Original Cast Members of Rent Performing at Bryant Park

While we're not thrilled that the movie version of the musical Rent was shot mostly in San Francisco, Gothamist strongly urges you to go to Bryant Park at lunchtime to hear the cast members of the movie sing songs from the musical in a Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS event. Most of the musical's performers are reprising their roles - Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Idina Menzel, Wilson Jermaine Herredia, Tracie Thoms, Taye Diggs, Jesse L. Martin (we love you, Detective Green) - plus Rosario Dawson (playing Mimi, the role originated by Daphne Rubin-Vega). They performed on the Today Show, and damn it, we get tear up when we hear "Seasons of Love."

The performance is at 12:30PM, but you might want to go somewhat early because there are rabid fans, especially for Idina Menzel; more information here. And Rent, the movie, will open this November. And if you go or pass by, Flickr your photos and tell us! The production company behind Rent emailed us about the filming in SF and we examined how the Rent production designers are trying to cheat SF into NYC.