What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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T2 WHATS UP! January 27 - February 2, 2019 BY KYLA BREWER TV Media T elevision offers a re- spite for many weary viewers, but there's nothing like the thrill of live theater. A major broad- caster is about to make live per- formance more accessible with a televised production of one of Broadway's most beloved musicals. Seven struggling artists reach for their dreams in New York City's East Village in an era of political and social un- rest in a live/tape delayed pro- duction of "Rent," airing Sun- day, Jan. 27, on Fox. Inspired by Giacomo Puccini's "La Bo- hème," "Rent" was written by late composer and playwright Jonathan Larson, who also wrote the music and lyrics. The show first premiered Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on Jan. 25, 1996, before moving to Broad- way in April of the same year. Unfortunately, Larson didn't live to see its Off-Broadway premiere, as he died of an aor- tic dissection that morning, at the age of 35. He was awarded a number of posthumous awards for the rock musical, including three Tonys and a Pulitzer Prize. It's been more than 20 years since the play first premiered, but many feel that it's just as relevant today as it was back then. "The title is so iconic, the music is so beloved, and the themes are as meaningful to- day as they were when the show first premiered on Broad- way," Fox executives Dana Walden and Gary Newman said in an official release. "Rent" was a groundbreaking production in the '90s because it addressed AIDS, homopho- bia, addiction and other taboo subjects, and producers have assembled top caliber talent to bring the story to a whole new generation. Some of the world's most renowned musical the- ater artists take to the sound- stage for this television version. Jordan Fisher ("Liv and Mad- die") stars as Mark Cohen, a Jewish-American filmmaker who also serves as the narrator Vanessa Hudgens stars in "Rent" Fox makes 'Rent' continued on page T10 TV FEATURE