Rent Closing? — Page 2

Oh my goodness, I agree with a bunch of other people that this thread almost gave me a heartattack. My heart sank when I read that. I'm glad it's not closing because I haven't gotten the chance to see it live yet and that is one of my goals, to see it live, and to be in it someday. I don't agree with M.B. I mean I can see your point about letting colleges and stuff do it- but Jonathan Larson wanted his show to be on Broadway- I don't think Al and Nan are wanting it to seem like it's half mast- (Or whatever that was) I think it will continue to be at the Nederlander for a lot longer than 2007
much <3 Nat.

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At this point.. would they makemore money closing the show and releasing the amateur rights?

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2007? I think that it will last longer than that, but of course no one can know for certain. It's been doing well recently with the movie publicity, so that's helped.

It doesn't have the heart it once did, but it's hard to say if it should close though. It's sad to watch it when the performers obviously don't care. Matt Caplan could hardly focus when I saw it last week. Hopefully he's finally leaving for good this summer.

Updated On: 3/8/06 at 12:04 PM

I hate to be the sentimental one all the time, but I was thinking about this the last time I saw the show, just after I watched the documentary on the DVD.

That said, I think other than being a financial decision in terms of the obvious, choosing to close that show is not going to be an easy thing to do, and I have to wonder if the powers that be will continue to push it when it truly is past its due date because of how much is packed into it. On the documentary, there's a lot about how Rent is pretty much all that's left of Jonathan, and there's all of this heartbreaking stuff about his father seeing like, every production ever, because that's not just Jonathan's show, but it's all they've got left. I watched that and was just like "they can't close this show."

Of course the time'll come, but I think it will be when it absolutely *must* come, and financially speaking, that may not be all that soon. I'm not sure how I feel personally about letting it go out on a good note while it's still in okay shape, or about pushing it as far as it can go. But... well, there's my pocket change.

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I thought it went without saying that I don't think it was meant literally. But anyway, I think it's probably more accurate, without projecting *too* much, to say that it's more than just a show their son wrote; it's sort an embodiment, of sorts.

I think at least with keeping it out of regional theatres and schools, there's still a way to oversee the productions and see that justice is done as seen fit. There's always going to be that weird taboo on regional theatre's (well, maybe moreso with colleges and high schools) tendency to "screw stuff up" into mundane mediocrity, as true or untrue as it might me. Maybe that has something to do with it. Who knows?

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Updated On: 3/8/06 at 01:24 PM

Yeah I guess you're right- I think that is the best thing about Rent though, is that they're always taking new talents. They're looking for fresh new talent to play the characters. Thats why I don't see the show closing anytime soon. The people who play the characters without any heart shouldn't have gotten the role- So I agree with Katt. It's sad to think that the people playing Mark, Roger, Mimi- or any of them for that matter, could be up there and not turn into those characters. When I'm on stage I'm the character- I'm the person who they've choosen me to be- no matter how big or small the part is. I think it would be sad to see someone not taking their role seriously. (Sorry you had to see that Katt) But I think it will be a very sad thing when or if Rent closes, a time I will not look forward too.
<3 Natalie.

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Ticketmaster only lists sales through July 22nd currently. Does that mean anything? Or do they add dates as time rolls by?

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"But it would be a disservice to Larson's memory to simply run it, when as Katt says "its lost its heart and soul" on Broadway. Not when that soul can be regained (along with a lot of new $$) by letting other theatres have a go at it."

I really think that "soul" can be regained just with better casting, and more checking in on the direction. You would think the director and musical director haven't checked in on this show in ten years and that the producers are casting anyone who has the notes for the roles. It's pretty upsetting, because it very much still CAN be fresh and alive.

"If RENT is going to stick around for another five years - they are going to, at the very least, have to acknowledge that the show is now a period piece - perhaps say in the Playbill that the show takes place in the East Village in 1995 or whatever, because as time goes by it becomes more and more ridiculous to try to depict the events of the show as being current."

That's a very good point as well. I think that Rent IS very much relevant nowadays, but the world its capturing is definitely turning into (or already is) something of the past.

No Day But Today....no really please close now!

Why do you want it to close? People still want to see it. It is still selling tickets. I don't think many peopel going in think thta it is set in the present...

"I don't think many peopel going in think thta it is set in the present..."

You'd be surprised.