An injury to a cast member on Fox’s Rent production meant much of the show that viewers saw was taped, not live, with the final act reworked, and live.
Around 15 minutes into the production, the cast members addressed the viewing audience, sharing how Brennin Hunt sustained a broken foot the day before, during a performance of the show in front of a live audience. Hunt played Roger, a main character.
Rent has always been about “community, resiliency (sic) and bouncing back,” said cast member Valentina, “and the show must go on.”
Much of the previous night's performance would be shown on Fox. The cast said the final act was “reworked”, and would be live. Hunt was in that part of it, in wheelchair, his foot in a cast.
The three-hour telecast was Fox’s latest musical production, following The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Grease, which were both live.
In a discussion with B&C, Fox entertainment president Michael Thorn stressed the importance of live television for the network, and said Fox is considering producing an original jukebox musical centered around a star artist.
