Rent 30th Anniversary Performance Set for October at the Richard Rodgers Theatre

Original cast members and special guests will revive the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Rent in a gala concert celebration for the show’s 30th anniversary.  Rent’s original director, five-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, will return to direct the evening. The one-night-only concert of the full show will take place on Monday, October 26, 2026, at Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Sponsorships and tickets will go on sale to the public at noon Eastern on Monday, June 1.

Members of Broadway Cares’ Visionary Circle, Angels Circle and NextGen Network will have early access to tickets beginning today, Tuesday, May 12.  The one-night-only event of Jonathan Larson’s seminal work will be produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Andy Jones, founder of Baseline Theatrical.

“Jonathan wrote Rent in honor of the people he knew who were living and struggling with HIV and in honor of the many friends and contemporaries he lost to AIDS,” Greif said. “I know he’d be proud and honored to join forces with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to celebrate the 30th year anniversary of his milestone musical.”

The show’s original music director, Tim Weil, also will return, leading the entire original Rent band: Kenny Brescia, Stephanie Mack, Jeff Potter and Daniel A. Weiss. Special guest performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical reimagines La Bohème in the AIDS-era East Village of New York City, following a tight-knit group of artists navigating love, loss and survival at the turn of a generation. With its electrifying score and deeply human stories, Rent captures the urgency of living fully in the face of uncertainty, a cultural touchstone that continues to inspire audiences to measure life in love. 

Rent was produced by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum and Allan S. Gordon. It debuted at the New York Theatre Workshop before transferring to Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre in 1996. It played 5,123 performances, closing September 7, 2008.

Early access to tickets is offered to Broadway Cares’ Visionary Circle and Angels Circle members who provide essential support for those affected by HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses across the country with their annual contribution of $1,000 or more. Members of the NextGen Network are young professionals committed to making an impact. These major donors receive exclusive invitations to in-person and virtual events and VIP status at some of Broadway Cares most high-profile events, as well as a host of other benefits. For information about furthering your impact with Broadway Cares and receiving early access to tickets for the Rent 30th anniversary gala performance, contact Brian Marshall, senior development officer, at [email protected].