New York Theater Workshop

No Rent Means Layoffs for New York Theatre Workshop

The original production of <i>Rent</i> in 1996 at the New York Theatre Workshop.
Courtesy of the New York Theatre Workshop
The original production of Rent in 1996 at the New York Theatre Workshop.

Don't expect those at the New York Theatre Workshop to see the humor in this sad coincidence: they're going to have a hard time paying rent because the Broadway run of Rent closed down. The workshop, a 25-year-old East Village mainstay in Off-Broadway theater, is cutting down its budget from $4.5 million to $3.5 million, partially because of the closing of Rent, which premiered at the workshop in 1996 and has been sending royalties to the company ever since. Six production staff will be laid off starting May 30 and replaced with temps.  read more »