As if I’m not already coming down from the announcement of a Glee reboot, then comes last night’s RENT 30th Anniversary Concert.
I grew up on the stage as a theatre kid. I was in my hometown theater, shout out to Brundage Park Playhouse in Randolph, NJ, on stage from 6-16 years old.
I was drawn to RENT when the Musical became Movie in 2005 because my teenage, theatre induced self was able to understand it’s story more then than in the 90’s; since RENT came out in 1996 and I was only 6 years old then. I took my closest friends in 2006 for my Sweet 16 to see RENT before its end on the Broadway stage in 2008.
Broadway Cares put on an outstanding show last night from the League of Live Stream Theater (HIRE ME PLEASE haha) that featured 65 artists from RENT, including original cast members like Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Taye Diggs, and Fredi Walker. Realistically if I’m not mistaken, the only one missing was the original Tom Collins, Jesse L. Martin who was actually in the movie as well.
Cameos from recognizable stage to movie stars included Rachel Zegler and Neil Patrick Harris. Having multiple Marks, multiple Marueens, Joannes and Rogers harmonizing and sharing the spotlight was the most magical musical synchornization I’ve witnessed in quite some time. Guests in the audience included a suprise appearance by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which was not much of a surprise I suppose since RENT the 30th Anniversary Concert was held in the Hamilton musical Richard Rogers Theatre.
As a livestream audience member, I can’t imagine how the actual live audience reacted to not only the original cast, but more importantly the original band of RENT carrying the show.
The show had fun quirks and live theater mess-ups like during Pascal and Vega’s infamous Light My Candle duo; Adam didn’t have his matches on hand to in fact light her candle, so he sang to production to get him matches for a good minute, until a crew member brought him a pack. Daphne (Mimi) did not break character and rolled with the bit, and it was the funniest of the first onstage slip ups.
Then the Frozen Princess herself, Idina Menzel alongside famous Maureens played by Eden Espinosa and Nicolette Hart had some slip ups during Over The Moon like forgetting the words, cursing, and stepping on Hart’s part, leaving the audience and her cast members in hysterics. If there’s one thing audiences love in live theatre, it’s engagement and broken character moments that fit the bill.
And in what was supposed to be a serious scene during Goodbye post Angel’s death, Joanne aka Fredi was late to her sung line causing the audience to sing to fill in for her verse and the cast to slightly giggle as Idina danced in a circle until Fredi quickly got on stage. These slip ups gave the performance a truly SNL feel, and iconic on stage moments for the audience to look back on and remember forever.
Low key, I really enjoyed seeing former exes Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel back on stage together. I was truly blown away though by Daphne’s performances, as she has this signature, raspy voice of Mimi and 30 years later still sold the part at 56 years old (never forget her Sex & The City cameo too, IYKYK). Fans get bummed that she didn’t play Mimi in the RENT movie, but Daphne was pregnant at the time of production and it was beautifully done by Rosario Dawson, who I wish was there tonight too, no?!
Everyone knows Adam Pascal does not disappoint as an artist; his voice is still the same and if you’re a millenial, you might recognize him from School of Rock. And of course, Anthony Rapp not only doesn’t age, but his narrating leading man voice has not either; simply impeccable, and another millennial shout out to his beyond random role in the comedic movie Road Trip.
Rachel Zegler’s duo with the dreamy Aaron Tveit was sung no other than to Without You. Their rehearsal went viral on social media, but nothing could compare to their onstage performance while the cast reacted to the passing of RENT’s legendary messenger, Angel. The ending of this musical is always so impactful with Mimi’s awakening to the closing number of No Day But Today. Tears flowing, on stage, in the audience, and beyond the theatre on couches at home, no doubt.
Technical difficulties overshadowed the other Angels in their Today For You performance, but all eyes were on Wilson as the show’s original Angel and Tony Award winner. He was beautiful to watch on stage just as much he was on the big screen, just born to play that role.
Something that really struck me watching last night’s RENT 30th Anniversary was that Jonathan Larson, the creator of RENT, who if you don’t know passed the opening night of his musical RENT in January of 1996. He never saw the ultimate success and impact it’s had on multiple generations and society.
Ironically enough, as I did my research writing this blog, I come to find Jonathan Larson passed away from a heart condition my Mom endured this year.
RENT’s opening scene is takes place on Christmas Eve and its final number is on Christmas Day.
My Mom went into emergency open heart surgery this past Christmas Eve for the same heart condition Jonathan passed away from. Fortunately for my Mommy, we caught it in the nick of time, and she’s currently rehabilitating with me.
I’m truly mind blown by this, as this show has always been close to my heart, and now it is and always will be more than ever. I had a huge sob fest last night watching this musical for just $30 to benefit the continuous fight against AIDS, still it continues now 30 years later in 2026. Unreal.
There are lines in RENT that are still so relevant today. As a specimen of a family gene that fights and struggles with addiction, RENT is a musical that keeps my spirits alive.
“No day but today,” “Measure your life in love”, “I die without you,” “Time’s are shitty, but I’m pretty sure they can’t get worse,” “We must let go, to know what’s right,” “Will I lose my dignity, will someone care, will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare,” “How do you document real life, when real life’s getting more like fiction each day?” and the best of them all, “Give into love, or live in fear.”…all lines, lyrics, that still are so realative today to those struggling. Anthony Rapp put it best that “I die without you” and “No day but today” are two messages that go together as one.
Thank you to Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS for making this all possible for fans like me. How amazing that RENT’s original director was able to return for this production, as well as the original music company manager and music supervisor of RENT.
The only downside as a Livestream producer and Live host myself, was unfortunately Ricki Lake as one of the 3 Livestream hosts pre, intermission and post show. Ricki seems to be out of the on-camera game for awhile, and missed the mark as a host, making most of the interviews about her and not who she was engaging with on camera. Honestly, I would have preferred it be Rosie O’Donnell as she’s having an odd redemption moment.
I get Ricki was excited not only to be there as Rent-head, as she experienced some firsts with RENT and its original cast in the late 90’s (as she was a TV Show host back in the day), but she couldn’t even remember half the stars names she was speaking to, let alone how to pull in and engage artists at times she had great opportunity to. The first rule of thumb as a host and interviewer, is to grab your audience’s attention and make the interview about who you’re talking to, not yourself. My harsh critique aside, Ricki looks great!
Overall, The League of Livestream Theatre thanks to RENT the 30th Concert Livestream is bound to produce more of these streams for theater goers who can’t afford a ticket up close and personal. Seasons of Love was done not once, but twice as an encore to close out the show and the tears, laughs, sometimes forgetting the words kept coming in the most charming of ways.
If you missed out on this one night only experience and are a fan of RENT, I hope my insight was worth your read. I’m sorry it’s been awhile since I’ve blogged, and as I’m on a new job search, I’m excited to continue to share my opinions and writing skills on here.
After all, it’s my duty as a LA reporter, host and Entertainment expert. (wink)
Enjoy the social clips and snippets out there of this extraordinary performance sung by RENT legends and don’t forget to measure your life in Seasons of Love.
Xo, Nic.
