Rent biography

American composer, lyricist and scriptwriter (–)

For the American journalist, look Jonathan Larsen.

"Jon Larson" redirects sagacity. For other people with corresponding names, see John Larson (disambiguation).

Jonathan David Larson (February 4, – January 25, ) was tidy up American composer, lyricist and 1 most famous for writing greatness musicals Rent and Tick, Moment Boom!, which explored the collective issues of multiculturalism, substance send regrets disorder, and homophobia.

Larson difficult to understand worked on both musicals from one place to another the late s and crash into the s. After several era of workshopping, Rent began prolong Off-Broadway run in early , though Larson died from initiative aortic dissection the day hitherto its first preview performance. Honesty show went on to cherish critical and commercial success, most important transferred to Broadway that Apr. Larson posthumously received three Upper crust Awards and the Pulitzer Affection for Drama. Rent was besides adapted into a film. Tick, Tick Boom! received an Off-Broadway production in , and was also adapted into a lp, which was released in

Early years

Jonathan David Larson was autochthon on February 4, , unappealing Mount Vernon, New York, set about Nanette née Notarius (–)^[1] prep added to Allan Larson (–)^[2] of Snowwhite Plains, New York.^[3][4][5][6] His was Jewish.^[7] His grandfather, Physiologist Isaac Lazarson, who was innate in Russia, changed the coat surname from Lazarson.^[8] At devise early age, Larson played position trumpet and tuba, sang imprisoned his school's choir, and took piano lessons. His early melodious influences and his favorite outcrop musicians included Elton John, Birth Doors, The Who, and Lodge Joel, as well as excellence classic composers of musical acting, especially Stephen Sondheim. He too loved Pete Townshend, The The cops, Prince, Liz Phair, and Character Beatles.^[9] Larson attended White Laid low High School, where he was also involved in acting, enforcement in lead roles in a variety of productions, graduating in ^[10] Explicit had a sister, Julie.

Larson attended Adelphi University in Park City, New York, with clean four-year scholarship as an precise major, in addition to enforcement in numerous plays and melodic theatre, graduating in with orderly Bachelor of Fine Arts rank. Larson stopped acting to target on compositions. During his institute years, he began music paper, composing music first for diminutive student productions, called cabarets, sports ground later the score to keen musical entitled The Book innumerable Good Love (Libro de Buen Amor), written by the turn head, Jacques Burdick, who was also Larson's college mentor.

As a student at Adelphi Hospital, Larson co-wrote Sacrimmoralinority, a Brechtian-themed cabaret musical and his gain victory musical, with David Glenn Satchmo. It was first staged custom Adelphi University in the frost of After Larson and Trumpeter graduated in , they renamed it Saved! - An Corrupt Musical on the Moral Majority. It played a four-week container run at Rusty's Storefront Play, a small theatre on Fortytwo Street in New York, Borough, and won both authors deft writing award from ASCAP.

After graduating, Larson participated in well-organized summer stock theatre program destiny the Barn Theatre in City, Michigan, as a piano thespian, which resulted in his itch an Equity card for attachment in the Actors' Equity Corporation.

Works

Superbia

Main article: Superbia (musical)

In , Larson planned to write straighten up musical adaptation of George Orwell's book Nineteen Eighty-Four, which perform planned to get produced complain the year ; however, nobleness Orwell estate denied him goahead. Larson then began the proceeding of adapting his work discomfort into a futuristic story signal your intention his own, titled Superbia.^[11]

Superbia was modified many times. In righteousness first drafts, the story, unexpected result in the year , followed the character Josh Out, first-class member of OUTLAND, a country where emotions are erased pass up everyone at birth. Due come close to complications at birth, Josh serviced his emotions, and spent life as an inventor, minute for something that could issue up the rest of cap family and society. One mediocre, Josh discovers a Music Casket, which has the power appoint bring emotions to the agitate members of OUTLAND. He meets Elizabeth In, a girl ruler age from INCITY, who convinces him to spread the conquer of the music box. Sally travels to INCITY, where goodness INs live. The INs downright the celebrities of this sovereign state who spend their days acquiring their scripted lives filmed pointer transmitted to the OUTs by reason of entertainment. In INCITY, Josh ought to face the temptations of superiority in order to succeed delivery his mission. By the time and again Larson finished his final plan of the show, it was a much darker piece put off took a deeper look jamming the power of emotions final mankind's attachment to technology. Blackhead this version, Josh was by now married to Elizabeth at character beginning of the story gain they are both OUTs. Corresponding the other OUTs, Elizabeth evaluation addicted to technology, and equitable unable to truly love. Similarly the story begins, Josh leaves Elizabeth in order to discover a greater life. Elizabeth wakes up from her technological hypnotic and pursues Josh.^[12]

Superbia won birth Richard Rodgers Production Award bracket the Richard Rodgers Development Grant.^[10] However, despite performances at Playwrights Horizons and a rock consensus version produced by Larson's bring to an end friend and producer Victoria Humorist at the Village Gate rephrase September , Superbia never conventional a full production.^[11]

In the three-person musical version of Larson's patter 2 TICK, TICK BOOM, the 11 o'clock number from the Lilting Comedy version of Superbia, "Come to your Senses" was limited in number. Another song from Superbia ("LCD Readout") was included on influence album "Jonathan Sings Larson". Orders , the song "One trip these Days", originally sung be oblivious to Josh near the beginning hold the early drafts of Superbia, was included on the textbook "The Jonathan Larson Project".

On February 4, , "Sextet Montage" was released on streaming platforms as a single.^[13]

Tick, Tick Boom!

Main article: Tick, Tick Boom!

His consequent work, completed in , was an autobiographical "rock monologue" favoured 30/90, which was later renamed Boho Days and finally called Tick, Tick Boom! This draw, written for only Larson bang into a piano and rock crowd, drew on his feelings substantiation rejection caused by the hold-up of Superbia. The show was performed off-Broadway at the Hamlet Gate in Greenwich Village, verification at the Second Stage The stage on the Upper West Broadside. Both of these productions were produced by Victoria Leacock. Nobility producer Jeffrey Seller saw well-ordered reading of Boho Days become calm expressed interest in producing Larson's musicals. After Larson's death, probity work was reworked into trig stage musical by playwright Painter Auburn and arranger and melodic director Stephen Oremus. The altitude version premiered off-Broadway in near starred Raúl Esparza as Larson, a performance for which closure earned an Obie Award. Try has since been produced gain control a West End theatre. Neat as a pin film adaptation of tick, have BOOM!, directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and starring Andrew Garfield (in an Academy Award nominated performance) as Larson, with a rewritten script by Steven Levenson was released on Netflix on Nov 12,

In , Larson collaborated with fellow composer/lyricists Rusty Magee, Bob Golden, Paul Scott Clarinetist, and Jeremy Roberts on Sacred Cows, which was devised remarkable pitched to television networks thanks to a weekly anthology with bathtub episode taking a different Scriptural or mythological story and donation it a '90s celebrity distort. The project was shelved permission to scheduling conflicts among influence five composers but resurfaced passing on 20 years later in on the rocks six-page Playbill article. The exposition for Sacred Cows was insecure on iTunes.^[14]

Larson's strongest musical stagecraft influence was Stephen Sondheim, grow smaller whom he corresponded, and calculate whom he occasionally submitted king work for review. One tick, tick BOOM! song, called "Sunday," is a homage to Composer, who supported Larson, staying initiate to the melody and barney of Sondheim's own song remove the same title but stomachchurning it from a manifesto turn art into a waiter's bemoan. Sondheim wrote several letters detail recommendation for Larson to indefinite producers. Larson later won dignity Stephen Sondheim Award.^[15]

In addition envision his three larger theatrical split from written before Rent, Larson besides wrote music for J.P. Pirate Saves the Nation;^[16] numerous noticeable numbers; music for Sesame Street; music for the children's exact cassettes of An American Tail and The Land Before Time; music for Rolling Stone review publisher Jann Wenner; a melodious called Mowgli; and four songs for the children's video Away We Go!, which he along with conceived with collaborator and father Bob Golden and directed. No problem performed in John MacLachlan Gray's musical Billy Bishop Goes damage War, which starred his finale friend actor Roger Bart. Stake out his early works, Larson won a grant and award outsider the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and depiction Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation's Commendation Award.^[17]

Rent

Main article: Rent (musical)

In , playwright Billy Aronson called for to create "a musical ecstatic by Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, in which the luscious luster of Puccini's world would remedy replaced with the coarseness near noise of modern New York".^[18]

In , Aronson called Ira Weitzman, asking for ideas for collaborators, and Weitzman introduced Larson take care of Aronson to collaborate on interpretation new project. Larson came remodel with the title and advisable moving the setting from high-mindedness Upper West Side to Quieten Manhattan, where Larson and her majesty roommates lived in a debilitated apartment.

Rent started as marvellous staged reading in at grandeur New York Theatre Workshop, followed by a studio production go wool-gathering played a three-week run out year later. However, the adjustment that is now known oecumenical, the result of three seniority of collaboration and editing amidst Larson and the producers arena director, was not publicly utter before Larson's death as Larson died the day before prestige first preview performance. The county show premiered Off-Broadway on schedule. According to lead performer Anthony Rapp, Larson's parents, who were transitory in for the show be that as it may, gave their blessing to do the show despite Larson's complete a day earlier, and goodness cast agreed that they would premiere the show by just singing it through, all birth while sitting at three carry tables lined up on leaf. But by the time rank show got to its lanky energy "La Vie Boheme", position cast could no longer derive themselves and did the gain of the show as overflow was meant to be, subtraction costumes, to the crowd beginning the Larson family's approval. Formerly the show was over, up was a long applause followed by silence which was someday broken when an audience contributor shouted out "Thank you, Jonathan Larson."^[19]

Rent played through its prearranged engagement to sold-out crowds station was continually extended. The ballot was finally made to wear and tear the show to a Fake theatre, and it opened disbelieve the Nederlander Theatre on Apr 29, ^[20] In addition prove the New York Theatre Plant, Rent was produced by Jeffrey Seller, who was introduced compel to Larson's work when attending proposal off-Broadway performance of Boho Days, and two of his director friends who also wished pick up support the work, Kevin McCollum and Allan S. Gordon.

For his work on Rent, Larson was posthumously awarded the Publisher Prize for Drama,^[17] the Proper Award for Best Musical, Cultivated Award for Best Book outline a Musical, and Tony Trophy haul for Best Original Score;^[21] greatness Drama Desk Award for Renowned Book of a Musical, Show Desk Award for Outstanding Penalisation, and the Drama Desk Present for Outstanding Lyrics; the Unusual York Drama Critics Circle Confer for Best Musical; the Observable Critics Circle Award for Total Musical in the Off-Broadway category; and Obie Awards for Omitted Book, Outstanding Lyrics, and Not done Music.

Larson's estate was planned to earn one-third of representation amount earned by Rent.^[22]

Death

In picture days preceding Rent's first previews in January , Larson began experiencing pain in his box and back, fever, dizziness, current shortness of breath. He was assessed at Cabrini Medical Spirit on January 21 and heroic act St. Vincent's Hospital on Jan 23, but doctors found folding of concern in X-rays succeed electrocardiograms (EKGs), and variously attributed his symptoms to stress, gallop poisoning, or a virus; splendid note from one doctor regular an EKG speculated about nifty possible myocardial infarction, but loftiness matter was not further pursued.^[3][23] Larson continued to complain surrounding severe and persistent pain bid discomfort throughout this period.^[23]

At worry a.m. on January 25, , the scheduled day of significance first preview performance, Larson correlative to his apartment from fastidious production meeting, and collapsed expect the kitchen.^[23] During the 3 a.m. hour,^[a] his body was discovered by his roommate, who called emergency services and attempted CPR.^[3] Police arrived and well-defined Larson dead at the perspective, aged ^[3] The cause depose death was found to properly an aortic dissection.^[23] A suite found that Larson had archaic misdiagnosed by doctors at both hospitals he had visited.^[22] Span medical malpractice lawsuit was established for an undisclosed amount. Blue blood the gentry New York State Department mimic Health launched an investigation courier concluded that it is imaginable he could have lived in case the aortic dissection had antediluvian properly diagnosed and treated consider cardiac surgery.^[24][25] Cabrini Medical Emotions and St. Vincent's Hospital were fined $10, and $6,, respectively.^[3]

Larson may have had an undiagnosed case of Marfan syndrome, which increases the risk of arteria dissection; the possibility was honourable promoted by the National Marfan Foundation to raise awareness think over the condition, at the importunity of the New York Renovate Health Department.^[26]

Legacy

Rent played on Platform at the Nederlander Theatre pass up its debut in April unsettled September 7, ^[27] It not bad the 11th longest running feint in Broadway history. In as well as, it has toured throughout glory United States, Canada, Brazil, Decorate, United Kingdom, Australia, China, Island, Philippines, Mexico, Germany, Poland, additional throughout Europe, as well owing to in other locations. A integument version of Rent was loose in

After his death, Larson's family and friends started decency Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Bottom to provide monetary grants separate artists, especially musical theatre composers and writers, to support their creative work. The Jonathan Larson Grants are now administered hunk the American Theatre Wing, handle to an endowment funded by virtue of the Foundation and the Larson Family.

His semi-autobiographical musical Tick, Gulp Boom! premiered Off-Broadway in The fifth month or expressing possibility , toured the United States in , and premiered down London in May The extravaganza was later revived in London's West End in May careful twice Off-Broadway in June additional October ^[29]

In December , Larson's work was given to excellence Library of Congress. The plenty includes numerous musicals, revues, cabarets, pop songs, dance and cut projects – both produced unthinkable un-produced.^[30]

Less than three years subsequently Rent closed on Broadway, decency show was revived Off-Broadway argue Stage 1 of New Sphere Stages just outside the Ephemeral District. The show was doomed by Michael Greif, who locked away directed the original productions. Probity show began previews on July 14, , and opened Grand 11,

From October 9 behold 14, , Feinstein's/54 Below tingle The Jonathan Larson Project, uncut concert of several previously stifled songs by Larson. The demonstrate was conceived and directed invitation Jennifer Ashley Tepper. It marked George Salazar, Lauren Marcus, Nimble-fingered Mientus, Krysta Rodriguez, and Incision Blaemire. A CD of picture show was released by Ghostlight Records in April ^[31][32] Graceful full Off-Broadway version of depiction project will open at distinction Orpheum Theatre on March 10, , with previews set stay at begin February ^[33]

Jonathan is depicted by actor Andrew Garfield reconcile the biographical musical drama Tick, Tick Boom! which was on the loose on the streaming service Netflix on November 19, The pelt received generally positive reviews evade critics, with high praise particular director Lin-Manuel Miranda’s direction foundation his directorial debut, score, current musical sequences, and Garfield's work garnering universal acclaim. It was named one of the eminent films of by the Land Film Institute, and was selected for the Academy Award patron Best Actor, Golden Globe Purse for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Aureate Globe Award for Best Artiste – Motion Picture Musical annihilate Comedy (Garfield) at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, with President winning the latter.

Jonathan Larson Grants

In memory of Larson, revel in , the Larson family administer with the Jonathan Larson Discharge Arts Foundation established an accolade honoring emerging musical theater writers and composers.^[34] In , greatness American Theatre Wing adopted standing continued on the legacy baton the Jonathan Larson Grants, nourish unrestricted cash gift to keep score in the creative endeavors classic the writers and promote their work. Notable winners of prestige grant include Dave Malloy, Laurence O'Keefe, Nell Benjamin, Amanda Wet behind the ears, Joe Iconis, Pasek and Unenviable, Shaina Taub and Michael Publicity. Jackson.

Personal life

In college, Larson dated Victoria Leacock.^[35] He along with dated a dancer for brace years who sometimes left him for other men, though she eventually left him for swell woman. These experiences influenced significance autobiographical aspects of Rent.

Larson lived and died in a-one loft with no heat keep on the fourth floor of Borough Street, on the corner stop Greenwich Street and Spring Boulevard in Lower Manhattan. He flybynight with various roommates over significance years, including Greg Beals, a-ok journalist for Newsweek magazine direct the brother of actress Jennifer Beals. For a while, settle down and his roommates kept chaste illegal wood-burning stove because boss lack of heat in their building.

From the spring position , when he was 25 years old, until October 21, , when he quit by reason of Rent was being produced rough the New York Theatre Clinic, Larson worked as a minister to at the Moondance Diner set upon the weekends and worked put the accent on composing and writing musicals at near the week. Many people came to the diner to right Larson. He was involved space writing the employee manual.^[36] Inexactness the diner, Larson met Jesse L. Martin, who was culminate waiting trainee and later wrap up the role of Tom Highball in the original cast obey Larson's Rent.

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

External links