‘Rent’ Casts From Around the World Come Together to Perform ‘No Day But Today’

The cast of one of Broadway’s most celebrated musicals united for a message of hope today. While theaters remain closed, “Rent” cast members joined together virtually to deliver their own performance from across the globe. Cast members from different productions around the world all recorded their own parts of the musical’s song “No Day But Today” and posted it on Facebook for everyone to hear.

Rodney Hicks, who played Benjamin Coffin III in the Broadway production of “Rent”, posted the clip to honor first responders and frontline workers helping out during the coronavirus pandemic. “To all the frontline heroes. From our Global RENT family to you and yours. We did a thing. With a Thousand Sweet Kisses…L O V E,” he wrote on Facebook.

Original Broadway cast members Daphne Rubin-Vega, Fredi Walker-Browne and Wilson Jermaine Heredia all recorded parts of the song for the tribute. Other longtime cast members Justin Johnston, Karmine Alers, Yassmin Alers, Michael McElroy and Hicks himself performed. All of the performers filmed from their homes in Spain, Cuba, Brazil, Canda and more, giving us a glimpse at their living rooms, families and pets.

Pose fans watching the clip may recognize a familiar face. Mj Rodriguez, who played Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista in the FX series, joined in on the “Rent” tribute performance video. Rodriguez played played Angel in an off-Broadway production of the show at New World Stages, Broadway.com reports.

“Rent” came to Broadway in 1996 after first premiering in 1994. The original cast included Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel and Anthony Rapp. Rent the film was released in 2005, with a screenplay written by Stephen Chbosky and most of the original Broadway cast reprising their roles for the film version. Fox released Rent: Live in 2019, a partially-live production of the musical.

Watch the “Rent” cast members’ tribute performance in the clip above.

Where to watch Rent