Based on Puccini's opera 'La Boheme', Jonathan Larson's 'RENT' follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive in New York's Lower East Side, under the shadow of the AIDS epidemic of the 1980's.
The physical and emotional complications of the disease pervade the lives of Roger, Mimi, Collins, and Angel. Maureen deals with her chronic infidelity through performance art; her partner, Joanne, wonders if their relationship is worth the trouble. Benny has sold out his Bohemian ideals in exchange for a hefty income and is on the outs with his former friends. Mark, an aspiring filmmaker, feels like an outsider to life in general.
How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves, and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical. This is theatre at its best - exuberant, passionate, and joyous which has made RENT a cultural phenomenon featuring songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages with a focus on love in all its forms.
