Rent Closing?- Page 2
Rent Closing?
#25re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:27am
Well, two weeks ago, RENT's grosses were at 98 percent, but it was an unusually high week for all shows. Last week, RENT was back in the 70s - where it usually hovers.
The show is inexpensive to run, and is in a theatre nobody else really wants, so you could make a case that RENT will stick around for years more to come - but I have a feeling that the show will begin a *slow* wrap up after the ten year mark and will probably close on Broadway by summer, 2007.
I don't think the producers and the Larson family are going to want to run the show into the ground and let it become known as "dated" - plus it really is time to start letting regional theatres and colleges, etc start doing it. That's the way Larson's message will stay alive - not by running it at half mast for infinity at the Nederlander Theatre.
#26re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:57am
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.
#27re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:01pmI'm sure Jonathan Larson dreamed of his show being on Broadway but I doubt he or any composer would want their property to be thought of as "dated" or "tired" or "past its due date." I'm not saying RENT is those things - yet - but it definitely would be if they tried to run it for another 5 years...
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#28re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:02pmAt this point.. would they makemore money closing the show and releasing the amateur rights?
#29re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:03pmAbsolutely, DAME. Every college and musical theatre in the country would do it. And probably better than Michael Grief did on Broadway...
Katt
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/22/06
#30re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:04pm
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
#31re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:11pm
The decision to close RENT, will, I suspect be more based on a general feeling of "it's time" rather than the show consistently losing money on Broadway every week. As I say above, the show can play at a low attendance rate and still turn a profit.
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.
My guess is that "it's time" will be sometime in the next 18 months. But that's just my opinion.
Updated On: 3/8/06 at 12:11 PM
#32re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 1:06pm
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.
#33re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 1:20pm
Well, if the Larson family truly feels RENT is "all" that's left of their son (and that's really sad if that is the case) than I would think they'd feel his prescence more vibrantly alive once the show is being done by 100 regional theatres in a single year. Just a thought...
They don't necessarily have to close the show on Broadway in order to release those rights either. But get those rights out - they should - especially while the film is still relatively popular among teens.
#34re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 1:24pm
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?
#35re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 1:27pm
MB, the producers have said that they don't foresee closing Rent before 2008 at the earliest, so don't get your hopes up too high. 
Why is everyone freaking out about the thread title? It's posed as a question, not a statement of a fact. There are about 50 other threads with this same title that have been made over the course of 3 years. Rent's still open. When it does post its closing notice, it will be well in advance and it will be big news, so stop worrying.
Wanting life but never knowing how
#36re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 2:06pm
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.
#37re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 2:09pm
that they're always taking new talents. They're looking for fresh new talent to play the characters.
Are they, though? Maybe on the tours that's true, but Broadway consistently recycles cast members, and that's contributing to the show being tired, IMO. And bringing in have-been stars isn't really my vision of bringing in "new talent" either.
cheezedoodle
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/15/05
#38re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 2:17pmTicketmaster only lists sales through July 22nd currently. Does that mean anything? Or do they add dates as time rolls by?
#39re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 2:19pmMeans nothing. All shows release their tickets in blocks of time. The original poster's friend or whatever probably assume that what you see meant it was closing.
BroadwayGirl107
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/26/03
#40re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 3:10pm
"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.
#41re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 3:22pm
Well, that's partly true, BroadwayGirl - but at some point the issue of the show being "dated" has to be addressed. I mean HAIR, which admittedly was a very politically driven show ran from 1968 until 1972 - WAY after the piece was relevant, which some point to as a reason for the show's decline in reputation over the years (it was aslo foolishly revived on Broadway in 1977, when it had absolutely no topicality).
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.
BroadwayGirl107
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/26/03
#42re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 3:24pm
"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.
#43re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 3:27pmMaybe they'll make that change with the ten year mark. For years, A CHORUS LINE attempted to keep the show current, but after about a decade (partly because like Larson, ACL's author was dead) they had to change the time setting in the program from "Now" to "1975."
BwayBaby18
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/19/05
#45re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 3:49pmNo it isn't closing , but wouldn't it be great if it would!
anne3
Stand-by Joined: 10/20/05
#46re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:05pmWhy 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...
#47re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:08pmI agree about the "period piece" representation. There's a "note about the plot" section in the Playbill, and I think it'd be a good idea to include a time frame in there. I do think that by watching it, it's kind of obvious that it's not today, but maybe I overestimate the ability to pick up on what I think it's 'obvious.' Anyway, it can't hurt.
BroadwayGirl107
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/26/03
#48re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:30pm
"I don't think many peopel going in think thta it is set in the present..."
You'd be surprised.
#49re: Rent Closing?
Posted: 3/8/06 at 4:30pmWell, Anne3, Rent has seen its day. It's ran for nearly 10 years. It's time for a new production to open.
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