ne ▁Rub in - V ega ▁as ▁M imi , ▁and ▁more ▁work sh ops ▁followed . ▁The ▁show ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁again ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁Theatre ▁Work shop , ▁and ▁quickly ▁gained ▁popular ity ▁off - B road way , ▁receiving ▁enthus i astic ▁reviews . ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁the ater ▁critic ▁Ben ▁Br ant ley ▁called ▁it ▁an ▁" ex h ilar ating , ▁land mark ▁rock ▁opera " ▁with ▁a ▁" gl itter ing , ▁invent ive ▁score " ▁that ▁" sh imm ers ▁with ▁hope ▁for ▁the ▁future ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁musical ." ▁ ▁Another ▁rev iewer ▁wrote , ▁" R ent ▁speak s ▁to ▁Generation ▁X ▁the ▁way ▁that ▁the ▁musical ▁H air ▁spoke ▁to ▁the ▁baby ▁bo om ers ▁or ▁those ▁who ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ," ▁while ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁similarly ▁called ▁it ▁" a ▁rock ▁opera ▁for ▁our ▁time , ▁a ▁H air ▁for ▁the ▁ 9 0 s ." ▁The ▁show ▁proved ▁extremely ▁successful ▁off - B road way , ▁s elling ▁out ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁performances ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 5 0 - se at ▁theatre . ▁ ▁Original ▁Broadway ▁production ▁Due ▁to ▁its ▁over wh el ming ▁popular ity ▁and ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁larger ▁the ater , ▁R ent ▁moved ▁to ▁Broadway ' s ▁previously ▁der el ict ▁Nederland er ▁Theatre ▁on ▁ 4 1 st ▁Street ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 9