b'RENT: Did You Know? Some interesting trivia about this popular musicalRENT is a re-imagining ofPuccinisLa Bohme, and follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. This timeless celebration of friendship and creativity, with its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear reminds the audience to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matterslove. Playwright Jonathan Larson died from an aortic aneurysm only one night before the show was scheduled to premiere Off-Broadway. Unfortunately, he did not live to see the success of his work. The show went on to be an international success. RENT won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. At the time RENT won the Pulitzer Prize, only eight other musicals had been awarded the honor since 1917. The musical didnt begin on Broadwayit actually premiered off-Broadway atNew York Theatre Workshopon February 13, 1996 and then transferred to Broadway on April 29, 1996, at the Nederlander Theatre. RENT is set in New York City, but more specifically in Alphabet City in the East Village. By celebrating diversity among the cast, the show was ahead of its time. When RENT first premiered on Broadway, it contained characters who were black, white, brown, straight, gay, bisexual and trans-gender. Over 25 years later, audiences still connect to the power of diversity in ethnicity and relationships within the story. Each generation has connected with the story in a different way. RENT is currently the 11th longest-running Broadway production, and people that see it multiple times are nicknamed Rent-Heads. It has been translated into more than 10 different languages and performed in over 40 different countries. RENT pioneered the very first ticket lottery system on Broadway, evolving from a rush ticket system that made prices accessible to fans. The original cast was paid $305 a week for the New York Theatre Workshop production. The Rent costumes have, over the years, become a fashion statement characterized by the thousands of fans who continually turn up for performances dressed in RENT couture. At one point, the following proved so popular that Bloomingdales in New York opened a dedicated RENT outlet. The outlet retailed custom-designed, ready-to-wear labels of RENT-wear for men, women and teenagers.'