One of the best contemporary Broadway musicals is returning with a brand new cast in June 2011 to its original setting, New York. "Rent" was a groundbreaking stage production that premiered in 1994 at off-Broadway's New York Theater Workshop. The sudden death of its creator, Jonathan Larson, brought media attention to it which, later on, helped for its transition to Broadway with great success winning 4 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Now, original producer Allan S. Gordon has decided to bring it back to New York after viewing last summer's version of the show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
The show closed in 2008 after 14 successful years and an adaptation to the big screen which included many stars of the original cast. "The truth is, it really is timeless," Gordon says. "It still works." According to Gordon, the off-Broadway version will cost around $1.5 million as opposed to the $300 million that the original Broadway production used to cost. Rent grossed nearly $300 million and created stars such as Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal or Taye Diggs.
I believe this is great news for Broadway fans. I was fortunate enough to catch the show back in 2005 and I still recall it as one of the best theaters experiences of my entire life. "Rent" has a timeless story that could easily speak to many new generations to come, and some excellent music too!
What do you say? Are you ready to sing "Seasons of Love" one more time?
Hell yeah.
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