Broadway musical written by the late, great Jonathan Larson — who, for the record, was neither HIV-positive nor gay. Debuted in 1996 and still going strong. Essentially a modern re-write of Giacomo Puccini's beloved opera La Boheme, but with a happier ending and a score influenced heavily by pop, rock, and techno.
The main differences between La Boheme and Rent:
Setting:
Paris in the early 19th century becomes New York in the early 90s
Characters:
Rodolfo the playwright becomes Roger Davis the HIV-positive musician, former heroin junkie, looking to write one hit song before succumbing to the virus he contracted from his dead girlfriend (first played by Adam Pascal)
Marcello the painter becomes Mark Cohen the filmmaker, trying to make it big (first played by Anthony Rapp, once played by Joey Fatone of N'Sync)
Benoit the landlord becomes real estate mogul Benjamin Coffin III, former roomate to Mark and Roger and a symbol of the coming gentrification of the neighborhood and the eventual death or commercialization of Bohemia (first played by Taye Diggs)
Colline the philosopher becomes Tom Collins the HIV-positive anarchist, a computer geek who sabotaged MIT's virtual reality software and teaches part-time at NYU (first played by Jesse L. Martin of Law & Order fame)
Shaunard the violinist becomes Angel Dumot Schunard the street musician, an HIV-positive sometimes-transvestite and lover to Collins (first played by Wilson Jermaine Heredia, and more famously by Jai Rodriguez from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)
Mimi, the rhematosis-infected, dying courtesan, becomes Mimi Marquez the Latina bondage performer, HIV-positive, nineteen years old and a junkie, Roger's love interest and former girlfriend of Benjamin (first played by Daphne Rubin-Vega)
Musetta becomes hipster homeless advocate and performance artist Maureen Johnson, a lesbian, Mark's former girlfriend who left him for her stage manager (first played by Idina Menzel, who later played the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked)
Alcindoro, Musetta's wealthy benefactor, becomes Joanne Jefferson, Maureen's new girlfriend and stage manager, whose role is significantly expanded compared to in Boheme to suit her relationship with Maureen and love-triangle with Mark (first played by Fredi Walker, at one point played by Melanie Brown of the Spice Girls)
Tuberculosis and rheumatism, the diseases which plagued crowded urban centers in the 19th century, are replaced by AIDS, the scourge of the artistic community in the 80s and early 90s
The main differences between La Boheme and Rent:
Setting:
Paris in the early 19th century becomes New York in the early 90s
Characters:
Rodolfo the playwright becomes Roger Davis the HIV-positive musician, former heroin junkie, looking to write one hit song before succumbing to the virus he contracted from his dead girlfriend (first played by Adam Pascal)
Marcello the painter becomes Mark Cohen the filmmaker, trying to make it big (first played by Anthony Rapp, once played by Joey Fatone of N'Sync)
Benoit the landlord becomes real estate mogul Benjamin Coffin III, former roomate to Mark and Roger and a symbol of the coming gentrification of the neighborhood and the eventual death or commercialization of Bohemia (first played by Taye Diggs)
Colline the philosopher becomes Tom Collins the HIV-positive anarchist, a computer geek who sabotaged MIT's virtual reality software and teaches part-time at NYU (first played by Jesse L. Martin of Law & Order fame)
Shaunard the violinist becomes Angel Dumot Schunard the street musician, an HIV-positive sometimes-transvestite and lover to Collins (first played by Wilson Jermaine Heredia, and more famously by Jai Rodriguez from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)
Mimi, the rhematosis-infected, dying courtesan, becomes Mimi Marquez the Latina bondage performer, HIV-positive, nineteen years old and a junkie, Roger's love interest and former girlfriend of Benjamin (first played by Daphne Rubin-Vega)
Musetta becomes hipster homeless advocate and performance artist Maureen Johnson, a lesbian, Mark's former girlfriend who left him for her stage manager (first played by Idina Menzel, who later played the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked)
Alcindoro, Musetta's wealthy benefactor, becomes Joanne Jefferson, Maureen's new girlfriend and stage manager, whose role is significantly expanded compared to in Boheme to suit her relationship with Maureen and love-triangle with Mark (first played by Fredi Walker, at one point played by Melanie Brown of the Spice Girls)
Tuberculosis and rheumatism, the diseases which plagued crowded urban centers in the 19th century, are replaced by AIDS, the scourge of the artistic community in the 80s and early 90s
A movie version of the musical, starring the entire original cast save for Daphne Rubin-Vega (who has been replaced by Rosario Dawson), is currently being filmed.
Much like how Puccini died before he could finish his last opera, Turandot, Jonathan Larson died the day before Rent debuted, of an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm stemming from his Marfan's syndrome.
Much like how Puccini died before he could finish his last opera, Turandot, Jonathan Larson died the day before Rent debuted, of an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm stemming from his Marfan's syndrome.
by Shreve Lamb and Harmon February 4, 2007
Get the Rent mug.Mental. Fucked in the head. Disturbed. Cool in a fucked up way. Has also gained currency as simply: foolish.
Orig. Rhyming Slang (UK), not necessarily only used by davids.
Back in the day when consumer electronics were very expensive, often needed maintainance/repair and we were poor, Radio Rental was a large British company which rented... TV sets. (Doh!)
Often shortened to just Radio.
Orig. Rhyming Slang (UK), not necessarily only used by davids.
Back in the day when consumer electronics were very expensive, often needed maintainance/repair and we were poor, Radio Rental was a large British company which rented... TV sets. (Doh!)
Often shortened to just Radio.
Dude, put your cock away, we're on the fucking bus! Are you fucking radio, or what?
Vice City? Radio Rental mate.
Wow! Totally, like RRRRRRRRaaaaaaaaaaadioooooo RRRRRReeeental!
Shut it radio.
Vice City? Radio Rental mate.
Wow! Totally, like RRRRRRRRaaaaaaaaaaadioooooo RRRRRReeeental!
Shut it radio.
by edjog! December 22, 2005
Get the Radio Rental mug.To live in the head of someone who can’t stop thinking about someone or what someone does, especially someone whom they say they hate.
People say they hate Raider Cody but talk about him everyday, he’s living Rent Free in all their heads.
by Bobs burner April 26, 2020
Get the Rent Free mug.A term used to describe a Twitter Blue/X Premium subscriber who posts an outlandish take or opinion for the sake of gathering rage clicks and engagement. As a Twitter Blue/X Premium subscriber, the more engagement they get from posts, the more money they can make from Twitter.
People will often use this term to predict that someone who is making these outlandish posts is probably doing so to make enough money to pay rent.
This also applies to YouTubers who suddenly make clickbait titles and thumbnails out of nowhere.
People will often use this term to predict that someone who is making these outlandish posts is probably doing so to make enough money to pay rent.
This also applies to YouTubers who suddenly make clickbait titles and thumbnails out of nowhere.
Twitter blue subscriber: “The Rock was the worst thing to ever happen to WWE”
Comment/Quote retweet: Rent must be due
Comment/Quote retweet: Rent must be due
by futbolr21 October 8, 2023
Get the Rent must be due mug.The parents
by CharlieLovesTheSesh July 26, 2019
Get the The rents mug.Phrase when someone does not drop down a hatch in the game Rainbow Six Siege when someone is defusing
by Jyda. June 11, 2019
Get the renton drop mug.The most wonderful person you will ever meet. She is kind loyal and keeps her family close to her heart. Great in bed and will always keep things interesting.
I'm in love with my Renaye
by xxoo one of a kind February 27, 2011
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