Members of the cast of RENT performed in Bryant Park today. Renee Elise Goldsberry sang "Out Tonight." Eden Espinosa and Tracie Thoms performed "Take Me or Leave Me." Adam Kantor, Justin Johnston, Tracie Thoms, Trisha Jeffrey, Gwen Stewart, Tracy McDowell, Eden Espinosa, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Shaun Earl and Telly Leung sang "Seasons of Love" to finish the concert.
Would you like to own a piece of RENT history? Here's your chance...
CLICK HERE to check out RENT's amazing eBay auctions. You'll be able to bid on costume items from the Broadway production of RENT. All proceeds will be donated to the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, New York Theatre Workshop and Friends in Deed.
FINAL WEEKS!
On August 6th, it's all about Mimi. Start bidding on her lavender lace top (worn by Daphne Rubin-Vega), her giraffe-print boots and her winter coat.
On August 13th, it's time to get some gear from Mark and Roger. You'll be able to bid on Mark's blue and red sweater, plus Roger's leather jacket, sleeveless shirt and plaid pants!
Remember, all of the proceeds are going to charity ... so let the bidding begin!
I’ve done many, many shows before RENT, but never have I been involved in a show that really touched people in a tangible way. It’s about a message...
I remember one particular time – I’m guessing but I think we were in Wisconsin – and I had gotten ticked off because some prop didn’t work during the show, and I was like, ‘Why didn’t somebody fix that?” – you know, I was all caught up in that. So I left the show and I was walking to Hooters – but not for, you know, the hooters – but to get some chicken wings, because I like to eat chicken wings after the show. So, I’m sitting there, and I ordered my wings at the take-out bar, and there’s this woman sitting next to me, and she looked at me and said “Oh, you were Collins in RENT,” and I was like, “Yeah, I was.” And I said, “Did you enjoy the show?” and she said, “I loved the show!” I thanked her for enjoying and coming to the show.
Then she said, “You know what happened to me tonight? The reason that I came is that I went home earlier today and I was living with a roommate, and my roommate and I are recovering addicts.” They were recovering heroin addicts, so she got home, she discovered that her roommate had relapsed and it sent her into a tailspin. It got her thinking about her own addiction and was she going to relapse. A person who’s addicted like that, if they’re around somebody who’s using, it makes them want to use as well. Instead she decided that she would get a ticket and come see RENT. These are her words to me. She bought her ticket, she came to see the show, and we know that the Mimi character has an addiction problem. She related so much with that character and it gave her so much strength, that it kind of renewed her determination to stay clean and sober. That was a very powerful statement to me, and it let me see that, wow, maybe my little telephone prop didn’t work, but the message of the story -- about life, about renewal, about you can make it, about hope; not about death, not about your condition, but about what life can be – and how that show moves and touches people let me know that my job was done. She didn’t notice that my prop didn’t work. All she cared about was the story that we were telling and that I had done my job. And that made me feel so proud.
Of course it wasn’t all sad. Many times we had the best times on the road, in the Broadway company as well, and out in Australia. The cast really became a family. We took trips to the Grand Canyon together, Mount Rushmore, and I remember we were in Hawaii for 2 weeks and we went to see a live volcano. I remember going to Japan, we toured Japan and we were treated like rock stars there. Literally, at the end of our final performance, the audience clapped for – it had to be 20-30 minutes. We all left the stage after our 2nd or 3rd bow, we went back to our dressing rooms, we changed out of our costumes, got into our street clothes, and they were still applauding! We had to go back on stage, and then the crowd went crazy again, nearly the entire theatre was still there, 30 minutes after the show, applauding. When we left the stage door they walked us back to the hotel. For about 2 blocks the crowd followed us, we almost needed bodyguards. We were surrounded by people.
It was that kind of experience that I’ve had doing RENT. I still have some very good friends that I met as fans of the show. I have a good friend, Robyn, and we still keep in touch all the time and I’ve written her for about a year and a half now. I have to say a big thank you to the fans. You’re the reason why this show has lasted so long. Much love to you and God bless you.
Mark Richard Ford (Tom Collins: Australia, Benny and Broadway Companies)
RENT for me has been an amazing, amazing experience because when I first joined the cast, I was in a place where I felt completely lost. When I joined the cast on Broadway, I found myself and I found my voice. I was able to speak up for myself and to learn how to deal with other people because there are so many different personalities in that building, it’s amazing. I love it. I actually look forward to coming to work, honestly, and it does bring me joy. I’ve been a part of the company for 6 ½ years, and I have just had the most amazing time.
Sometimes I find myself being like a camera looking at myself and the rest of the cast onstage and go, “Oh my god, this is my life!” And I have some wonderful memories. I have loved laughing with people. Most of all, it’s the friendships that I’ve made with this company, because I know that I’ve made some lifetime friends. It’s like home. So, RENT closing is really bittersweet for me, because I love being able to have been here for that long. But also the fact that it is closing, it’s making me feel like my parents are selling their home and we’re not going to be able to go and visit again at that house because somebody else is going to be living in there.
So, I just want to say thank you so much for coming to see the show, supporting the show, because most of all being able to touch all of the people that have come to see the show, really that’s the part that hits home for me. When I have a fan come up to me and say, “I just can’t believe what you’ve done,” or getting fan mail saying how they have felt like the show has saved their life, that’s so mind blowing to me. You know, having 13-year-olds come up to me hug me, crying, saying “thank you” it just fills my heart up. I just live for the fans, so I’ll always come out and talk to the fans and say, “Thank you so much for being here.”
I just want to say thank you so much for giving me all of these years with the show where I have felt completely full of joy, and so many things I’ve just loved.
Miguel Jarquin-Moreland (Swing/U.S. Angel, 2007-2008)
I first saw Rent in 1997, it was my third Broadway show. I will never forget the feeling that I had leaving that theatre because I've never had quite the same experience when watching a show. It was a truly mindblowing experience. When I got the phone call in December of 2006 to join the show as a swing, I was speechless. I was only with the show for six months, but the most vivid memory for me was the first time I performed the role of Mark. My heart was about to burst as I started that first speech that I heard Anthony Rapp perform almost ten years before. After a few stumbles here and there during that first performance, singing 'No Day But Today' at the end of the show, I felt so blessed and proud to be a part of this monumental, once-in-a-lifetime piece of theatre. Thank you Jonathan Larson.
RENT was my Broadway debut! Not only that but it made me love musical theatre. Words seriously cannot sum up what the show has meant to me. When I was 15 years old, I went to my first RENT open call and it took almost 9 years to actually have the honor of being part of such an amazing piece. (Do the MATH!) I played Paul, and I remember sitting on those LEOPARD PRINT stairs, listening to the end of "Tango Maureen" and just smiling like a 5-year-old kid watching "Blue's Clues.” I thought the feeling of "OMG" would go away after a while but it never did. The day I left the show, I sat on those stairs by myself, listening to the end of "Tango Maureen" and smiled just as big as I did on the first day I joined the Broadway Company. I will NEVER forget this show, or the people I met, or the experiences I had. This show, honestly and quite simply ROCKED. It still ROCKS and it will ALWAYS rock. So sad to see it go...
Nick Sanchez (Paul, Angel u/s) 9th Anniversary Broadway Company
I am so honored to have played in the Benny Tour band. I never had the privilege to meet Jonathan Larson but I'm so humbled to have played a small part in spreading the message of this great piece. RENT is bigger than just a musical and will continue to live on. My best wishes and love to everyone.Matt Beck (Musician)
I was working at a Holiday Inn in Cleveland, Ohio when after an open call I was cast as Steve in the show. I literally moved in a day to New York and was performing a few weeks later. Starting so soon after it opened, I remember reading the story of Jonathan Larson and how RENT was such a huge part of his life. Because of Jonathan and all the producers, cast members, crew, and management, my life was never the same. RENT has touched so many lives and I know it's only a matter of time before it will be back. It's never goodbye, only until the next time. I am currently back in Cleveland married, writing songs to be placed for TV/FILM and developing young artists. 4 of my songs will be featured in a new Tom Green film. I am also teaching over 50 kids a week to play guitar/piano.
Matthew James Murphy (Performed in RENT: Broadway June 98/Angel/Benny cast)
I was in Los Angeles when I heard the news about RENT closing. I immediately called Kamilah Marshall (Benny Company, Joanne) and we both just sat on the phone speechless. We, the Renter's, always said how special it was to be part of the family. We've been at each other's weddings, we've celebrated births, and we’ve watched people pass on together. I know, and realize, how lucky I am to have experienced such a special moment in my life. Here are 5 moments that stick out in my many memories of Rent: the MOFOS, Carrie Hamilton, 10 year anniversary, first day at work with the OBC, the infamous blue pants.
Where am I now:
-Recently married to pianist David Cook (10-21-06)
-Recording my first full-length album this year
-Singing with Bette Midler in Las Vegas
-Recording with Moby on a second album and recently finished the theme song for The Bourne Ultimatum movie with him (now on DVD)
-Hairspray movie soundtrack as Dynamite (now on DVD)
Shayna Steele (Swing, Broadway Company 1996-2000)
