 Danny Blanco (Collins) & Jai Rodriguez (Angel) Toronto cast |
Winner of the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical, and the Pulitzer for Best American Drama, Rent is really one of the most unique shows around. Perhaps best described as a “contemporary rock opera”, it uses rock and pop music to tackle issues like sexuality, AIDS, drugs and homelessness, and somehow still manages to be uplifting. The show also won three other Tony Awards, among many other accolades.
It is impossible to talk about Rent without mentioning the tragic death of its creator, Jonathan Larson. He died of a heart aneurysm on January 25, 1996 – the day of the final dress rehearsal of Rent at New York Theatre Workshop. Although he never got to witness the show’s success, it has ensured that he will never be forgotten. |
| The Broadway production opened at the Nederlander Theatre on April 29, 1996, after a previous workshop at New York Theatre Workshop. It is still playing in New York. There have been 3 different U.S. tours. The show has also played in many countries around the world, including Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Spain, the Phillipines, South Korea, Denmark, Singapore, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Finland, Norway and Iceland. |
 Damian Perkins (Benny) Toronto cast |