Featured image: Idina Menzel. Photo: ToniaYu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
The Lowdown
Rent was the Hamilton of the ’90s before anyone had that comparison, and getting the original company back with Michael Greif directing is as close to a time machine as Broadway gets. Streaming it for charity was the right move for fans who couldn’t get in the room.
Key Takeaways
- The sold-out anniversary concert took place October 26 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (Playbill).
- The performance streamed live and was available on demand through October 27 at BroadwayCares.org (Playbill).
- Original director Michael Greif returned, with original music supervisor Tim Weil leading the band (Playbill).
The Story
Broadway celebrated Jonathan Larson’s 1996 musical with a reunion concert featuring Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Taye Diggs and Fredi Walker-Browne from the original cast, plus a long list of Rent alumni and Broadway names (Playbill).
Heredia and fellow original company member Marcus Paul James previewed the night with “I’ll Cover You” on Today. Broadway Cares produced the concert with Baseline Theatrical founder Andy Jones (Playbill) (Broadway Cares).
Rent ran 12 years and 5,123 performances on Broadway before closing September 7, 2008. Larson died suddenly the night before the show’s first preview Off-Broadway (Playbill).
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More Context
- Playbill — Rent Anniversary Concert Bows October 26 ↗
- Broadway Cares — Rent 30th Anniversary ↗