22 years ago today, a rising composer by the name of Jonathan Larson about to officially premiere his new rock opera RENT Off Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop. However, he sadly did not get to witness that first performance or the many performances that came. In the wee hours of the morning of that first preview performance, he unexpectedly died of an aortic aneurysm in his SoHo apartment.
Shocked and heartbroken by the news of their friend and colleague, the company of RENT knew that the show must go on. The first preview was cancelled for the public. However, the company (in just a crazy amount of time) invited all of Jonathan’s friends and family to the Theater to perform a memorial edition of RENT sitting at the onstage table with no blocking or costumes. Jonathan’s friends were laughing, crying, and applauding with every moment of the show. They couldn’t believe that this score was written by their special colleague. At the very end, there was a moment of silence and what broke it, someone cried out THANK YOU JONATHAN LARSON and it rose to a 5-10 minute standing ovation.
The very next day, RENT officially began performances and it became a huge word of mouth hit Off Broadway and then transferred to Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre running for over 5,124 performances. The show and Jonathan received numerous awards (accepted by his family) including the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Thousands of productions of RENT are still happening around the world everywhere which people continue to honor Jonathan’s legacy and work.
In addition, Jonathan also opened up the doors for all the rising geniuses that came in that we all know on Broadway today including Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal, If/Then Musical), Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton: An American Musical, In The Heights), and now Pasek and Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen, Greatest Showman).
If you want to learn more about RENT and it’s legacy how it changed the Theater world, join us on our INSPIRATION OF RENT Walking Tour. We will take you on a BOHEMIAN adventure like no other in the East Village learning about the historical sights, show you where certain scenes in the musical took place, where Jonathan got his inspiration from to write this landmark show, and more.
Check out what happens with acclaimed composer, writer, actor, and rapper Lin-Manuel Miranda makes an appearance on stage with Jimmy Buffett and the cast of the Broadway Bound Escape to Margaritaville: The Musical (currently on the final stop of it’s Pre-Broadway tour in Chicago). Who is excited for this to open here in NYC?!
There was a revolution last night at Escape to Margaritaville: The Musical when Hamilton: An American Musical creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda attended the show and joined Jimmy Buffett onstage for an unforgettable post-show performance! #LicenseToChill
Waitress the Musical’s composer Sara Bareilles officially took center stage at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre as she made her Broadway ACTING debut tonight as the show’s new “Jenna”. To celebrate, check out an all new music video from Bareilles and the WAITRESS band (led by Nadia DiGiallonardo) performing an acoustic version of the show’s anthem WHAT BAKING CAN DO. Get your tickets and see Sara Bareilles in WAITRESS now for a 10 week stint till June 11th, 2017!!!
Sara Bareilles took a walk to Times Square with the #WaitressMusical band to show New York City what baking can do!
Last night, the legendary composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber made history as the 2nd composer ever to have 4 of his hit shows all running on Broadway at the same time. The first was with Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Currently Lloyd Webber has The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic, Cats the Musical at the Neil Simon, School of Rock the Musical at the Winter Garden, and now Sunset Boulevard at the Palace.
Congrats Andrew!!!! You are a legend!!!
He is the greatest composer of all. The casts of #SunsetBoulevard, Cats the Musical, School of Rock the Musical, and The Phantom of the Opera come together to celebrate Andrew Lloyd Webber.
CLOUDS IN OUR COFFEE! Did you know that Lucy Simon (the Tony nominated composer of “The Secret Garden”) is sister to the acclaimed Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe winning singer-songwriter Carly Simon?
WHAT DO YOU THINK: Do you think the story of Carly’s life can be put on the Broadway stage? Carly had lots of triumphs and tribulations. Her songs are iconic like “Nobody Does It Better”, “Let The River Run”, and “You’re So Vain”. I’m sure Lucy could be a big help on it.
