Review: RENT Welcomes Audiences Back to the Fisher Theatre With Electrifying Performances

After nearly 20 months of a dark theatre, performances are finally back to the Fisher Theatre with the 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour of the 1996 Broadway musical Rent. Whether you're a newcomer to the show, a longtime fan, or somewhere in between, you can catch Rent for yourself until this Sunday, October 24th.

In summary, Rent is a rock musical loosely based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème. Rent focuses on young Bohemian artists in 1989-1990 dealing with HIV/AIDS, poverty, addiction, and relationships in the Alphabet City. Written by the late Jonathan Larson, Rent is a gorgeous and electric show that has spellbound audiences ever since the first performance.

The current touring production in Detroit is especially moving, as it is the very first show to come to the Fisher Theatre since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all live theatre. This makes songs such as "Seasons of Love" all the more poignant; in the 20 months since we last got to see live theatre, we've watched sunsets, midnights, and days pass us by while we were stuck in our homes, unable to connect with other people through the medium of live theatre.

The energy that I felt in the Fisher on Tuesday night, both coming from the extraordinarily talented cast as well as the theatre-deprived audience, made the night one that I will not be able to forget. While future audiences can look forward to the entirety of Larson's iconic score, particular numbers I adored included Cody Jenkins and Coleman Cummings' "What You Own," Rayla Garske and Lyndie Moe's "Take Me or Leave Me," Aiyana Smash's "Out Tonight," Shafiq Hicks and Javon King's "I'll Cover You," and of course, the ensemble number "La Vie Bohème."

From the minute Jenkins begins the show by saying "December 24th, 9 p.m." until the entire ensemble sings the final words of "Finale B," your eyes and ears will be glued to the stage. Rent is truly one of those shows in which everyone can find something meaningful, and even more so now because of the COVID-era live theatre hiatus. Make sure to plan a trip to the Fisher in the next few days - this unique national tour of Rent is surely one that you don't want to miss.

Theatre is back, and somehow, it feels like it never left.

For more information or to buy tickets to Rent, visit broadwayindetroit.com or the Fisher Theatre in downtown Detroit.

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