Jonathan Larson's musical 'RENT' is a rock musical that follows the lives of seven impoverished young artists and musicians living in the East Village of New York City during the height of the AIDS epidemic. The musical was written by Jonathan Larson and first opened off-Broadway in 1996. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical has been adapted into a film, a Broadway show, and a touring production.