On April 29, Rent will celebrate its eighth anniversary on Broadway, and in June, Rent surpasses Grease to become the ninth longest running show in Broadway history.
Rent, a pop and rock re-imagining of Puccini's La Bohème (with book, music and lyrics by Larson), opened at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre, on April 29, 1996, following a sold-out, extended, limited engagement at Off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop. The musical went on to win every major best musical award, including the Tony Award, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Tragically, Larson died of an undiagnosed heart ailment on the eve of the Off-Broadway run. He would never see his work reach international attention.
The cast of Rent currently includes Mayumi Ando, Maggie Benjamin (Maureen), Matt Caplan (Mark), D'Monroe (Benny), Shaun Earl, Mark Richard Ford (Collins), Danielle Lee Greaves (Joanne), Colin Hanlon, Justin A. Johnston (Angel), Catrice Joseph, original cast member Kristen Lee Kelly, Jeremy Kushnier (Roger), Destan Owens, Enrico Rodriguez and Krystal L. Washington (Mimi).
Rent plays Monday, Tuesday, Thursday through Saturday at 8 OM, Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM and Sunday at 7 PM at the Nederlander Theatre, 208 West 41 Street. Tickets are $35-$90 and may be purchased at the Nederlander Theatre box office or by phoning Ticketmaster at (212) 307-4100. A limited number of day of-performance $20 tickets are available by lottery at the Nederlander Theatre two hours before each show and ninety minutes before Sunday evening performances.
