Making Rent: The Story Behind the Music that Changed Broadway [Hardcover]

From the musical director ofRentcomes a thirtieth-anniversary account of how Broadways iconic grunge rock show and its music were made and how they would forever reshape musical theater.

Thirty years afterRent, Jonathan Larsons groundbreaking rock opera, opened on Broadway, you would be hard-pressed to find a musical theater fan who doesnt know at least some of the shows iconic tunes by heart. Take Me or Leave Me, Light My Candle, La Vie Boheme, and the ubiquitous Seasons of Love revolutionized the kind of music heard on the Broadway stage. Much of the impact comes from the shows musical style, a singular blend of grunge rock, power pop, gospel, and R & B that was brought to life by the shows onstage band, headed by the legendary musical director Tim Weil.

From his first day as audition accompanist through his elevation to musical director, Weil was a critical collaborator with Larson in developingRents unique sound. And when, on the eve of the companys first public performance, Larson died unexpectedly, Weil was there to finesse a still-unfinished show into the musical Larson had long dreamed of.

Making Rentreveals how the music that has shaped generations of new American musicals grew out of Weil and Larsons intimate partnership and how, for the six years he workedRents Broadway run, Weil endeavored to preserve Larsons musical vision. Previously untold stories about some of the shows most iconic moments, accompanied by behind-the-scenes photos, capture the energy, ingenuity, and passion ofRents company and creators while providing a unique level of insight into just how collaborative and innovative a process makingRentwas and why it has had such a lasting impact on musical theater and fans the world over.