, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and even the front cover of Newsweek all heralded RENT as THE modern musical of our time. It went on to win 4 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a Pulitzer Prize.
Based on the experiences of creator Jonathan Larson – and loosely based on the opera La Boheme – RENT immerses you in the lives of 8 young artists and musicians living in the Lower East Side of the Bohemian Alphabet City. From a poet and a musician to a lawyer and a drag queen, their lives are intertwined as they fight to survive in the Big Apple and, in some cases, fight for their mortality from HIV. In the end, it’s friendship, love and the ability to maintain their individuality that keeps these souls together.
The music is a myriad of styles from rock and funk to gospel and heart-aching ballads. The stage is filled with extraordinary dance numbers celebrating life and mourning mistakes. And when the curtain goes down, RENT will revitalize your soul.
Behind the Scenes
Opening Night
Meet the Team
Meghan Murphy *
previously in The Who’s Tommy and Rent
Lillie Cummings
previously in Rent, The Who’s Tommy & Les Misérables
Aaron Conklin *
previously in Annie, Oklahoma, Miss Saigon & Rent
* indicates member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA)
† indicates member of United Scenic Artists (USA)
‡ indicates member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC)
The RENT cast spends weeks in the Paramount rehearsal space preparing. The process starts with a bare floor that has nothing except tape on it to mark where doors, walls, steps and windows are. The below images are from the Designer Run Thru on March 4 in which all of the designers who’ve worked on the show are present including costume, set, props, wigs, sound and lighting. The cast runs the show for the first time from start to finish, accompanied only by a piano, a few set pieces and props.
It’s all a part of the process leading up to that final dress rehearsal, the previews and finally Opening Night, which is March 15.
Below are some of the images from that rehearsal.
