Award-winning RENT presented by NAU Department of Theatre
RENT is one of the longest-running shows on Broadway, having grossed over $280 million. Its songs have been covered by a wide range of people and media, from Riverdale to Lin-Manuel Miranda. RENT has also received several awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and four Tony Awards.
So, what’s all the fuss about?
Jonathan Larson wrote the music, lyrics, and book for RENT with the goal of “bringing musical theater to the MTV generation.” Larson was a playwright who often explored topics such as homophobia and multiculturalism within his work. He also wrote Tick, Tick… BOOM!
RENT was born in 1988 by playwright Billy Aronson as a musical based on the opera La Bohème, which depicted the Bohemian lifestyle in the early 19th century. Larson collaborated with him and suggested that the play be set in the East Village to focus on poverty, drag queens, and the punk scene. The name “RENT” was chosen because it means a fixed payment, but it also represents something that has been torn apart.
The show opened in the off-Broadway theater New York Theatre Workshop in 1996. Larson tragically died of an aortic dissection the night before and would not see the great success that came from it. However, he knew from the start that it was “incredible.”
RENT tells the story of young artists struggling to survive as creatives in New York City under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Through the darkness of poverty, disease, and tragedy, RENT makes clear that our lives lose meaning without a community.
Critics have praised RENT for its representation of HIV-positive characters who continue to focus on positive outlooks rather than on death. RENT also critiques gentrification while celebrating queerness and the LGBTQ+ community.
NAU Department of Theatre presents RENT on April 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27 at 7:30 p.m. and April 21 at 2 p.m. in Clifford E. White Theater. Support NAU’s students and enjoy the renowned musical that still resonates with audiences today! Get your tickets now!
