When did ReNt become a classic?- Page 3

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 5:57pm

Evita is not a rock opera... it is a pop opera (according to Webber).

And while "Seasons of Love" may not be considered a pop song, it is a well known musical theatre song. And the music world did sit up and take notice (hence the Stevie Wonder version on the the OBC album).

I remember hearing that song EVERYWHERE in the early days.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 6:03pm

Belated thanks Foster. :)

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 6:05pm

Wonderfulwizard, I should clarify. It's not really well-known, but most people will recognize it upon hearing it. They may or may not know what it is from, but they will recognize it. That, in and of itself, is rare for a musical these days. (And it's something that happened all the time 50 years ago. I mean, Mack the Knife, Hey Big Spender, Hey There, these were all Broadway songs that became popular standards.)

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 6:43pm

Plus it was mentioned everywhere on TV. I was really young then, but now when I watch shows like THE COSBY SHOW and others (I don't remember exactly the others), they talk about seeing RENT. Does that type of stuff make it a classic in time? Maybe.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 6:44pm

Oh yeah, tons of TV references--- and they continued well up to the past couple of years. I think there was a reference in the last season of Will and Grace.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 6:48pm

Also, when talking to people who know (and could care less) nothing about theatre and Broadway, they always hear Broadway and say something like "Oh right like that RENT show".
But again, I think it depends on what people consider a classic to be.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 3:58am

"I think there was a reference in the last season of Will and Grace."

Well going on that theory alone Mamma Mia is also a classic

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 10:38am

The whole very immature comment about "would Rent have been such a hit if Larson hadn't died" really annoys me.

when i watched it in the 90s i knew nothing about the author or that he had died and the material moved me so much i was shaking.

So many of my friends here in the UK who saw the original shaftsbury production or the touring production also fell in love with it without ever knowing anything about Larson

It would be impossible for a show to have a 12 year run if something in the material did not resonate with people.

In all my life of embracing musical theatre i cant think of another show that spoke to a generation like Rent did.

You also have to remember that the critic at the New York Times watched the show before Larson died and told him how much he loved it and that he was going to write a strong review (as he did).Sure Larsons Death got people talking about the show, but mainly people in the industry, people outside of Broadway would have taken no interest in that story, and Rent was attracting people who were not theatre goers...people who never new the story of Larson's fate.

Rent is a show which has survived because it's stayed relevant and moving.Idiotic people can call it dated but those people need to take a look around them and ask themselves "has anything really changed since Rent opened?"...I know im still loosing friends to Aids, i know poverty is still all around us, i know that more and more people are selling out and existing other than living.

Rent would have been a smash hit if Larson would have died or not, it may have taken a little longer for people to catch on, but with that message and that kind of writing there were always going to catch on, hell the NY times did, and that was on its dress run.

Dont get me wrong Rent has its flaws, but thats what i love about it, its not polished and shined like most 'off the rack" like most shows, its kinda like peering through the windows of these characters lives and getting to see what happens from time to time.

Rent is a show which didn't want to preach, it didn't want to be perfect, it wanted to let the world know that things aren't perfect, things are flawed, life is flawed...but still should be celebrated no matter what your color, religion, sexuality etc every day.

I also feel that people who were past their youth when Rent Opened probably missed the point, hell they had probably become a part of the very thing Rent was screaming about, but for everyone who wanted to find answers and see that in ****ty times when life is dragging you down there is always hope

and to me thats the best word to describe Rent...Hope

Updated On: 2/11/08 at 10:38 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 11:40am

I think it's still a little too soon to call Rent a "classic", but yes, it will most certainly be categorized as a classic in the American musical theatre canon. Larson's death certainly added publicity, but I do remember the HUGE amount of buzz regarding the show before Larson's death. I also think most of those who claim the show would not have been as successful had Larson not died are most likely too young to remember the impact Rent's opening had on Broadway. And while we have had some blockbusters open since Rent in 1996, none have been quite as unique as what occurred back then. Rent brought in a new audience, created a new type of obsessive fan base and repeat theatregoers, and even a new ticket policy aimed at making Broadway musicals more financially accessible. And Rent will be considered a milestone in American musical theatre and will no doubt be in the textbooks, if it's not already.

That being said, it is also impossible to compare the Rent of today with the Rent of 1996. They are very different shows and it was the Rent of 1996 that opened like an earthquake on Broadway with its national tours reverberating across the country like an aftershock. Rent was indeed something unique and different and ultimately highly influential as its sound has been recreated time and again, but never to the same heights of success. It did win the Pulitzer as well as run for 12 years and become an international hit and I seriously doubt its successful international productions have anything to do with Larson's death, no matter what the pooh-pooh-ers say. They can SAY Larson's death was the sole reason of Rent's success, but they really can't prove it. As a matter of fact, there is more evidence in media and publications to suggest that it was on the road to success, not just because of its book and score, but also because of its timing. It was the perfect show at the perfect time.

Sure, it's considered cool and trendy to put Rent down, but to pretend that the only reason it was sold out for so long when it opened, meaning the only reason people bought tickets to see the show, was because Jonathan Larson had died, is utter nonsense.

Updated On: 2/11/08 at 11:40 AM

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 2:15pm

For me.. I considered RENT somewhat a classic in 2000. The show was definitly dated by that point.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 2:48pm

It would be impossible for a show to have a 12 year run if something in the material did not resonate with people.

Or if it costs 20 bucks a week to keep it open. Look at the opera ghost resonating 20 years and going strong. Re-so-nate.

Rent is a show which has survived because it's stayed relevant and moving.Idiotic people can call it dated but those people need to take a look around them and ask themselves "has anything really changed since Rent opened?"..

Idiotic, mmm. Most things around Rent, the artists, the drive, the areas of NYC it covers, the approach to AIDS, etc. everything has changed, sorry. The musical is so dated, ever seen that Rent movie?

Rent is a show which didn't want to preach

Mmmm, can you remind me how many times the phrase NO DAY BUT TODAY is shoved in your face throughout the show?

And I certainly have nothing against the show, I like most of the music, I think it has a strong score. But Larson really was just starting to learn how to develop his artistry, and it shows everywhere in the piece. What this production had was great timing and an amazing production and marketing team behind it, that knew how to sell the product very well.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 7:09pm

"Or if it costs 20 bucks a week to keep it open. Look at the opera ghost resonating 20 years and going strong. Re-so-nate."

If that was the case, who would need to sell tickets when they had LOTTO. The reason they are closing the show is because it's not doing well financially.

MisterMatt- I completely agree with everything you said. It is apparently trendy to dislike "ReNt"

Go ahead and tear the show apart, it can be done. But I think that could be said for most shows that are currently on Broadway.

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 9:34pm

I must disagree with this idea that Rent would not have been as popular without the death of John Larson. I for one actually avoided seeing this show for 6 years because of all of the hype surrounding it (and yes, the hype was largely brought about by Larson's death). I figured that anything this hyped could not live up to my expectations of it. I was definitely wrong! I loved it from the very first viewing and have now seen it 2 more times. My enjoyment of it had nothing at all to do with all of the "mythology" surrounding it. I think that it is an entertaining, yet flawed, show with some great songs and very interesting characters that I cared about. I love that it has no one major "star" but is truly an ensemble piece. Whether all of this makes it a classic or not is a matter of opinion.

[dancegirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 11:56pm

"I also feel that people who were past their youth when Rent Opened probably missed the point, hell they had probably become a part of the very thing Rent was screaming about,..."

To imply that someone would probably "miss the point" of RENT just because they are older is an incredibly ignorant point of view. I am an older (much older) RENT fan and have met many older people who feel the same way. Older people are very capable of understanding so called "young ideas." Although I have lived more years and may have learned more than most younger people, it is that very knowledge that makes RENT so special to me. I have had more years to experience the emotions that a show like RENT brings out, making it that much more relevant. Please don't write off older people just because of their age. Try to judge each person as an individual. You just may find out that there are a lot of really cool "older people."

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 4:48pm

I also feel that people who were past their youth when Rent Opened probably missed the point, hell they had probably become a part of the very thing Rent was screaming about,...

My mother was in her 50s when she saw Rent and loved it. It is the only show she has seen twice on Broadway.

[martinman]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 5:00pm

I saw it for the first time at 40, and saw it for the 10th time at 50...Age has nothing to do with it....

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 2/19/08 at 5:02pm

"MisterMatt- I completely agree with everything you said. It is apparently trendy to dislike "ReNt"

It is also extremly trendy to like RENT! Half the people who are obsessed with the show have only seen the crapy movie version