Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway
Encyclopedia
Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway is a 2008
film of the final performance of the original Broadway
production of the musical
Rent
on September 7, 2008, with some footage of the closing night celebration. The film had a limited theatrical release
between September 24 and 28, 2008, in more than 500 theaters with high definition
digital projection systems in the US and Canada. According to Sony Pictures Releasing President Rory Bruer, it was the first live Broadway show to be available in major North American
movie theaters. The film was released on DVD
and Blu-ray on February 3, 2009.
The film is assembled from footage shot at the September 7 performance as well as a day of shooting on August 20. It includes a reprise of "Seasons of Love
" featuring both the final cast and cast members from past productions, including the original Broadway cast following the finale of the show proper.
wrote, "Nothing can compare with seeing a show conceived for the stage in an actual performance. But the cinecast of Rent, staged directed by the original's Michael Grief and for the camera by Michael Warren, comes close. It's electrifying. Jon Kamen and the wizards at radical.media have utilized state-of-the-art high-definition video and digital audio technology to make the show come alive. Thanks to the gifted cinematographer Declan Quinn
(Leaving Las Vegas
, Monsoon Wedding
), it practically jumps off the screen... ...For the first time ever, audiences across the country who couldn't see Rent and watch members of the original cast join the new cast onstage for the final curtain reprise of 'Seasons of Love', can share the experience". Of the film itself, Broadway World wrote, "the film is a dynamic way to bring the show to audiences across the country one last time"
and Blu-ray
, in Region 1, on February 3, 2009 and on 21st September 2009 on Region 2. Both releases include featurettes on the ending of the show: "RENT: The Final Days on Broadway" looks at the cast and crew's final days as well as the filming; "The Final Curtain Call" looks at the final reprise of "Seasons of Love"; "The Wall" looks at the famous backstage wall on which hundreds of messages have been written; and "The Final Lottery" which documents the final lottery for tickets. There was a PSA for the National Marfan Foundation.
The Blu-ray disc has some exclusive special features including two more featurettes, a PSA for the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, and BD-Live functionality. The featurettes are entitled "Home" - A Behind-the-Scenes look at the theater that was transformed into the home for RENT, and "Casting" - Bernard Telsey talks about casting the show for the last 12 years.
Rodney Hicks and Gwen Stewart are the only cast members who appeared in the original Broadway cast version, and Stewart is the only one to reprise her roles, and would later play the same roles at the Hollywood Bowl (although Hicks was also a Benny understudy in the original). Tracie Thoms, who played the role of Joanne in the film version
, and Shaun Earl were the only cast members featured in the film. The character "Sue", a member of the Life Support group, was re-named "Lisa" in this version. Telly Leung would later play Angel on the RENT tour in 2009, and at the Hollywood Bowl
in 2010.
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
film of the final performance of the original Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of the musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
on September 7, 2008, with some footage of the closing night celebration. The film had a limited theatrical release
Limited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
between September 24 and 28, 2008, in more than 500 theaters with high definition
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
digital projection systems in the US and Canada. According to Sony Pictures Releasing President Rory Bruer, it was the first live Broadway show to be available in major North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
movie theaters. The film was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray on February 3, 2009.
The film is assembled from footage shot at the September 7 performance as well as a day of shooting on August 20. It includes a reprise of "Seasons of Love
Seasons of Love
"Seasons of Love" is a song from the Broadway musical Rent, written and composed by Jonathan Larson. The song starts with an ostinato piano motif, which provides the harmonic framework for the cast to sing "Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes"...
" featuring both the final cast and cast members from past productions, including the original Broadway cast following the finale of the show proper.
Reception
In comparing the film with the stageplay, Peter Travers of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
wrote, "Nothing can compare with seeing a show conceived for the stage in an actual performance. But the cinecast of Rent, staged directed by the original's Michael Grief and for the camera by Michael Warren, comes close. It's electrifying. Jon Kamen and the wizards at radical.media have utilized state-of-the-art high-definition video and digital audio technology to make the show come alive. Thanks to the gifted cinematographer Declan Quinn
Declan Quinn
Declan Quinn is an Irish-American cinematographer and a three-time winner of the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography.Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Quinn is one of five children. His four siblings, the most famous of whom is Aidan, are actors...
(Leaving Las Vegas
Leaving Las Vegas
Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 romantic drama film directed and written by Mike Figgis, based on a semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic who has ended his personal and professional life to drink himself to death in Las Vegas...
, Monsoon Wedding
Monsoon Wedding
* Originally featured in the Hindi film Loafer * Originally featured in the Hindi film Biwi No.1 -Awards:The movie won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival...
), it practically jumps off the screen... ...For the first time ever, audiences across the country who couldn't see Rent and watch members of the original cast join the new cast onstage for the final curtain reprise of 'Seasons of Love', can share the experience". Of the film itself, Broadway World wrote, "the film is a dynamic way to bring the show to audiences across the country one last time"
Release
Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
, in Region 1, on February 3, 2009 and on 21st September 2009 on Region 2. Both releases include featurettes on the ending of the show: "RENT: The Final Days on Broadway" looks at the cast and crew's final days as well as the filming; "The Final Curtain Call" looks at the final reprise of "Seasons of Love"; "The Wall" looks at the famous backstage wall on which hundreds of messages have been written; and "The Final Lottery" which documents the final lottery for tickets. There was a PSA for the National Marfan Foundation.
The Blu-ray disc has some exclusive special features including two more featurettes, a PSA for the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, and BD-Live functionality. The featurettes are entitled "Home" - A Behind-the-Scenes look at the theater that was transformed into the home for RENT, and "Casting" - Bernard Telsey talks about casting the show for the last 12 years.
Cast
(In order of appearance, starting with the eight major characters)- Will ChaseWill ChaseWill Chase is an American actor and singer, best known for his work in Broadway musicals.Chase was born in Frankfort, Kentucky to Jerry and Betty Chase and is the youngest of three boys...
as Roger Davis - Adam Kantor as Mark Cohen
- Michael McElroyMichael McElroy (actor)Michael McElroy is an American musical theatre actor, singer and music director.Born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, McElroy moved to New York City in May 1990 after earning his BFA in Theatre from Carnegie Mellon University. He made his Broadway debut in The High Rollers Social and Pleasure Club...
as Thomas B. "Tom" Collins - Rodney HicksRodney Hicks (actor)Rodney Hicks is an American stage and television actor.Raised in Philadelphia, he graduated from Roxborough High School in 1992 and left college in 1994 to pursue acting as a full time career. Shortly, he made his Broadway debut as part of the original cast of the hit landmark musical Rent...
as Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III - Tracie ThomsTracie ThomsTracie Nicole Thoms is an American television, film, and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in Rent, Cold Case, The Devil Wears Prada, Death Proof, and the short-lived Fox television series Wonderfalls....
as Joanne Jefferson - Justin Johnston as Angel Dumott-Schunard
- Renée Elise GoldsberryRenee Elise GoldsberryRenee Elise Goldsberry is an American actress, singer and songwriter.Goldsberry was born in San Jose, California and raised in both Houston, Texas and Detroit, Michigan. After graduating from Cranbrook Kingswood School in Bloomfield Hills she went to Carnegie Mellon University where she graduated...
as Mimi Marquez - Eden EspinosaEden EspinosaEden Erica Espinosa is an American singer and stage actress, who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles and San Francisco productions of the musical Wicked....
as Maureen Johnson - Marcus Paul James as Mr. Jefferson / Pastor
- Gwen StewartGwen StewartGwen Stewart is an American stage actress. She made her Broadway debut as the character Canibelle in the original cast of Starmites. She is perhaps best known for her role in the hit Broadway musical, Rent. She was the first to play the role of Mrs. Jefferson, and Seasons of Love soloist...
as Mrs. Jefferson / Woman with bags / "Seasons of Love" soloist - Jay WilkisonJay WilkisonJay Wilkison is an American movie, television and stage actor.Wilkison was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He played Riley Colson on the ABC soap One Life to Live from February 24, 2003 through June 8, 2005....
as Gordon / The Man / Mr. Grey - Shaun Earl as Paul
- Andrea Goss as Alexi Darling / Mrs. Davis
- Telly Leung as Steve / Squeegee man / Waiter
- Tracy McDowell as Mrs. Cohen
Rodney Hicks and Gwen Stewart are the only cast members who appeared in the original Broadway cast version, and Stewart is the only one to reprise her roles, and would later play the same roles at the Hollywood Bowl (although Hicks was also a Benny understudy in the original). Tracie Thoms, who played the role of Joanne in the film version
Rent (film)
Rent is a 2005 American musical drama film directed by Chris Columbus. It is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, in turn based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème. The film depicts the lives of several Bohemians and their struggles with sexuality, cross-dressing, drugs, life...
, and Shaun Earl were the only cast members featured in the film. The character "Sue", a member of the Life Support group, was re-named "Lisa" in this version. Telly Leung would later play Angel on the RENT tour in 2009, and at the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
in 2010.