NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR

 Jonathan Larson’s "RENT" is a show that has been both adored and shunned, sometimes in the same breath by the same person. Theatre professionals are united in recognizing the play as a game-changer in the American Musical Theater canon.

‘RENT’ was way ahead of its time — and is still incredibly relevant 25+ years later. Inspired by Puccini's opera “La Bohème,” “RENT” resonates with anyone who's struggling with life, love, and their discontents. The characters in RENT grapple with a pandemic (that sentenced its victims to racism, stigma, and discrimination), addiction, eviction, gender identity, materialism, and parents.  With all of this to deal with, each character in RENT, and most of us here today, still strive to leave a meaningful legacy.

This has been a favorite musical of mine (and our entire creative team) for some time. After this past period of isolation, disconnection, and loss due to the pandemic, we felt our artists and our audiences could relate to the trial and tribulations of RENT. We ask that you open your hearts as we bring you on a journey about the impact of loss, the need to be in community, to stand for what you believe in, to be able to create and love in a world free from the restrictions of the status quo, and to accept the differences in those who surround you without judgment.

As Jonathan Larson taught us in “Seasons of Love,” we can measure time “in daylights, in sunsets / In midnights, in cups of coffee / In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.” But above all, we should “measure in love.”

It is our sincere hope that you will measure the time you spend watching this production in LOVE.

Joe Bishara

Director/Producer

RENT

Abbey Theater of Dublin