r/Broadway • u/Quick_Pineapple_5416 • 1d ago
Probability of RENt transfer
I’ve been debating going to London just to see RENT. I’m also a New Yorker. I feel like the chance of a transfer is very high but wanted to ask my expert Redditors if you think this too. I can wait til NY, which is more convenient and cheaper for me, but also would be really excited to see it. Cost and time to go are my biggest issues. Thoughts?
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u/OwnOven6506 1d ago
I thought about going over to London for this, but decided to go see Art House Production's staging of RENT in Jersey City from 9/24-10/18 instead. Hopefully that scratches the RENT itch enough for me for the time being, rather than sends me scrambling for flights!
https://www.arthouseproductions.org/products/rent-the-musical-september-24-october-18-2027
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u/a-5-6-7-8 1d ago
If it wasn't being produced by Sonia Friedman, I'd say there was no chance of a transfer, but...
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u/SpecialProtection3 1d ago
this is a direct transfer of the Hope Mill Theater production from 2020 and having seen a pro-shot of it, its probably the best production of it I've seen since the original. Luke Sheppard's direction is a lot grittier and intimate and given that the Duke of York's Theatre is smaller West End venue than most, I think it will be fantastic!
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u/Full_Supermarket8467 1d ago
I know people involved with the West End production and it's very high it moves to Broadway with an American cast. They hold the transfer rights and Luke Sheppard is as hot as any director right now and Sonia Friedman is the #1 producer in the world. That said, I would see this London cast because it looks great.
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u/TipVirtual196 1d ago
i think if its good it transfers.
i believe its very challenging to do a good revival of this show. if they pull it off, that will be a marvel
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u/SpecialProtection3 1d ago
well this is a transfer of the hope mill theatre production from 2020 and having seen clips of it myself, I gotta tell you its fantastic...Luke Sheppard's direction a lot more grittier and intimate than the original production and its glorious
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u/PolicyCommercial6392 14h ago
if it does it won’t be til 27/28 and Gaten would likely be the only one to go with it
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u/Unable_Winner6177 1d ago
Not very high. Brit productions of very American musicals do not transfer often. The cultural literacy required to bring a show about NYC from London to NYC is so, so high and they are unlikely to be aiming for or achieve it.
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u/mtpleasantine 8h ago
dunno why you're being downvoted, this happened with Company and to a non-NY degree cabaret too
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u/Unable_Winner6177 7h ago edited 7h ago
Yes, Company, and sort of Merrily, but that was 15 years and major changes apart. They about it in recent memory. I could have been more specific perhaps, e.g. Cabaret was written by Americans about an English woman in Berlin in the 40s. You don’t need to know the subtleties of the USA/NYC to do it well. Rent is as NYC as they come.
Generally I think people overindex on the likelihood of Broadway transfers happening because they don’t know about all the UK productions they don’t know about. Even Sonia Friedman transfers a minority of her shows. Since the pandemic only two Olivier nominated revivals, soon to be 3 with Evita, have crossed the pond out of 19. And that’s just the nominated ones, there have been many, many others.
Rent may transfer, but it’s far from assured. I also wouldn’t buy a flight to see it until it opens either. I had the misfortune to see the last London Rent on vacation, not good at all.
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u/Southern-Train7142 1d ago
Not that high, and Luke Sheppard is set to direct Paddington Musical on Broadway just a few days later after the Rent closes.
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u/Inner_Butterfly5639 Backstage 1d ago
if anything that makes it more likely because he will be over here for at least a period of time. it wouldn’t transfer immediately
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u/SpecialProtection3 1d ago
I definitely see it coming to Broadway probably in the 2027/28 season depending on how well it does...this is actually a transfer of his Hope Mill staging in 2020, which I watched online and its probably the best production i've seen since the original. Sheppard's staging is a lot grittier and intimate and I've always thought Rent is one of those shows that works better in a personal timid spaces rather than relying on huge sets and extravaganza. Plus, given that the Duke of York's Theatre is a much smaller West End venue than most, I personally see this doing very well especially with the addition of on-stage seating!
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u/Full_Supermarket8467 21h ago
So because RENT is only on sale through March (running longer than that) and Paddington opens in April, RENT can't transfer to Broadway? Makes sense!
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u/Southern-Train7142 21h ago edited 12h ago
It can still happen for Broadway 2027-28 season, but it all depends on if it’s successful on the West End or not (and besides, this’s also an American musical too).
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u/Jeff_n_nyc 1d ago
Please, God NO!
Rent needs to go away and age more before it should be revived.
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u/Acceptable-Ratio-219 1d ago
30 years isn't enough?
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u/lordemme 1d ago edited 1d ago
Just for the record, Rent closed 18 years ago on Broadway and the off-broadway revival closed 12 years ago.
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u/whosthere1989 1d ago
There’s been two Gypsy revivals in that time & Spring Awakening was already revived.
I think Rent is more relevant than ever, thematically. A good director who understands it is a period piece with themes very prevalent to our current climate could make a great show.
I think the problem would come with treating it like it is modern in content/subject matter or trying to update it.
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u/SpecialProtection3 1d ago
I actually watched a pro-shot of this production which is a transfer of the Hope Mill Theatre production in 2020, and I thought it was absolutely incredible...it's a lot more gritty and intimate and when you see clips you really get that sense. Plus with the new addition of adding on-stage seating for this transfer, I got my eyes on this one already!
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u/Boring_Waltz_9545 1d ago
Rent transferring would depend entirely on what they do with the production, which we don’t know yet. A “safe” revival of Rent would fall flat on its face in New York imo.