The original Broadway cast of Rent reunited this weekend at The Festival in New York to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary. 13 of the 15 original cast members were present (Idina Menzel was required to be at D23 in California to promote Frozen 3, and Jesse L. Martin is filming Percy Jackson 3). They performed several songs and talked about the off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Rent.
There will be a one night only 30th anniversary concert of the full show on October 26 benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The show is already sold out but there are livestream tickets available for $30.
Rent is the 12th longest running show in Broadway history with 5,123 performances from 1996 to 2008. The show won 4 Tony Awards, 6 Drama Desk Awards, and a Pulitzer Prize. Sadly, creator Jonathan Larson did not live to see any of the show’s success as he died from an aortic dissection the night before the show’s first off-Broadway preview. Although rush existed as discounted day-of tickets for unsold seats long before Rent existed, Rent revolutionized rush tickets, offering front row seats for only $20. People would camp out overnight to get these tickets, which eventually prompted Rent to change their rush policy to a lottery system.
Rent launched the careers of Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Jesse L. Martin, Taye Diggs, and Daphne Rubin-Vega. During its 12 years on Broadway, the cast included Will Chase, Norbert Leo Butz, Karen Olivo, Wilson Cruz, Jose Llana, Telly Leung, Eden Espinosa, Sherie Rene Scott, and future Hamilton costars Renée Elise Goldsberry and Leslie Odom, Jr.
Gilles Chiasson, Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Rodney Hicks, Kristen Lee Kelly, Aiko Nakasone, Timothy Britten Parker (Sarah Jessica Parker’s brother), Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gwen Stewart, Byron Utley, Fredi Walker-Browne perform Rent, Out Tonight, Light My Candle, You’ll See, I’ll Cover You (with Rodney Hicks), Will I?, Take Me or Leave Me (with Lauren Patten), La Vie Bohème, Finale B, and Seasons of Love.
Prior to the full cast panel, Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal performed Light My Candle
Adam Pascal performing One Song Glory
