Theater News

Rent Is Due!

The stars of the hotly anticipated film version of Jonathan Larson’s beloved rock musical perform in Bryant Park.

New York City

Just in case you haven’t heard, a film version of the late Jonathan Larson’s long-running rock musical Rent is set to be released in November by Sony Pictures/Revolution Studios — and, in a wonderful break with tradition, the movie has several members of the original cast recreating their leading roles. In Bryant Park this afternoon, the stars met the press and then performed two numbers from the score to support Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Dancers Responding to AIDS. Here’s Adam Pascal, a.k.a. Roger on stage and film.

They call her Mimi but her name is Rosario — Dawson, that is. The gorgeous and talented film star plays Roger’s lover Mimi Marquez in the Rent film. But before you see her in the flick, you can catch her singing, dancing, and acting up a storm as Julia in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Two Gentlemen of Verona, set to begin performances on August 16.

Seen here being interviewed by E! Entertainment are married couple Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs, a.k.a. Maureen and Benny in both the stage and screen versions of Rent.

Original cast member Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen) is pictured here with newcomer Tracie Thoms, who plays Joanne Jefferson in the film.

And here’s Wilson Jermaine Heredia, who won a Tony Award for his performance as Angel in Rent on Broadway and is revisiting the role for the movie. (Jesse L. Martin, who played Tom Collins opposite Heredia on stage and screen, was absent this afternoon because he was filming an episode of Law & Order.)

Following the photos and interviews, the stars took to the stage. All of them together performed the beautiful “Seasons of Love” (pictured), then Menzel and Thoms gave a hot, hot, hot rendition of the love/hate duet “Take Me or Leave Me.” Please note that the Broadway production of Rent is still going strong in its tenth year. To visit the website for the film version, click here.