Film & TV NewsDocumentary on Bringing Rent to Cuba Heading to HBORevolution Rent, executive produced by Neil Patrick Harris,follows Andy Señor Jr.'s journey to Cuba, where he directed the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical.
By
Ryan McPhee
April 29, 2021
Andy Señor Jr. and the Cuban cast of RentCarlos E Gonzalez
Revolution Rent, a documentary that charts the Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Rent's 2014 journey to Cuba, will air on HBO June 15 and subsequently be available to stream on HBO Max.
The film is directed by Andy Señor Jr. and Victor Patrick Alvarez; the former, who previously played Angel in the Broadway production, helmed the Spanish-language staging, which marked the first Broadway-scale production from an American company in Havana in 50 years. Neil Patrick Harris (also an alum of the musical) serves as executive producer.
The announcement arrives on the 25th anniversary of Rent's opening night at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre. The musical made its world premiere earlier in 1996 at Off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop, with creator Jonathan Larson tragically and unexpectedly dying the morning of its first performance. His show would go on to become an international success, including a 12-year run on Broadway.
In addition to following the production from auditions through closing night,Revolution Rent explores Señor Jr.'s personal connection to the musical and his own exploration of heritage as he brings it to his exiled parents' homeland. "I am beyond thrilled to share this deeply personal and magical moment in our lives," he says, "and I'm grateful that Jonathan Larson's words and music are still making such an impact, 25 years later."
The movie made its world premiere in 2019 at DOC NYC, subsequently screening at the Miami Film Festival and last year's Key West Film Festival.
0
of
Look Back at Rent on Broadway
Look Back at Rent on Broadway
33 PHOTOS
Wilson Jermaine Heredia and Jesse L. Martin
Joan Marcus
Adam Pascal and Daphne Rubin-Vega
Joan Marcus
Rodney Hicks, Byron Utley, Kristen Lee Kelly, Gwen Stewart and Timothy Britten Parker
Joan Marcus
Original Broadway Cast
Joan Marcus
Fredi Walker, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Idina Menzel and Jesse L. Martin
Joan Marcus
Idina Menzel and Fredi Walker
Joan Marcus
Jesse L. Martin, Anthony Rapp and Taye Diggs
Joan Marcus
Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal
Joan Marcus
Anthony Rapp
Joan Marcus
Daphne Rubin-Vega
Joan Marcus
Wilson Jermaine Heredia and Jesse L. Martin
Joan Marcus
Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin and Anthony Rapp
Joan Marcus
Marcy Harriell and Norbert Leo Butz
Joan Marcus
Norbert Leo Butz and Jim Poulos
Joan Marcus
Adam Pascal and Daphne Rubin-Vega
Joan Marcus
Frenchie Davis
Joan Marcus
Drew Lachey
Joan Marcus
Wilson Cruz and Michael McElroy
Joan Marcus
Darius de Haas
Joan Marcus
Norbert Leo Butz and Marcy Harriell in Rent
Joan Marcus
Jose Llana
Joan Marcus
Jim Poulos, Michael McElroy and Jose Llana
Joan Marcus
Matt Caplan and Cary Shields
Joan Marcus
The October 2005 Broadway Cast
Joan Marcus
Ava Gaudet
Joan Marcus
Sebastian Arcelus and Karmine Alers
Joan Marcus
Joey Fatone
Joan Marcus
Melanie Brown ("Scary Spice")
Joan Marcus
Adam Kantor and Will Chase
Joan Marcus
Tamyra Gray
Joan Marcus
Will Chase, Michael McElroy, Eden Espinosa and Rodney Hicks
The broadcast, featuring Jacob Ming-Trent, Pascale Armand, and Susan Kelechi Watson, is part of Great Performances' fifth annual Broadway’sBest series.