Once Upon A Time..... Long Before Lin Manuel Miranda's Hamilton.... There was Jonathan Larson's RENT!!

There are a lot of things I don’t get about Rent, but the “I hate my parents” theme might be at the top of that list.

I can't believe I am just hearing Jonathan's story almost 30 years later. I saw RENT in Los Angeles in 1996. The only thing I knew about the story was it had something to do with AIDS. I was definitely drawn to seeing this play 1. having been a theater l9ver all my life and 2. I was a Senior in High School and involved in Girl Scouts. I was a puppeteer in a show called Kids on the Block, which was a program on AIDS awareness. I got my mom's best friends to go with me and take my mom for her birthday. I have seen dozens of shows through the years in LA, I have to say RENT will always be at the top of the list for me. ❤❤❤

omg how effing funny would it be if spike lee directed lmao

When my 18 year old was a baby, the only way she let me comb her hair was if I played Season's of Love on a loop. She is now 18, and Rent is still her favorite musical next Hamilton. She just watched Tick Tick Boom. She just burst in my room screaming and crying..."WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME JONATHAN LARSON DIED".

There is just a small touch of beauty in him dying before he witnessed his work. I believe God takes us only once our purpose is fulfilled … whatever that may be. He fulfilled his purpose in this life and got to go home with God ❤ how tragically beautiful

I wish I had gone to an arts school during Johnathan’s time, people seemed so genuinely passionate about performing, hangout at lunch being creative, sounds magical 🥲

There were so many faces of people who died of the AIDS epidemic. Many people that well known and those that weren't well known. To hear more of this story is a reminder. So many people have died. Still many live.

Also struggling for your dreams is hard . Sometimes it is in the struggles you learn the most. The lessons learned can be used to help others. I am thankful for his life and what he left behind.

So much history in connection to music and musicals. Especially during this time.

I love people who share their artistic skills to the world.

Thanks for the background information that was posted on the writer of Rent.

Rent was the first ever broadway show I saw! It was 2004 My boyfriend who is now my husband surprised me for our one year anniversary!! I knew nothing about the story but wow what an impact it had on me! I fell in love with the story and music! My love for broadway started with rent!!

Something that I’m just thinking of for the first time….AMAZING that Jonathan had so much drive and so much urgency in his life - to do something so big at really a very young age! I’m 24 - I certainly don’t have the ambitions to accomplish anything close to what he accomplished by 35! Of course it’s so incredibly tragic that he passed when he did. Completely unfair - but it is incredibly inspiring to know how much is possible when you put your whole mind and heart on your passions! ❤

Thank you, Johnathan. Your music got me through my depression year.

And it was RENT that inspired Lin Manuel Miranda to write musical theater… so like- the cycle of beautiful creative influence goes on.

I LOVE FACE VALUE, SOMEONE LEAK IT AND SEND IT TO ME 21:49

i watch this over and over Jeffrey Schwartz did a great job.

RENT needs to come back to the stage for a whole new generation.

Had he lived, he probably would have gone bigger and better. He had unending talent

I'm too young to have witnessed the cultural craze that Rent spawned in the 90s, however, I remember first stumbling upon rent on HBO. I must have been around 14 or 15, the movie adaptation was on, I was zapping channels and was immediately captivated. The costumes, the choreography, the songs everything was enthralling. I learned all the songs, I desperately wanted to play Mimi and Rent instantly became my favorite musical. All the while I never knew about Jonathan Larson's tragic story or of his passing and for many years after first discovering Rent I'm ashamed to admit I never bothered researching Jonathan or his other work. When I finally learned about what happened I felt incredibly sad but I also knew that it wasn't Jonathan's death that drew me to Rent, the show is brilliant and stands on its own two legs. Had he continued on living the show would have still been the phenomenon it is today. So yes, thank you Jonathan Larson for creating a masterpiece <3

Jonathan reminds me of Bo Burnham. If only he could see what rent became

Are there any recordings other than this of face value from superbia?

13:25 Naah thats literally Andrew Garfield

This just popped up a year late. I was so excited when they recorded the actual live show for its last week on Broadway, I immediately bought the DVD and watch it over and over. What a blessing when I could only see it live once. Much more fun than a movie and they did a great job picking the final cast. Thank you to everyone involved over the years and especially the production that went into filming a live musical. Having it truly be the end of something really brought out the emotions and the extras were touching. Thank you RENT

Makes me cry every time.....thank you, Jonathan Larson..

I'm watching rent right now

Oh my god, I had no idea that he died the DAY before he was meant to see it go public. It's almost cosmically tragic. I'm glad his dream got realized, even if he wasn't alive to see it.

Jonathan Larson… a cisgendered, straight white man who had such respect and compassion for the lgbt community… bless his heart! It’s crazy that many assumes Jonathan was gay or had aids simply because RENT featured marginalized people! Nope! He was just a person with a welcome and opening heart.

i have a maybe very stupid question. wherent there condoms in that time? because of the AIDs i mean. if they already knew it could be transmitted by sex, couldn't they use them?

I watched many stage production since my youth. My father was into it and my teen years were spent going to the local stages where I lived. I saw the original US run of Phantom in SC. 2010 I came across the add for the final night of the original run for Rent. I bought it just to add to a collection. Until I put it in and the magic of it. Being a conservative white, middle aged guy I was surprised of how it hit. Little did I know when I watched it, how it would affect my life. At 51, one of my children told me they were trans. I believe my faith and this production helped me deal.

Thank you Jonathan Larson.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I see RENT and TTB in a whole new way. beautiful. I so love his fire and drive too. Rest In Peace Jonathan, I hope you are proud. thank you for your magical art.

My choir sang “Seasons of Love” I was in HS when Rent opened on Broadway. I’ve seen Anthony & Adam in these roles and have seen them in other shows too. (Adam just recently in Pretty Woman…he’s aged but his voice hasn’t)

So moving, thank you for posting it! I love this show so much.

I was fortunate to be invited to attend RENT, here in San Diego, CA, today. Incredible show! I really enjoyed it… But I have to confess that I didn’t know anything about the story of RENT. So I’m watching now this presentation in RU-vid, and I’m very grateful for it. What a beautiful life Jonathan Larson lived. Short, but with a fulfilled dream, at least. An example in every sense of the word.; not only as a way to feed a personal desire but something for people to be aware of genuine compassion and understanding those around us. This is a message for humanity, entirely. For the loss of Jony, my heart goes to his incredible wise loving parents and sister who encouraged him to follow his dream; and to family and friends who surrounded him with unconditional love, too. Mayu Gonzalez

Visited Jonathan's apartment today. I know his spirit never left us.

When Jesse said when he sang I'll Cover You Reprise it was for Angel but he was singing it to Jonathan I just started bursting into tears :(

It is very ironic how his friend Michael in the show and O Grady in real life, found out he had AIDS at the time he was creating tick tick boom and later on started creating RENT, and how he felt he was probably gonna die soon like many of their friends because of the AIDS epidemic while, in the end, he was the one who died at 35 years old while his friend still lives to this day luckily. Never take a day for granted regardless of your circumstances. Fly high Johnny RIP

When I watched Rent (both 2008 production on RU-vid and movie version on DVD), I feel entranced by the individuality and compassion. I don't know anything about Jonathan Larson, until I watched this documentary. I am a big fan of his. He inspired me to get back into writing, art, and my love of theatre again. So for that, thank you, Mr. Larson.

25:00

I used to love the Moondance Diner, it was near the first location of The Film Forum. I was so sad when Moondance closed. Rest well Jonathan, you are missed. What could have come boggles the mind. Rest well too, Marin Mazzie, Broadway misses you.

Such a beautiful guy and Idina Menzel did nothing, but praise him on her tour. So proud to have these people in our generation and memories, god bless you all ❤️🙏 Seasons of love gets me every time and a favourite mine is “take me or leave me”. Genius song

Idk that idina menzel was in the original rent production. I only thought she was in the movie

I'm crying over a man who died before I was born. Jonathan Larson was a genius and he inspires me every day ❤️

I think it's incredible that, even though Jonathan has passed away, his work continues to live on and be introduced to new generations in the form of soundtracks, movies and clips on RU-vid, many years later. I've only been a fan of his work for a few years, but I have been deeply moved by his music and the way he tells stories. He was truly a gift to the musical theatre world.

How have I never seen this? Was it on the dvd? and Thank You!

@Courtney Chatman thank you for posting this. I love musical theater and Rent is one of my favorites.

Whoah, I teared up!