"Am I cut out to spend my time this way? With only so much time to spend, don't want to waste the time I'm given. Have it all, play the game, some recommend. I'm afraid it just might be time to give in."
-From tick...Tick...BOOM! by Jonathan Larson
Directed by Meghan Randolph
Musical Direction by Christopher Powers
September 6, 12 and 13 at 7:30pm
September 7th at 2:00pm
River Arts Center
105 Ninth St., Prairie du Sac, WI
Sponsored by: 
(If your address doesn't work with the above link, try www.mapquest.com)
On the eve of his thirtieth birthday,Rent composer Jonathan Larson was having a personal crisis: Here he was, 30 years old, and still working in a diner and chasing a dream of being a composer in the ever challenging world of show business. Though highly praised for his vision and works, Larson remained a literal starving artist. His girlfriend was aching to leave the fast paced New York scene and settle down. His oldest friend had also left show business and was currently living the Manhattan high life as an executive. It was at this point that he began to evaluate whether it was worth it to consider pursuing such an unreliable lifestyle.
His experiences and feelings are chronicled in his autobiographical work tick...Tick...BOOM! Larson worked on the piece in the early nineties, workshopping it as a one man show with himself at the piano. More of a showcase than a musical, it illustrated Jonathan's body of work and his current frustrations. Soon the show was shelved, along with other musicals Jonathan had worked on, in favor of another project-a rock musical adaption of La Boheme...the phenomenal success Rent. Finally, after years of hoping and disappointment, Larson had a much buzzed about show, financial security, and the respect of his peers. After several years of work, Rent began rehearsals for a studio production at New York Theatre Workshop in December 1995.
Once the show began tech rehearsals, Larson began suffering chest pains and other ailments. Twice during tech rehearsals he was rushed to the emergency room, but released. Early in the morning on January 25, 1996, 5 days before the studio production of Rent would go into previews, Larson collapsed while making tea in his apartment. He died that day from an aortic anyuerism. The following day, his colleagues, stunned by the news, decided that they would perform the show anyway that night because that was what Jonathan would have wanted. They began it as a sit down sing through but eventually were so overcome with emotion that they rose and performed with great exuberance. After a standing ovation, the entire audience sat back down, completely silent, until one voice said "Thank you, Jonathan Larson."
Rent received rave reviews in it's downtown production and was soon transferred to the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway. The show became an instant sensation, a Hair for the '90s, addressing the issues of the day through a contemporary score and relatable characters. (Visit MTM's Hair page to learn more about that show...the resemblances are many!) That summer, Rent took home four Tonys, including Best New Musical. Larson was honored posthumusly with awards for best original score and best book of a musical. His sister Julie accepted on his behalf, stating "It took Jonny 15 years to become an overnight success." Rent also became only the eighth musical in history to receive the Pulitzer Prize for drama, an honor the late Larson now shared with his idol, Stephen Sondheim, who won for Sunday in the Park With George in 1984. The sad irony of Larson's untimely passing is reflected in Rent's signature line: No Day But Today.
As Larson's name became globally recognized, his family and colleagues realized their desire to bring their loved one's story to the stage. tick...Tick...BOOM! was resurrected, adding the characters of Jon's girlfriend and best friend, and opened off-Broadway in 2001, winning several awards. In the show, Larson pays homage to his idol, composer Stephen Sondheim (Company, Sweeney Todd, Assassins, Into The Woods and more). The song "Sunday" is a humorous take on Sunday in the Park With George, and in the song "why", Larson makes nods to Sondheim with his quotation of lines and melodies from West Side Story, and of the use of the tritone made famous in the song "Maria". The song title "No More" appears in both the Sondheim show Into the Woods and in tick...Tick...BOOM!, and Jonathan's anxiety about his approaching birthday and status in life mirrors that of Sondheim's Company.
tick...Tick...BOOM! is touching in its own right, but becomes all the more meaningful when you know the story behind the man. To learn more about Larson and his work, visit the links below. And don't miss MTM's incarnation of this wonderful show!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 2008 TONY AWARDS TRIBUTE TO RENT AND JONATHAN LARSON
CAST
Jonathan Mark Kuroski
Susan et. al. TBA
Michael et. al./Understudy Jonathan Jordan Peterson
Mark Kuroski Jordan Peterson
LINKS:
JONATHAN LARSON PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION
THE UNOFFICIAL JONATHAN LARSON SITE
RENT ON BROADWAY (Closing September 7th, 2008!)
SHOW INFO SITE WITH CLIPS FROM THE ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING
The DVD of the film version of Rent contains a feature length documentary on Jonathan's life and death.
The Original Cast Recording of tick...Tick...BOOM! (and a new German cast recording!) are available nationwide as well as through iTunes. The recordings of the Broadway and film versions of Rent are easily accessible.