Photos: RENT 30th Anniversary Concert Raises $4.5M for Broadway Cares

The audience at Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre and tens of thousands of at-home livestream viewers shared in the magic of Rent, the 30th Anniversary Concert. The musical’s original stars and generations of alumni united in celebration of Jonathan Larson’s enduring legacy while making a lifesaving difference for people in need. The anniversary performance and its livestream raised $4,571,464 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. See photos from the event!

Throughout the evening, three decades of Rent performers shared the stage in inventive combinations, bringing new life to the musical’s beloved characters and songs. Rapp and Broadway’s original Roger, Adam Pascal, led the company into the high-octane “Rent,” featuring pairings of Marks and Rogers from across the decades, including Adam Kantor and Aaron Tveit; Trey Ellett and Manley Pope; and Coleman Cummings and Cody Jenkins. Matt Caplan and Christopher J. Hanke later joined the troupe of Marks for a rendition of “Halloween” rich with new harmonies and the classic striped scarves.

“Today 4 U” was led by original Angel Wilson Jermaine Heredia and featured David Merino as the dance soloist, joined by Shaun Earl, Jose Llana, Jai Rodriguez and Andy Señor Jr. Original Mimi Daphne Rubin-Vega was joined by fellow Mimis Yassmin Alers, Maya Days, Aiyana Smash and Antonique Smith for an energetic “Out Tonight.”

Nicholas Christopher joined Wilson Cruz for “Santa Fe,” leading into “I’ll Cover You” featuring Heredia, Darius de Haas, Marcus Paul James and Andy Señor Jr. Four pairs of Maureens and Joannes faced off in “Take Me or Leave Me,” including Idina Menzel and Fredi Walker-Browne; Merle Dandridge and Ava Gaudet; Eden Espinosa and Tracie Thoms; and Nicolette Hart and Lencia Kebede.

The evening also reunited original Broadway cast members for some of the musical’s most iconic moments. Rubin-Vega and Pascal returned to “Another Day,” while Menzel, clad in Maureen’s signature leather bodysuit, joined Espinosa and Hart for a three-woman rendition of “Over the Moon.” Original cast member Gilles Chiasson opened the stirring “Will I,” and the original Broadway company led “Seasons of Love” before being joined by the full cast.

Special pairings brought additional star power to the celebration, including Aaron Tveit and Rachel Zegler performing “Without You” and Tveit joining Neil Patrick Harris for “What You Own.” Jordan Fisher and Natalie Venetia Belcon danced the “Tango: Maureen” alongside Matt Caplan, Merle Dandridge, Tori DePrimo, Trey Ellett, Rayla Gerske, Cody Jenkins, Adam Kantor, Lencia Kebede, David Merino, James Schoppe, Deri’Andra Tucker and Schele Williams. Will Chase and Tamyra Gray took to the stage with their moving rendition of “I Should Tell You,” while Norbert Leo Butz performed “Your Eyes” before the cast reunited for “Finale B.”

Following the curtain call, the full company of Rent alumni reprised “Seasons of Love,” bringing the entire audience to its feet and measuring their lives in love.

The celebration extended beyond Broadway through a special livestream, which welcomed more than 70,000 viewers from around the world. The Gates Foundation, the livestream’s matching sponsor, matched livestream ticket purchases and donations made during the concert up to $525,600, a nod to the iconic lyric from “Seasons of Love.”

Photo credit: Rebecca Michelson, Michael Hull