RENT Opened On Broadway 20 Years Ago Today

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 9:57am

I can't believe two decades have passed since this show opened and changed not only my life, but countless other peoples, as well. 

. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 10:17am

Wow time flies!!! I believe the rush lottery started with RENT right? Kudos to them for implementing the idea!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 10:38am

I can't believe it either. When it opened at the NYTW before it's transfer to Broadway I was living in a 5 floor walk up on 12th Street between 2nd and 1st Avenues and my roommate invited me to this new rock musical/opera thing (his words, not mine) that he got tickets for. 

We were blown away....and the rest is history.

Happy 20th Rent!

 

 

[haterobics]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 10:49am

Wick3 said: "Wow time flies!!! I believe the rush lottery started with RENT right? Kudos to them for implementing the idea!"

It was initially a rush, but when all the RENTheads started sleeping out over night and creating an ironic homeless camp outside of the theater, they switched to lottery. I know the one time I went to see it, when we got out of the show, there were already people camped out for the next day's rush line...

[HogansHero]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 11:25am

what a flashback to a time and place. I remember that day downtown like it was yesterday. I sat on a chair in front of the booth-I must've gotten one of the last tickets-and I remember sitting way up top during previews on Broadway. 

[exedore]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 12:09pm

We're all getting old.

Remember when we were just wacky kids being annoying to each other on sonic?

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 12:13pm

Wow, already?

Such a beautiful piece. Such a profound impact. 

Thank you, Jonathon Larson. 

[AnnieBlack]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 3:46pm

Would have been nice if the original producers did something today in NYC to commemorate the anniversary... 

[sarahb22]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 8:30pm

"Hamilton: the Musical" posted this on Facebook:

Hamilton: An American Musical

 

"When you're living in America at the end of the millennium, you're not alone." Tonight, we dedicate our performance to Rent, which opened on Broadway 20 years ago this evening.

 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 9:06pm

Listening to the original album right now and for some reason my heart feels heavy. This show means so much to me.

[pushdabutton]

Posted: 4/29/16 at 9:57pm

I can't believe it's been 20 years! I saw it within the first few months after it opened on Broadway and it seems just like a few years ago. 

[thebeautyis3]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 11:34am

Adam Pascal gave a very nice (short) speech after Disaster! last night about it being the 20th anniversary and how it was great to be back in the Nederlander for it.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 11:52am

Does anyone know when tickets go on sale for the 20th Anniversary Tour? Their website and press releases don't give too much info.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 11:57am

^ I wonder if that's because Equity is still raising a hassle about it being non-union. (Or are they? I'm not sure what's a priority anymore.)

Having said that, tour dates and cities were released recently, so it's anyone's guess.

Updated On: 4/30/16 at 11:57 AM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/30/16 at 8:30pm

GreasedLightning said: "Does anyone know when tickets go on sale for the 20th Anniversary Tour? Their website and press releases don't give too much info."

 

That would be up to each individual venue. Most won't put individual tickets on sale until their subscription period is over.

 

[everything.is.rent]

Posted: 5/17/16 at 11:27am

This year I set out a big New Year's Resolution for myself. In honor of the 20th anniversary of both Rent's opening on Broadway and Jonathan's death, my NYR was to send letters to every cast member from Rent, explaining to them the impact this musical has made on my life and why it's my favorite. 

So far, I've sent letters to Anthony, Adam, Lexi Lawson, and am in the process of writing my letter to Daphne as we speak. I don't expect anything back in return from any of the cast, I just want them to know the impact Rent has had on my life and also want them to know that Jonathan would be so proud of what they've done for both Rent and his legacy.

So far, the only "responses" I've gotten have been Anthony reaching out to me on IG to say thank you, Lexi asked for my email address so she could say thank you and so we could keep in touch off of IG, so I'm waiting for her to get back from vacation and read my letter when she gets it. I didn't expect anything from Adam because he was in a new musical on Broadway and also has his family to take care of. If I hear anything from Daphne, which I doubt I will, I'll post an update.

If I hear anything from the other cast members, I'll update but for now, I'm just having fun writing these and getting them out to all of the cast members (:

Updated On: 5/17/16 at 11:27 AM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/17/16 at 11:38am

@everything.is.rent: that is really a nice gesture on your part, to reach out to the original cast and let them know what a difference they and the show have made in your life. I am sure they appreciate the acknowledgement. I hope each and everyone that receives a letter from you takes the time to respond back to you if only to say thank you. 

 

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 5/17/16 at 11:41am

525,600 x 20 = 10,512,000 minutes

[everything.is.rent]

Posted: 5/17/16 at 11:44am

@CarlosAlberto: Thank you very much :). It may get tiring to hear about the same show that you're most famous for all the time, but I'm pretty sure what doesn't get old for them is hearing the impact their role as a certain character or the show itself has had on someone who saw it. 

Plus, for the OBC, it was really hard for them having to debut on Broadway with Jonathan being gone. So I think it's appropriate to remind them of the fact that Jonathan would be so proud of what they've done with his creation. It wasn't just him that won Rent a Pulitzer Prize and 3 Tony Awards, it was the cast too. If it weren't for them, along with him, Rent wouldn't have blown up like it did.

Which is part of why I'm writing everyone. To remind them of the legacy they helped Jonathan create with this show. And to remind them that even if Rent isn't on Broadway anymore, it's left a lasting impression that will last forever.

Updated On: 5/17/16 at 11:44 AM

[Petrichor]

Posted: 5/17/16 at 5:03pm

I am so grateful for this show and everything it has represented. It will be my dream come true if it comes back to New York during its upcoming tour and I am able to see it finally. Happy 20 years!

Does anyone think it's possible for a Broadway revival for RENT? Perhaps sometime after the tour if it does well?

Updated On: 5/17/16 at 05:03 PM

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 5/17/16 at 6:29pm

An off-Broadway revival opened at New World Stages about 2 years after the original production closed and wasn't terribly successful (it also wasn't very good). I love Rent but I think some more time needs to pass before it's revived in New York again. 

[Petrichor]

Posted: 5/17/16 at 7:10pm

Awe man, I wasn't even aware of that at the time and it makes me sad to hear it didn't do so well. Was that because of production quality/cast, or maybe it just wasn't the right time for a revival? I wish I had begged my parents more to take me to see it when I was younger now! You never know when the last time a show will make it's way around, I realize that now. 

Yeah you're right, maybe some more time has to pass. In the meantime I'll try to remain patient and optimistic for a future revival, and hopeful for a successful tour! 

[hork]

Posted: 5/24/16 at 12:11pm

This show is still amazing to me. When I'm working, I have a lot of time to listen to music, so I started a sort of project in which I listen to every Tony-winning show (Best Musical, Revival, and Score) in chronological order (or nearly every ... I skipped the revues and anything not on Spotify), providing me with a history of Broadway's evolution from 1949 to the present. If you don't like Rent or have grown tired of it, I recommend this approach. When I finally got to it yesterday, it was electrifying. It doesn't sound like any other Broadway musical, and it doesn't sound like any other rock album, either. It's its own unique thing, a beautiful marriage between the two.