Now, I will admit. This is a question I had been thinking about and never got around to posting till now. This didn't come into my head with all the Rent closing news going around.
Do you think that the Nederlander should be renamed The Larson Theatre?
I mean, they are changing the names of theatres to be named after influential playwrights. The Eugine O'Neil, Neil Simon, Augest Wilson. Even the Gershwin is named after a songwriter.
Why not have one named after someone who strongly influenced modern musical theatre?
the Stephen Sondheim Theater- that man needs to be honored.
What shows would you say are directly influenced by RENT?
Hm. In truth, I would LOVE to frequent the Jonathan Larson Theatre. I think it would be a truly telling thing if the name change took place... Something to think about.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
I don't think he's contributed enough to Broadway to warrant a naming. Especially since there are theater legends that don't have a theater named after them: Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, etc.
The New York Theatre Workshop should name their building facility after him.
Not at all. Not to say Larson wasn't talented, but I don't think he contributed nearly enough to the musical theatre to warrant a theatre named after him.
I agree.
i thought of that too actually, the jonathan larson would be great
Actually it will be a good idea to name a theater after a female theater legend..
The Ethel Merman Theater or The Mary Martin Theater...since we only have what -2 theater named after a woman.. Barrymore & Helen Hayes ..well- Lunt-Fontanne ..1/2
J*
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/03
Before it was the Nederlander, it was the Trafalgar.
Before it was the Trafalgar, it was the Billy Rose.
Before it was the Billy Rose, it was the National.
That is 4 names in my lifetime.
And the Nederlander Organization owns the David T. Nederlander Theatre named for Grandfather Nederlander. They are not changing the name of that theatre for anybody.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/07
WOSQ...you have a point, but I agree with JayStarr, Sondheim needs a theatre!
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
One mediocre show and you get a theater named after you?
Thanks for agreeing with me Mike.
B3TA07. Your asking me what shows I think are influenced by Rent?
I think that any current Broadway musical that is using modern music as its score should tip its hat to Rent.
Rent was one of the first shows to use a rock score and have it have a very traditional rock sound. They didn't try to numb it down or water it down for a typical Broadway audience. They did that and it sold. It sold well enough for producers to realize that this is in fact profitable. Two examples of producers realizing it is profitable are Spring Awakening and In The Heights.
Although it isn't a Broadway house (far from it geographically) the Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts just opened in Iowa.
What about the Edward Albee Theater...?
The original WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF opened there, as well as a short run of his plays in Rep. during the 1960s.
Excuse me, but have you ever heard of "Hair"? No? How about "Jesus Christ Superstar"? Hmmm...these aren't ringing bells? Pity.
winston- I agree that Rent is the first musical to use "modern" pop music as its influence but hardly the first to use the popular music of the time.
The first rock musicals would actually be Hair... followed by JCS, Godspell, Pippin, The Wiz, Evita, Blood Brothers, Chess, Tommy.
Taking the music of the time is what has been used as a selling point throughout all of Broadway's history. Rent was not the first.
haha, posted at the same time gvendo!
don't you people understand that there was no musical theatre before rent? it was just some gay guys in a barn molesting cows. st. larson brought it into the city, where no other musical had ever been set. plus, and i am darn certain of this, but it's the first musical to ever use minorities in major roles. ever.
What!!!! Hair Godspell etc etc etc etc etc etc come on! Haha
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
Actually, shouldn't it be named the Puccini theater? After all, Rent is hardly an original idea.
why would they named it after a kind of mushroom?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
"why would they named it after a kind of mushroom?"
Did you ever see Rent? Mimi sings: "Won't you light my doobie?"
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
"Evita is a rock musical?"
Patti LuPone started floating that rumor to make herself look like a rebel.
Evita was billed as a pop opera.
What in the world...!?
JCS? Sure, why not?
Godspell? As much as it pains me...
Pippin? It's more of a 'pop' feel, IMO.
The Wiz? Not-at-all.
Evita? You're joking, right?
Blood Brothers, Chess, Tommy?
You need to re-think a few of these shows.
They're not all rock musuicals. G'head, look it up! LoL
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