As some of you likely know, I am a huge fan of Broadway theatre.  I was living on the west coast when RENT made its Broadway debut on April 29th, 1996.  However, I was working in San Diego at the time and, there, I was able to see the west coast premiere, which kicked off the show's Benny Tour.  That premiere took place in July of 1997 at La Jolla Playhouse and it starred Neil Patrick Harris, Wilson Cruz and others.  I was working for a junior theatre company in San Diego and served as the Production Director for the Lawrence Family JCC's Streisand Festival of New Jewish American Plays.  So, I was able to snag tickets to the show.  And it was AWESOME!

Since that time, I have seen multiple tours of RENT, the recent TV musical version (which was okay) and the movie (which I thought was, well, awful).  I have also read some behind-the-scenes accounts of the early history of RENT and its author Jonathon Larson.  By the way, one of the most compelling accounts of that story is found in Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway by Michael Riedel.  If you're a musical theatre fan, I highly recommend that book.

I never got the chance to see the original cast though.  Well, with the exception of various performances on TV.  One of my favorites, the performance from the 1996 Tony Awards, where RENT won Best Musical.

And, let's not forget.  RENT won a Pulitzer Prize too.

Well, if you're a RENT-head or a fan of the show like I am, you'll love this news.  Members of the original Broadway cast are reunited March 2nd for New York Theatre Workshop's virtual gala, which will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the show.  Showtime is 7pm CST that night, but the reunion will be available via streaming through March 6th.

Tickets start at $25 and are available by visiting New York Theatre Workshop's official website.

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