Broadway producer Jeffrey Seller, from ‘RENT’ to ‘Hamilton’

Broadway producer Jeffrey Seller reflects on his career, detailing the creative evolution of mega-hits *RENT* and *Hamilton*. Seller emphasizes the necessity of rigorous editing, such as trimming rap battles and reprises to maintain narrative pacing, and highlights the collaborative environment required to foster groundbreaking work. He discusses the profound impact of Jonathan Larson’s sudden death on the production of *RENT* and the challenges of bringing contemporary, authentic stories to a Broadway stage previously dominated by British imports. Growing up in a financially unstable environment, Seller credits his early exposure to theater as a transformative influence. Additionally, film critic Justin Chang reviews Ildiko Enyedi’s *Silent Friend*, a century-spanning drama that examines humanity’s relationship with the natural world, featuring a Ginkgo biloba tree as a central, silent witness across three distinct historical eras.