It’s been more than 525,600 minutes since Rent debuted in New York. It’s been more than 10 years since this show touched audience members around the world. Jonathan Larson’s musical is a modern-day remake of Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème – the central characters are a group of friends, (musicians, lawyers, filmmakers) struggling to get by in New York. Many of the characters have contracted the AIDS virus, and the show faces this issue head on. Although there have been many changes in the world since its 1996 release, the themes of struggling to find love, friendship and personal fulfillment are just as strong and impactful today. As audience members filled the Dallas Music Hall at Fair Park, an energy emanated throughout the theater. It turned to excitement and anticipation as the curtains opened. From the moment Mark and Roger – original cast members Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal – sang their first notes, it was obvious that theatergoers were in for a very special treat. As the show continued, attendees began to rock in their seats and mouth the words to each song. When the performers concluded a scene, the audience broke into huge rounds of applause and whistles and cheering could be heard in surround sound.
Many theatergoers are passionate about their favorite Broadway shows. They will speak
about Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Jersey Boys or other performances. What makes Rent (Broadway’s seventh-longest running shows) so special is the way its characters, plot and music seem to move and touch individuals. In an age filled with political correctness, nothing is too taboo or risqué in Rent. There are cross-dressers, homosexuals, homeless people, poverty and AIDS. Yet, crowds have flocked to the theater for 12 years, many repeat attendees. This is the little show that could and did! Numerous members of the original cast are household names – Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Jesse L. Martin, to name a few. This show has achieved phenomenal success by crossing the societal acceptance lines to portray how one simple emotion can fuel desolate and lonely people – the act of love. Be it love of friendship or passion, it is what helps this cast survive “in the age of a new millennium.” Its story of friendship and courage in the face of adversity is inspiring and uplifting to all in attendance.
After ten years, Pascal and Rapp may not be able to hit the same high notes, and new members have joined the traveling troupe, but it is still evident that audiences will keep packing the house and cheer for the underdogs in this phenomenally moving and emotional show.
Grade: A
