After over 12 years and 5,140 performances, the critically-acclaimed musical Rent closes up shop on Broadway tonight. In a little while I imagine.

If I had my way, I’d be up in New York right now to take in the final performance. In lieu of that, I’ll have to wait for a screening of the final performance at the end of the month. Looking at next year’s tour schedule, it doesn’t look like they’ll be visiting D.C. or Baltimore; Philly appears to be the closest stop.

I consider myself something of a minor Renthead. Though I can’t count how many times I’ve listened to the cast and movie albums (Is “lots and lots and lots” a number?), I’ve only seen it staged three times. Only once, my first time, was on Broadway; the others were at the Warner Theatre here in D.C. I hoped to see it on Broadway one last time before closing. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

At left is what I’ve always referred to as my first exposure to Rent: a Newsweek cover from 1996. I was a subscriber at the time.

I’m saddened that it’s leaving the New York theatre world, but if current trends are any indication, it’ll be revived eventually.

West Side Story will be revived on Broadway next March, with previews running sometime in February. The show will not only enjoy a pre-Broadway run at the National Theatre here in D.C. for a month beginning in mid-December, but will also be somewhat tweaked for authenticity. According to Playbill:

The production “will introduce the unprecedented element of selectively weaving Spanish throughout both the book and songs,” according to the July 16 announcement.

West Side Story is one of my favorite musicals of all time, so I find this a bit exciting. I always wanted to take part in a production, but the opportunity to do so never arose. Given the median age of the main characters — or at least my perception of it — I’m probably past it. That and I think I lack the appropriate body type. At best, I suspect I could either be a stagehand or a strangely ethnic Officer Krupke.

Well, I suppose it had to happen sometime. From Reuters:

The award-winning Broadway musical “Rent” will end its 12-year-run in New York this June, according to an announcement on the production’s Web site.

The show’s website lists June 1, 2008 as the final performance of Rent, the 7th longest running show on Broadway as of last September. Between its Broadway run and its national tours, Rent grossed over $600 million dollars. The film version came about in 2005 with most of the original principal cast reprising their roles.

It’s weird. Very weird. Fuckin’ weird. (reference)

I figured the show would be around on Broadway a little bit longer. The first time I saw Rent was on Broadway in late 1998. Since then, I’ve seen two tour performances in DC, one in 2004 and the other in 2006.

So yes, I’m a little saddened that the show’s run is coming to an end. And yes, I know there are several of you who couldn’t be happier about it. Like it or not though, you have to admit that it helped spark a renewed interest in Broadway, at least a little if nothing else.

Behind the Scenes: Temple (left) and Ryan (center) sing "Any Dream Will Do" in a public service announcement for the Arlington Players’ production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Julian, at right, holds the boom microphone. The PSA will air on Arlington’s cable channel 69 this month, and "Joseph" runs weekends from September 21 through October 6. (FredoAlvarez/flickr)

A couple of weekends ago, I took a Saturday off from the Fruit Stand to take promotional photos for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” the fall production for the Arlington Players’ 57th season. Temple and Ryan, pictured above in costume, play the narrator and the title character respectively. They were a lot of fun to work with despite the sweltering temperatures inside; it was 100° with 100% humidity outside, and it wasn’t much better inside, thanks to a non-functional air conditioner.

Don’t go saying I didn’t suffer for my art.