Fox’s next live production event will be the Tony-winning musical, “Rent,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The rock musical, loosely based on the Italian opera “La bohème” by Giacomo Puccini, will be adapted for the small screen by executive producer Marc Platt (“La La Land,” “Wicked”) and the estate of the late “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson.
“Rent” tells the story of a group of bohemian artists struggling to survive in New York City’s East Village during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Larson died right before the show premiered off-Broadway.
The original production won the Tony Award for Best Musical, Book of a Musical and Original Score in 1996. Wilson Jermaine Heredia also won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of the drag queen drummer Angel, who suffers from HIV/AIDS. The original cast also starred Anthony Rapp, Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs and Adam Pascal, among others.
In 2005, it was adapted into a film version featuring most of the original Broadway cast with the inclusion of Rosario Dawson and Traci Thoms.
“We are so honored to partner with the estate of the brilliant Jonathan Larson and producer Marc Platt on one of the great musicals of our time,” Dana Walden and Gary Newman, chairmen and CEOs of Fox Television Group said in a joint statement. “The title is so iconic, the music is so beloved, and the themes are as meaningful today as they were when the show first premiered on Broadway. With Marc overseeing this project, we are sure it will have a profound impact on the legions of fans who know and love this musical.”
Walden told Broadway World the broadcast won’t be overly censored but will be appropriate for network television.
“I know there is a version of this show that will pay tribute to Jonathan Larson, will be true to the themes of the show and we’ve certainly covered similar themes in shows that we’ve presented over the years and we’re not going to shy away from it,” Walden says. “But it’s going to be something that is appropriate for our platform.”
Casting news and a premiere date have yet to be announced.
