One of the best musicals on Broadway is RENT. The book, music and lyrics were written by Jonathan Larson. For the past three years, this play has been performed all over the world, and loved by audiences everywhere. It is loosely based on Puccinni's; La Boheme. In1996, when RENT premiered it received much critical acclaim. RENT seized the Pulitzer Prize for Drama; five awards for best musical, from the Tony Awards, New York Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League and Obie. As well as three other Tony Awards, five other Drama Desk Awards, two other Obies, and two Theatre World Awards.
RENT is the starts off as the story of Mark, a wanna-be filmmaker. He lives in an abandoned building on Avenue B with his best friend Roger. Roger is a songwriter, trying to write a love song. He is HIV positive. The story starts out on Christmas Eve, in New York City. The building that they live in is next to an empty lot, in which a tent-city has sprung up. Their ex-roommate Benny has bought the building and the lot beside it with the help of his wealthy father-in-law. It is his dream to tear down the building and the lot, and build a cyber-arts studio. Maureen, Mark's ex-girlfriend, who left him for another woman; Joanne, is a performance artist, and has decided to do a protest performance in the empty lot at midnight on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Collins, a philosopher and teacher, gets mugged. He stumbles past a drum-playing drag queen with a big heart named Angel, who, like he is, is HIV positive. Roger meets Mimi, a confused girl, full of life, passion, energy, and crack. Mimi is HIV positive as well. At the end of the first act, a riot erupts in the lot. Benny padlocks the entry of the building, locking out everyone. Mark captures all of it on tape. The second act begins on New Year's Eve, 10 minutes before midnight. The gang is trying to break back into their building. The rest of the play explores the events of the next year, and how the events of one night, forever change each of their lives.
