Live theatre means that mistakes happen. The joy of it is that it is a one night only mishap and people who are there that night experience the magic of trying to fix a problem. With Rent, the 30th Anniversary Concert, it was live-streamed to anyone who bought a ticket and that means the mistakes are now part of online history. And it was pretty iconic.
The one night only event celebrated the Jonathan Larson musical, Rent, as a part of a fundraiser forBroadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. An organization that helps raise money for AIDS research and to help provide funds for those who need life changing medication, food, housing and more. To celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary, Broadway Cares teamed up with Gates Foundation to match donations up to 525,600, referencing the show’s iconic “Seasons of Love” song.
Fans could purchase tickets prior to the event, enter a lottery, or donate at least $30 to watch the show via the livestream. It included an hour long pre-show and the entire show itself with interviews during intermission. What made the event so special was the mix of cast from the original Broadway production to replacement casts, tours, and more. Meaning that there were unscripted moments that happened that made the show a beautiful living, breathing thing.
One of the best moments of the entire anniversary came when the original Roger, Adam Pascal, forgot his matches for one of the most important numbers. It led to Pascal and the original Mimi, Daphne Rubin-Vega, improving an entire back and forth until a stage hand brought them matches out. While a normal production wouldn’t have had that, the concert did in a way that was fun and cute.
A celebration of what Rent means to fans
Almost every theatre kid has a Rent story. Whether you were in a production of the musical or you sang along to the cast recording with your friends, so much of being a theatre kid is tied to what this show means to us. Or it is at least connected to someone you know who loves theatre. The point is: Rent changed lives.
I myself love a rock musical and all my favorite shows are rooted in that genre. That means that without Rent, shows like Spring Awakening and American Psycho the Musical may never have existed. Their roots in the rock musical paved the way for so many new musicals that inspired the next generation of musical fans and it often ties back to Rent. Seeing how much this show meant to the Broadway legends performing on stage shows just how deep our love of Rent really is.
Yes, the concert was a little hap-hazard but that’s why it worked. It was a celebration of what this show has meant to fans throughout the years and that’s the power of Rent.
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