| 'Rent' is a musical which has been immensely popular | | | | names and occupations were changed, yet are a |
| and is running for its eleventh year now. It is based on | | | | reflection of the original characters. Mimi was a |
| the Opera La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini. 'Rent' is | | | | seamstress with tuberculosis in the original, and now is |
| set to become the second longest running show | | | | a dancer with AIDS. Rudolfo the poet has become |
| currently in Broadway when 'Beauty and the Beast' | | | | Roger the musician and Marcello the painter is now |
| ends its run on July 29, 2007. | | | | Mark the filmmaker. |
| 'Rent' was one of the first musicals to treat subjects | | | | The story brings together people in love, like Mimi and |
| like homosexuality, transsexuals and AIDS. It is a rock | | | | Roger, Angel and Tom, and also Maureen and Joanne. |
| musical with an enduring look at the lives of several | | | | But it also shows the reality that AIDS leads to death |
| characters living in the East Side. These characters | | | | no matter what. Angel gets really sick as the play |
| struggle to survive the harsh realities of their lives. | | | | progresses and dies leaving behind a heartbroken |
| Jonathan Larson wrote the book for Broadway and | | | | Tom who professes his undying love at her funeral. At |
| he also wrote the lyrics and composed the music. | | | | the end of the play, Mimi is found sick and delirious lying |
| Unfortunately he died before he was able to see the | | | | on the street by Maureen and Joanne who bring her |
| success of his play. | | | | to Roger's apartment. She expresses her love to |
| The story of 'Rent' deals with the lives of several | | | | Roger who in turn sings her a song he had written |
| characters. We see Mark Cohen, a film maker and | | | | inspired by her. After the song she turns limp and |
| also the narrator of the story and Roger Davis, a | | | | everyone believes her to be dead but after a while |
| musician who shares the Rent with Mark. Mark has | | | | she wakes up again and claims she saw Angel telling |
| just lost his girlfriend Maureen to another woman | | | | her to turn back. Roger and Mimi are overjoyed at |
| Joanne. Mimi is a dancer and who falls in love with | | | | being able to find each other and everyone is |
| Roger. Other characters include Angel, who is a gay | | | | reminded that it is important to live each day to the |
| cross dressing drummer, and Tom Collins who is also | | | | fullest as there is "no day but today". |
| gay, a philosophy teacher and Angel's love interest. All | | | | Directed by Michael Greif, 'Rent' has become a cult |
| the characters, except Mark, have AIDS. | | | | musical of sorts and getting tickets is no easy task. |
| The story has been altered a bit to suit contemporary | | | | You could get your tickets directly from the box office |
| life. Puccini's La Boheme was based in the late 1800's. | | | | at the Nederlander Theater, or book your tickets online |
| Larson rewrote the play and changed the characters | | | | or by phone. |
| to suit the state of affairs in the 1980's. The character's | | | | |