Rent

History

The history behind Rent is filled with as much tragedy as the musical itself. The idea for the show initially came from Billy Aronson, who wanted to create a modern version of La Boheme, the Puccini opera. Aronson began collaborating with Jonathan Larson on the project, and it is Larson who took the idea and ran, crafting the story and the songs that eventually made it to the stage. Aronson and Larson made a deal allowing Larson to make the idea his own, in exchange for a royalty for Aronson, should the show make it to Broadway.

Tragedy

Larson dedicated 7 years to the writing of Rent, working odd jobs and waiting tables to support himself. He did not get to see the fruits of his labors - on January 25, 1996, just after the final dress rehearsal and before the off-Broadway premiere, Larson died of an aneurysm, due to undiagnosed Marfan Syndrome.

Larson’s family kept the show alive in his memory, and Rent made it Broadway, premiering at the Nederland Theater on April 25, 1996. As of June 2006, the show is still running at the Nederland, making it one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history.

Awards

Rent simply blew the critics away and won a staggering number of awards after its 1996 debut. A sampling of the awards include:

• 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

• 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book

• 1996 Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical, Best Music, Best Lyrics, and Best Book

Story

Rent is basically a modernized La Boheme, Puccini’s opera about young Parisian artists struggling with poverty and disease - namely, consumption (tuberculosis). Larson changed the setting to the 1990s, in New York City’s East Village Alphabet City neighborhood, and changed the disease threatening the characters to AIDS. Larson lived in the Alphabet City area, lived the life of a struggling artist, and lost several friends to AIDS - his own experiences inspired many of the scenarios in the script.

Rent’s plot is multilayered, with many complex, interpersonal relationships. A major theme of the plot involves the character Benny, who formerly lived in the Village and struggled with his friends, but has since married a wealthy woman and moved out of the area. He now owns the apartment building in which some of his friends are living. Benny reneges on his promise to allow them stay there rent-free, and demands they pay rent or leave. Benny’s actions spark a series of events involving his former friends, and raises one of the issues of the play - are the artists living a worthwhile life, forgoing security for the sake of their craft, or are they refusing to “grow up” as Benny puts it - is the bohemian life dead?

The remainder of the plot deals with the relationships between the characters, many of whom are facing AIDS or drug addiction. Some of the characters engage in cross-dressing and homosexual/bisexual relationships - a rare occurrence on Broadway - before Rent, such shows usually remained in off-Broadway venues.

For a much more in depth synopsis of the story of Rent, visit the official site.

Continuing Success

Rent remains a Broadway staple and also tours continually around the world. Larson’s family is working a “school friendly” version of the musical, removing some of the adult themes so student groups can stage performances.

Another of Larson’s ideas has also been kept alive by the Rent crew - the first two rows of seats in every production are sold for $20, to allow people who usually cannot afford tickets to enjoy the theater.

A movie version of the play was released in 2005.

Fans of the musical refer to themselves as “Rent-Heads.”

The Music

The soundtrack for Rent is on the most popular in the history of Broadway musicals. The songs in the play are as follows:

Act One:

• Tune Up #1
• Voice Mail #1
• Tune Up #2
• Rent
• Coffin III
• You Okay Honey?
• Tune Up #3
• One Song Glory
• Voice Mail #2
• Today 4 U
• You'll See
• Tango: Maureen
• Life Support
• Out Tonight
• Another Day
• Will I?
• On the Street
• Santa Fe
• I'll Cover You
• We're Okay
• Christmas Bells
• Over the Moon
• La Vie Boheme
• I Should Tell You
• La Vie Boheme B

Act Two:

• Seasons of Love
• Happy New Year
• Voice Mail #3
• Happy New Year B
• Seasons of Love B
• Without You
• Voice Mail #4
• Contact
• I'll Cover You (Reprise)
• Halloween
• Goodbye Love
• What You Own
• Voice Mail #5
• Finale
• Your Eyes
• Finale B