RENT is a rock musical loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s 1896 opera La Bohème. It tells the story of a group of impoverished, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural young artists struggling to survive and create a life in Lower Manhattan’s East Village in the thriving days in bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. On Broadway, the musical gained critical acclaim and won several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production ran for 12 years, making it one of the longest-running shows to be performed there. Its success and popularity have led to productions worldwide, and in 2005, it was adapted into a motion picture featuring most of the original cast members.