Fox Asks ‘Rent’ Fans To Sing ‘Seasons Of Love’ For Video Promoting Live TV Musical
In January, Fox will be presenting a live version of the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit Rent, and the network wants fans of the show to be part of it by singing the biggest song from the rock musical.
“To spread the excitement about Rent coming to Fox, we’re launching a nationwide virtual sing-a-ling choir,” the network stated on its official website.
“How does that work? Hundreds of fans record videos of themselves singing along to ‘Seasons of Love.’ We compile the best performances into one gigantic choral Rent-stravaganza of talent. Simple.”
To participate, vocalists need to use the backing track — posted in video format and containing the lyrics karaoke-style — on the Fox website or on its YouTube page, and videotape themselves singing along to the now-iconic tune.
Fox suggests recording in a quiet and brightly-lit space so singers can be both seen and heard. They also don’t want to hear the music coming from the video, so they advise wearing headphones or muting the video while filming.
After a satisfactory video has been filmed, share it to YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the hashtag “#RentSingALong” before Friday, December 14. Fox will then let the best video stars know that they’ve made it into their official sing-a-long clip, which will be released in early 2019.
More rules and details can be found on the Fox website.
Written and composed by Jonathan Larson, Rent is a re-imagining of Puccini’s Italian opera La Bohème about seven struggling artists living in New York City who are just trying to follow their dreams during a time of great social and political turmoil.
Fox’s three-hour production will star talented actors and singers, including Kiersey Clemons (Dope, Hearts Beat Loud) as Joanne, an Ivy League-educated lawyer who is dating Maureen; Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical, Grease: Live) plays Maureen, an outgoing performance artist who is not afraid to take on the establishment; Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, Power) plays Tom, a computer scientist who was expelled from MIT; Jordan Fisher (Grease: Live, Dancing With the Stars) plays the show’s narrator, Mark, an aspiring filmmaker recording the lives of his friends; Brennin Hunt (The X Factor, Nashville) plays struggling musician Roger, who is Mark’s roommate and best friend; R&B singer Mario plays Benjamin, Mark and Roger’s former roommate who is now their landlord and in need of their rent; singer and DWTS alum Tinashe plays Mimi, a dancer who struggles with addiction; and Valentina (RuPaul’s Drag Race) plays Angel, a drag queen and street percussionist who lives life to its fullest.
Rent was first staged off-Broadway in 1994 and on Broadway in 1996. Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Jesse L. Martin appeared in the original Broadway cast.
In 2005, a feature film based on the musical was made starring some of its Broadway stars and Rosario Dawson.
Rent is slated to air on Fox on Sunday, January 27, at 8 p.m.
