Rent Reviews
Washington Post- Highly Recommended
"...Matthew Gardiner, Signature's new artistic director, offers up a fresh, in-the-round mounting of Jonathan Larson's richly melodic tapestry of love, gentrification and AIDS at the end of the millennium. Unlike the disappointingly stale TV version on Fox in 2019, this rockin' "Rent" is so vivacious you'll be grateful for the opportunity to breathe in its buoyant air of affirmation."
DC Theater Arts- Highly Recommended
"...Signature Theatre has reopened its doors post-pandemic shutdown with the rock musical Rent, Jonathan Larson's creation loosely based on La Boheme's characters and story. It's a ripping good choice. The sound and sheer energy of the work and these singer-dancers raise our pulse and welcome us back to the American musical."
MetroWeekly- Highly Recommended
"...But collectively, these characters' voices still ring true, and their songs still move an audience from their hearts to their tapping feet. The bonds of chosen family, rendered persuasively onstage and felt in the very atmosphere of the building, still light the candle of community that makes a theater feel like home."
Talkin Broadway- Highly Recommended
"...Twenty-five years have passed since Rent hit Broadway like a meteor, receiving four Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize. The production of Jonathan Larson's landmark musical, now at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, is both blistering in its intensity and fascinatingly detailed in its depiction of a now-distant era."
MD Theatre Guide- Highly Recommended
"...By and large, "Rent" still resonates today in its portrait of imperfect but empathetic humanity and a still-relevant critique of gentrification. It reminds us to treasure the people and moments we hold dear because tomorrow has no guarantee. Signature Theatre's new production and cast revitalize this story of loss and hope at a time when we all need it. Experience it while you can this holiday season."