Rent to close in June

By Amy Somensky Jan 17, 2008, 4:38 GMT

Rent is a new spin on the classic opera La Boheme. Set in New York City\'s East Village, it\'s an emotionally stirring story of a community of young artists struggling to live and celebrate life. A penniless songwriter, Roger, stricken with Aids has given up on life until he meets his beautiful neighbor, Mimi, who is also Aids stricken. ...more

New York: The Tony winning musical, Rent, will play its final performance at the New Amsterdam Theater on June 1st. The musical, currently the seventh longest running show on Broadway, will have played 5,012 performances.

Rent opened at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre on April 29, 1996 following a history-making, sold out, extended limited engagement at off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop. It won every major best musical award including the Drama Desk and Tony awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Over the years it has developed a community of loyal fans dubbed "rent-heads" who have been touched by the musical's themes, music, and spirit.

The musical is of course the work of Jonathan Larson, who penned the music, lyrics, and book. Jonathan tragically died of an aortic aneurysm on January 25, 1996, the night before the musical was to have its first performance at Off-Broadway's New York Theatre Workshop. The rest of the team behind the production includes direction by Michael Greif, choreography by Marlies Yearby, set design by Paul Clay, lighting design by Blake Burba, costume design by Angela Wendt, and producers Allan S. Gordon, Jeffrey Seller, and Kevin McCollum.

Rent currently stars Harley Jay as Mark, Rodney Hicks as Benny, Nicolette Hart as Maureen, Declan Bennett as Roger, Justin Johnston as Angel, Michael McElroy as Collins, Kenna J. Ramsey as Joanne, and Tamyra Gray as Mimi.

Rent is a new spin on the classic opera La Boheme. Set in New York City's East Village, it's an emotionally stirring story of a community of young artists struggling to live and celebrate life. It follows eight friends over the course of a year as they experience love, life, and death by trying to live the motto "No Day But Today."

For tickets to the final performances of Rent visit tickets.monstersandcritics.com.