Not resting on their laurels after announcing A Christmas Story as a live TV event this December, FOX has now announced that it is bringing the Pulitzer Prize/Grammy Award/Tony Award-winning play Rent to the small screen as a live musical event.
Rent will be produced for the network by Marc Platt and estate of writer/composer Jonathan Larson.
Further details are to be announced.
FOX ANNOUNCES A LIVE MUSICAL PRODUCTION OF THE TONY-AWARD-, GRAMMY AWARD- AND PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING MUSICAL “RENT”
Award-Winning Producer Marc Platt (GREASE: LIVE, “La La Land”) and the Estate of Writer/Composer Jonathan Larson to Executive-Produce
FOX has announced a live musical production of the groundbreaking, Tony Award-, Grammy Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT. Acclaimed film, television and theater producer Marc Platt (GREASE: LIVE, “La La Land,” “Wicked”), along with the estate of writer/composer Jonathan Larson, will executive-produce the event. Additional details and auspices to be announced.
“We are so honored to partner with the estate of the brilliant Jonathan Larson and producer Marc Platt on one of the great musicals of our time,” said Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group. “The title is so iconic, the music is so beloved, and the themes are as meaningful today as they were when the show first premiered on Broadway. With Marc overseeing this project, we are sure it will have a profound impact on the legions of fans who know and love this musical.”
“‘Rent’?? was Jonathan’s dream of sharing the ?theater and the passion he had for it with a whole new generation,” said Julie and Al Larson. “None of us could have imagined the massive impact that the messages and themes in ‘Rent’ would have on the ?theater? community or the world…except for Jonathan. We are absolutely thrilled to be continuing Jonathan’s legacy and ?the still-relevant ?themes of ?the show in this way.”
A re-imagining of Puccini’s “La Bohème,” and set in New York City’s gritty East Village, “Rent” tells the unforgettable story of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams during a time of great social and political turmoil. After winning four Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize, writer/composer Jonathan Larson’s tour de force celebrates its 20thanniversary this year, as it continues to offer an inspiring message of hope and friendship.
“Rent” originally was produced in New York by New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Allan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop.
RENT will be executive-produced by Marc Platt, Adam Siegel, Julie Larson, Al Larson and Revolution Studios’ Vince Totino, Scott Hemming and Marla Levine.
About Jonathan Larson
Jonathan Larson received the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Rent” (Book, Music, Lyrics). He also won the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical and the 1994 Richard Rodgers Award for “Rent” and twice received The Gilman & Gonzales-Falla Theatre Foundation’s Commendation Award. In 1989, he was granted the Stephen Sondheim Award from American Music Theatre Festival, where he contributed to the musical “Sitting on the Edge of the Future.” In 1988, he won the Richard Rodgers Development Grant for his rock musical, “Superbia,” which was staged at Playwrights Horizon. He composed the score for the musical “J.P. Morgan Saves the Nation,” which was presented by En Garde Arts in 1995. Larson performed his rock monologue, “tick, tick . . . BOOM!,” at Second Stage Theatre, The Village Gate and New York Theatre Workshop. In addition to scoring and song writing for “Sesame Street,” he created music for a number of children’s book-cassettes, including Steven Spielberg’s “An American Tail” and “Land Before Time.” Other film scores include work for Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner. He conceived, directed and wrote four original songs for “Away We Go!,” a musical video for children. “Rent,” his rock opera based on “La Boheme,” had its world premiere on February 13, 1996 at New York Theatre Workshop. Larson died unexpectedly of an aortic aneurysm on January 25, 1996, ten days before his 36th birthday.
About Marc Platt
Platt is the Emmy Award-winning producer of FOX’s GREASE: LIVE. He is also an Academy Award-nominated producer, most recently for director Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land” and Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies.” Platt has developed some of the most successful film, theater and television projects of the last 30 years. His film resume includes such titles as “Legally Blonde,” “Into the Woods,” “Drive,” “Rachel Getting Married,” “Scott Pilgrim” and “Wanted.” He is also the producer of the Broadway mega-hit “Wicked,” which has been seen by more than 50 million fans worldwide and globally has racked up $4 billion. A former film executive, Platt served as president of production for three movie studios, where he oversaw box office and critical successes, including “Philadelphia,” “Rudy,” “As Good As It Gets,” “Legends of the Fall” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”