All About Musicals

Rentheads’ (a.k.a. diehard Rent fans)  voices have been heard: the hit Broadway musical has been granted an extension, and will close September 7, 2008. This is an extension of approximately 3 months. (Previously a closing date of June 1 had been reported.) No doubt ticket demand had some influence in this case.

If you’ve already bought tickets for up to the June 1 date, you now have the option of attending a later performance. The final performance is now 6:30 PM on September 7, and, according to Ticketmaster.com, tickets are on sale to the public until Sept. 4.

The producers commented: “In consideration of the Rent fans who have purchased tickets for the currently-announced final week, ticket holders wishing to exchange tickets purchased for performances from Monday, May 26, 2008 through Sunday, June 1, 2008 for performances during the extension period are welcome to do so subject to availability.”

According to the official Rent website, here is the Rent extension ticket exchange policy:

Rent Extension Ticket Exchange Policy

Any ticket holders wishing to exchange tickets purchased for performances from Monday, May 26, 2008 through Sunday, June 1, 2008 into performances in this extension period are welcome to do so subject to availability.

Ticket holders wishing to exchange can do so in either of the two (2) ways:

They can take their tickets to the Nederlander Theatre box office (208 West 41st Street, New York City) during regular box office hours (Monday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8: 30 p.m.; Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.). Tickets must be in hand.

They can call the box office mail room at 212-921-8000 and arrange the exchange over the phone. Tickets being exchanged must be mailed or brought to the box office by May 11, 2008 to complete the exchange.

Anyone who purchased tickets prior to March 15, 2008 for the previously announced final performance (Sunday evening, June 1, 2008) may exchange into the final performance on Sunday, September 7, 2008 only with verifiable proof of purchase: Ticketmaster account information or credit card receipt or statement. The hard copy of proof of purchase must be brought or mailed to box office along with tickets to affect the exchange. This will be checked. Please note that September 7th tickets may not necessarily be in the same locations as those purchased for June 1st.

Patrons will be reminded that new tickets will be exchanged only for face value of the old tickets.

All changes are SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.

Rent is the seventh longest running show in Broadway history, and its book, music, and lyrics were written by the late Jonathan Larson. It will celebrate 12 years on Broadway on April 29.

Rent officially opened on Broadway on April 29, 1996, after an extended limited (and sold-out) engagement at Off-Broadway’s New York Theatre Workshop. This breakthrough musical, based loosely on Puccini’s opera La Boheme, has gone on to win every major “best musical award,” including the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and New York Drama Critics Circle Award, as well as being one of only seven musicals to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It is directed by Director Michael Greif.

Image details: Joey Fatone takes Rent curtain call served by picapp.com

Sources: Official Rent Website, Playbill