I went to playbill.com and the looked it up. Shows began on April 29, 1996. I think the 1996 is what got me confused. I thought it started before that (1994-1995) on Broadway.


The original cast of the Tony Award-winning musical Rent will reunite at the Nederlander Theatre for a benefit concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of the groundbreaking work.

The Monday night performance — April 24, 2006 — comes five days before the official 10-year anniversary of the Broadway opening of the show, which is Saturday April 29. The benefit will be directed by original director Michael Greif and music directed by music supervisor Tim Weil, and will benefit three organizations associated with late lyricist-librettist-composer Jonathan Larson: Friends In Deed (which supports those facing illness), The New York Theatre Workshop (the Off-Broadway not-for-profit where Rent was launched) and The Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation (created in Larson's memory to encourage writers of musical theatre).

"These are organizations that are about community and sharing," JLPAF executive director Nancy Kassak Diekmann said.

The benefit concert tickets begin at $1,000 each, with a range of higher prices for groups and tables being worked out.

Larson died of an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm the day before his show was to start Off-Broadway. He was 35 and did not live to see the work win the 1996 Pulitzer Prize, the 1996 Best Musical Tony Award and Tonys for Best Book and Best Score.

True to the commercial history of the production, a plan is being developed to set aside low-priced seats in the first two rows of the theatre. A plan that is "manageable and reasonable" will be announced in the future, Diekmann told Playbill.com. That plan would likely not be the standard lottery system where fans inquire at the box office on the same day of the performance; the benefit organizers hope to avoid the scene in which Rent mavens sleep on the street in the days leading up to the event.

Diekmann said there is a hope that the original band will play the concert performance, as well. For now, the opening night company has agreed to appear, and the show is being presented with the participation of the musical's producers. A gala party will follow the performance.

The original cast of the La Boheme-inspired rock musical, set in Manhattan's East Village in the last days of the 20th century, includes Adam Pascal, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Jesse L. Martin, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Anthony Rapp, Fredi Walker, Gilles Chiasson, Rodney Hicks, Kristen Lee Kelly, Aiko Nakasone, Timothy Britten Parker, Gwen Stewart and Byron Utley.

For more information, visit www.jlpaf.org, www.nytw.org or www.friendsindeed.org. The New York Theatre Workshop website is expected to have a link about how to receive an invitation.

Playbill.com will continue to follow the developing plan for the benefit, which is expected to be one of the most talked-about events of the 2005-06 Broadway season.

No, Rent have never stopped playing in Broadway. Maybe you're thinking about the transfer from off-broadway to Broadway. The rule of thumb for a Broadway re-vival is that producers will not revived it until at least 15 years have elapsed since the last production ended. There are exception (Sweeney Todd)

Your RENT is due TOMORROW!
(About 650 minutes from this posting)

Yup and I am gonna see it tomorrow...after I do some shopping at Lush

Shopping at Lush?

I think Mrs. DA and I are moving up the plans and will see it today at 4:25.

I will see it sometime next week. I'm too busy helping my cousin out with her wedding, which is this weekend. I did read a review of it in the Toronto Star today....they decided to set the movie in 1989-1990 while the stage production doesn't really have a time.

I'd say that's probably pretty close, though. The show debuted in the mid-90's, so '89-'90 wouldn't be a bad timeframe...

The movie reviewer in my local paper (who usually sucks) gave this movie an F!! I still want to see it, though. I don't trust the reviews in our paper.

The stage production is pretty firmly set in 1989-90, even if not explicitly stated.

The Onion AV Club, who generally has very solid reviewers, took a dump on the movie:


check it at http://avclub.com/content/node/42845

I probably won't go see it until it hits the dollar theater here, because I'm cheap like that (especially if it is as bad as everyone is saying!!!).

Since it has most of the orginal cast, I just don't understand how it could be as bad as everyone says it is. I'll be interested to find out how the non-theater crowd and anyone else who hasn't seen it (if there is anyone) reacts. It might just be a letdown after the stage version.

ETA: I just read on one review (MSN) that they opened the movie with "Seasons of Love"???? Does anyone know anything about this????

I am going to see it in a few hours from now

We have our tickets for 4:15.... so excited :D

Planning to see this with a group of friends tonight :)

I haven't seen the Broadway show, but I LOVED the movie. It dragged a tad after "La Vie Boheme", but it was really good. I'm sure people who know and love the Broadway show have beef with it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, as did my husband.

The LA Times gave it a bad review as well. I didn't get the chance to see it on stage, so I'm going to make an effort to see it. I love Jesse L. Martin.