“In these dangerous times, where it seems the world is ripping apart at the seams, we can all learn how to survive from those who stare death squarely in the face every day, and we should reach out to each other and bond as a community, rather than hide from the terrors of life at the end of the millennium.” — Jonathan Larson
In the early 1990s, composer Jonathan Larson set out to reinvent musical theater for a new generation. Drawing inspiration from Puccini’s La Bohème—a story of struggling artists in 19th-century Paris during a tuberculosis outbreak—Larson reimagined it in New York City at the height of the AIDS crisis. The result was Rent, a raw and heartfelt rock opera that gave voice to the communities most devastated by the epidemic: artists, queer people, and the marginalized.
Tragically, Larson never saw the impact of his masterpiece. He died suddenly of an undiagnosed aortic dissection the night before Rent’s first Off-Broadway performance. But his vision struck a chord so powerful that Rent moved swiftly to Broadway, changing the landscape of musical theater and paving the way for works like Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, and Hamilton—all shows that echo Rent’s bold spirit and emotional honesty.
At its heart, Rent is about community—how it endures, resists, and heals in the face of unimaginable loss. In one of the show’s most poignant moments, a group of people living with HIV gather, not to mourn, but to affirm: they may not control their fate, but they can choose to live fully — “there’s only now, there’s only this… no day but today.”
That message is as urgent now as it was then. While enormous progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, that progress remains fragile. On May 30, 2025, it was reported that the U.S. government would be terminating critical funding for HIV vaccine research—a stark reminder that the fight is not over.
Rent reminds us to turn toward each other in times of fear. To build communities rooted in empathy. To speak out against injustice. And to defend the lives and legacies of those we love—friends, family, and chosen family alike.
This show is not just a piece of history. It is a call to action. A love letter to artists and those who feel pushed aside. A reminder that we all have the power to create a world where love and dignity endure.
“Measure your life in love.”
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