Sad news coming from New York's Nederlander Theater today: Broadway musical Rent is closing after a 12-year run. The last performance will take place June 1. Opening in the spring of 1996, Rent enjoyed immediate and explosive success with both critics and audiences, despite (or perhaps because of) the story's focus on AIDS, drug addiction, and poverty.
I was one of those crazy, obsessed fans when the musical first opened, traveling into the city with my high-school friends to get cheap tickets to the show several times. We'd even wait around afterward for glimpses of the actors emerging from the Nederlander. Later we followed their careers, from Anthony Rapp's solo album to Taye Diggs appearing on Ally McBeal and Jesse L. Martin getting his gig on Law & Order.
Did you ever see Rent on Broadway? What are your fondest Rent memories?
Cotswold Company
I saw it off-Broadway, but never managed to see it in NY.
1It's such a good show, with such a good message.
I think it's time for it to go though. It's had a long life.
2it's about time. I use to be addicted to this show all throughout high school but it was just getting bad with all the guest stars. But it will be weird to walk pass broadway and not see RENT sign or their posters.
3Farewell Rent, it's been a good run.
I've seen it Off-Broadway, as well, and I would LOVE to see it on Broadway. That's one of my goal's in life. lol.
4hell no, I hate musicals
5Lucky enough to see it on Broadway with the original cast. Who knew then what it would become. Seen it too many times to count since then both on Broadway and elsewhere in the world. Sad to see it go. Might need to make a trip to NYC for one last trip to the Nederlander.
6My best friend and I didn't get to see it on Broadway, but did see it here in Chicago. We're big Adam Pascal fans and saw him in Aida during its pre-Broadway run here, too. Love him!
7I've seen it off-Broadway in Chicago. I've wanted to see it in NY for some time now though...guess I only have till June now. Shoot.
8Musicals SUCK.
9I loved it..I still love it everytime I see it. It's sad that it will be gone.
10i was lucky to stumble onto this gem - original cast - back in the day. phenomenal. it literally has shaped how i see the world.
11Never got to see the original cast (unless you count the horrible movie, and for the record, I don't). I did see it on Broadway circa 2001. I thought it was okay. I do have very fond memories of going with my brother to Best Buy when I was in 8th grade to buy the album. I fell in love! "Only the thing to do is jump over the moon!"
12I saw it finally last March in Detroit and am going to NYC in a few months and am making it my destination! Especially now!
13i've seen a touring version, and a guy i went to high school played angel in another tour....LOVE rent!!
14I've only seen it once on Broadway, I love it. I am definitely going to try and see it again before it goes!
15I saw it on tour in St. Louis. I love the music!
16Saw it years ago on Broadway. Loved sharing the theater experience with my then teenage daughter. To not see the Rent sign on our trips to New York will be odd.
17I usually love musicals, but I never had any desire to see this one.
18Never on B-way, but I did see a touring production.
No day like today!
19Saw it on Broadway with the original cast, then too many times to count over the last 12 years. There was nothing like that original cast!!
I guess I was one of "those"! When I heard this morning that it was closing, I immediately went onto Ticketmaster and bought tickets to see it one more time! I couldn't help myself...
There is a DISCOUNT CODE out there for any of you who either want to see it again or want to see it for the first time before it goes... you have to buy the tickets by the end of the month for showings before Easter day. I do not think it works for Saturday evening performances... the code is "WBOX". ENJOY!
20OMG I am seeing it tomorrow in New Jersey!!!!!!
21No.
But I love theatre, and probably would have loved it.
22I've seen it twice and loved it. Both with the original cast.
23No I have not seen it on Broadway, it has been to Minneapolis a few times. But it is on my list of musicals I want to see, and more importantly it is a musical that I want to take my daughters to. We all have seen the movie, and they both love the music.
24no - i've never been able to make it to see the show and now that it's closing i really have to make the effort. at least i'm here in NYC and can TRY to get tickets. otherwise the movie will have to do it for me
25aww this is so sad!! I love RENT! I saw it on Broadway once, it was awesome.
26It was the reason for my first trip to NYC. Got me hooked on seeing live theater and traveling. Loved it!
27I agree with miss-britt that the guest stars are starting to overshadow the power of the show itself. It's wonderful that so many people are still going to see it, but I'm afraid that the "star power" that's ruining a lot of Broadway shows has destroyed some of Rent's "street cred" as an edgy, off-kilter piece of theatre and made it just another way to see American Idol cast-offs and former boy band members try to remain relevant.
(Note: I actually did see Idol's Constantine in a touring version of the show in LA before Idol. I remember thinking, "Wow, for one a Roger that looks like a rock star . . . too bad he's not that good.")
28I saw it with my friends once in San Francisco, and I also saw the movie. It's a really great show, one of my top 5 favorite Broadway shows.
29WAAAAAH!!! i never had a chance to see it, and as the poor student i am...in California....i don't think i ever will. *sniff* i did get to see an off broadway when it came to san jose and i have seen the movie more times than i can count.
to help with your RENT fix i recoment anthony's autobiography. it is sooo good! it also gives a really good look on the backstory of RENT.
30I have never seen it on Broadway but I would have loved to. I have not seen it off-broadway either but I have seen the movie and I enjoyed the movie a lot.
31Nope, I've seen many musicals on Broadway, but not that one. I wouldn't either because I HATED the movie. Loved the music, but didn't like the overall storyline.
32Yuck. This is what every musical theatre geek at my high school was singing. The time has come to lay this show to rest.
33This saddens me. I loveeee rent. i live in new york so of course ive seen it on broadway. its one of my favorites!
i hope they bring back the original cast one last time. tried for the 10th anniversay but no such luck. i would love to see them all together!!
34No! I'm so saddened by this because I've never seen it on Broadway. I know it hasn't been doing very well lately. The songs are beautiful and the musical itself has a great message. Congratulations on the great run though.
35I will never forget feeling some kind of spray on my head and at intermission realizing that the person behind me had thrown up all over me. I stood up and everyone behind me was pointing at me. That is my lasting memory of rent.
36Touring, yes. Broadway, not yet. I will definitely be making plans to see this before it leaves the Broadway stage!
37Whoops! Hit the post key! (Hope I didn't sub too!)
Anywho..I love Rent and it's sad to see it go. I've loved La Boheme since I was young and was excited when this came out. Jonathan did a great job.
As for the poster who complained about high school theater kids singing this stuff....well....they tend to sing a lot of the popular stuff...so many of my friends were singing Lex Mis and Phantom stuff it wasn't even funny! So was I..but still. =p Yah it gets old, but if the story is there...well, then it doesn't matter too much at least for me.
38It was my first Broadway show. Loved it.
39Rent had a huge effect on my life, it's story truly moves me. Even the story of the writer, Jonathan Larson, is amazing. I had so much fun meeting people in the "line" for the cheap tickets, it was just a great experience all around. And Adam Pascal's voice does something to me that I can't even describe...I saw him in Aida as well, he is just incredible.
40I saw it in '98 on Broadway and then I was lucky enough to see it again in London in '98 when it first opened up. The London cast had all the guys from the original Broadway cast in it so that was even better for me.
41That's why I bought the movie. I know it's not the same and not as good, but it's what will keep it alive!!!
42I saw it once in NYC and did not like it at all. I do not get what is such a big deal about it.
43Such a fun musical, utterly entertaining. When I saw it Drew Lachey was playing one of the leads.
44Love love love Rent!
45Never saw it on Broadway, but I've seen the tour a few times (saw it twice last year, actually, two days apart, in two different cities - the second time was completely unplanned, but I just loved the cast so much I had to go again). I really love the show; I remember back when it was new when I first saw anything from it and how new and fresh and amazing it seemed. I think the show gets a lot of crap - and some of it deserved - for various reasons, but it definitely has influenced where Broadway has gone since it opened. And I think it's easy to forget the impact it had back then when it doesn't seem so new and fresh and amazing anymore.
I think closing now is a good decision, but I'll miss it anyway.
46I saw in off broadway in the movies when they brought it here to augusta georgia. My mom and I had a great time. We thought the music was wonderful. The cast did a great job as well.
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