Houston 2000 Article 1 (Musical returns)

The hit Broadway musical about love and
death in Greenwich Village returns

by Peter Szatmary
Houston Citysearch
August 11, 2000

Bohemian Rhapsody

The national tour of "Rent," which earned composer Jonathan Larson a clutch of honors, including Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize, returns to the Bayou City for considerably more than "One Song Glory." The passionate, exuberant musical, which depicts the dreams and conflicts of young Greenwich Village residents, is inspired by Puccini's "La Boheme." Larson, who died of a brain aneurysm on the eve of opening night in 1996, was also influenced by the sophisticated rhythm and heady wordplay of Stephen Sondheim—his mentor.

Wink, Wink

At what cost "Rent"?
Larson's impact on the American musical unfortunately is limited to this one achievement. The personages on the stage come together through success, yes, but pain more: obvious to "renters" in the audience who are cognizant of what was gained and lost in the show's genesis and legacy.

"Seasons of Love" is one of the hit songs. An emotional reckoning of the inevitability of time, it has wound up signifying not only Larson's eclectic characters, some of whose struggles are life-and-death, but Larson himself. Another tune, "La Vie Boheme," is at once an affectionate nod to Larson's source material and a satirical comment on the "in" crowd.