'Rent' Broadway Star Idina Menzel Confirms Original Cast to Reunite During Fox's 'Rent: Live'
Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin and other members of the original Rent Broadway cast [...]
Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin and other members of the original Rent Broadway cast are reuniting for Sunday's Rent: Live production on Fox.
— Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) January 26, 2019
On Friday, Menzel posted photos of trailers with the Rent logo taped on their doors, along with initials that match original cast members.
Rapp also shared a photo of their initials typed out on pieces of paper. He then shared several photos from rehearsals on Instagram, including one praising Jordan Fisher, who plays Mark Cohen, the role Rapp originated.
"I was thrilled to meet this deeply talented man today," Rapp wrote. "I am honored by the beautiful work he is doing. Thank you [Jordan Fisher]."
On Sunday afternoon, Rapp shared another photo with his original Rent co-stars, adding the caption "Family."
Fox later confirmed the cameos by sharing the same team photo Rapp shared on Saturday. "Some special guests are joining us tonight at 8/7c on [Fox]," the network wrote.
The original Broadway cast included Rapp as Mark, Adam Pascal as Roger Davis, Daphne Rubin-Vega as Mimi Marquez, Martin as Tom Collins, Menzel as Maureen Johnson, Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel Dumott Schunard, Fredi Walker as Joanne Jefferson and Taye Diggs as Benjamin Coffin III. Rapp, Pascal, Martin, Heredia, Menzel and Diggs also reprised their roles in the 2005 movie.
Aside from Fisher, Fox's special stars Vanessa Hudgens as Maureen, Brennin Hunt as Roger, Tinashe as Mimi, Brandon Victor Dixon as Tom, Valentina as Angel, Kiersey Clemons as Joanne and Mario as Benjamin.
Rent was written by the late Jonathan Larson, who loosely based it on the opera La boheme. The musical centers on a group of young artists struggling to live in Manhattan during the HIV/AIDS crisis. The original Broadway production ran from 1996 to 2008, and the show has remained popular on the touring circuit. It won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and four Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
Larson's sister, Julie Larson, told The Hollywood Reporter the family was approached several times to bring Rent to the small screen, but it was not until producer Marc Platt (Grease: Live) that everything gelled together.
"We held back and wanted to wait until it felt like it was the right mix of people, the right timing of what we were going to be able to do, and be authentic to Rent and still bring it forward and expand it for this generation, and have the flexibility to do all that," Julie Larson said, adding that Platt "organically understood the show and was a fan of the show."
Rent: Live starts on Fox at 8 p.m. ET Sunday.
Photo credit: Pamela Littky/FOX