Tick Tick Boom
- frontpageinitiative
- Sep 4, 2022
- 2 min read
An Overview of the Film
“Lately I’ve been hearing this sound everywhere I go. Like a tick, tick, tick.” This iconic phrase, recited by Jonathan “Jon” Larson (played by Andrew Garfield), sets the stage for Tick Tick Boom. The Netflix original is a film adaptation of Larson’s autobiographical musical of the same name. Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the film encapsulates Larson’s life as a soon-to-be thirty-year-old, pursuing his interest in performing arts. At this particular point in his life, Larson attempts to “make it” on Broadway with his musical, Superbia. Details related to Larson’s work and his complicated relationships are recounted on screen for viewers to experience themselves.
An Exploration of the Life of Jonathan Larson
Larson spent most of his time in New York, where he was born and raised. His childhood consisted largely of a school drama club and music lessons. Continuing with his interest in the arts, he attended Adelphi University with hopes of becoming an actor. However, legendary composer Stephen Sondheim saw Jon’s talent and managed to convince him to focus on composing instead. In the meantime, as shown in the film, Jon Larson waited tables at the Moondance Diner to “pay the rent”. In fact, he spent a total of 10 years as a waiter so he could afford to bring his musicals to life. The composer is best known for “Rent”, a rock opera musical that follows young artists and their life struggles in New York’s East Village. Rent was shown on Broadway for 12 years and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama along with four Tony Awards. Unfortunately, Jon Larson was unable to see his hard work come to fruition as he suddenly died of an aortic aneurysm the morning of the first preview of Rent, off-Broadway. Yet at 35 years old, Larson accomplished what he originally set out to do; Madison Feller from Elle writes, “It [Rent] changed the face of American musical theatre with its rock score and contemporary setting and characters”.
An Exploration of the Works of Jonathan Larson
J. P. Morgan Saves the Nation - A portrayal of many inherent conflicts in America. Set in the year 1907, this story is based on J. Pierpont Morgan's endeavours to save New York from financial collapse. In J. P. Morgan Saves the Nation, ‘spiritual faith’ and ‘capitalist greed’ are combined with ‘ragtime, rock, and music-hall hymns’.
Superbia - Inspired by George Orwell’s 1984, Superbia was a sci-fi rock musical. The satirical musical displayed a society where human emotions do not exist. In Superbia, these un-emoting and screen-addicted citizens watch the lives of the wealthy and rich through futuristic technology.
Rent - Jon Larson’s most well-known musical is based on the opera named La Bohème, by Giacomo Puccini. Set in Manhattan’s East Village in the ’80s, Rent follows the life of a group of friends interested in the arts as they juggle adversities like homophobia, poverty, AIDS, and drug addiction.
Resources
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jonathan-larson-mn0000823469/biography
https://www.amazon.com/Morgan-Saves-Nation-Moon-Classics/dp/1557132569
https://biography.yourdictionary.com/jonathan-larson
https://dmtalkies.com/tick-tick-boom-ending-explained-2021-film-jonathan-larson-superbia/
https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a38314003/jonathan-larson-true-story-tick-tick-boom/
https://stageagent.com/shows/musical/294/rent
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/jonathan-larson/
Published January 29, 2022
Written by Katherina Pan ~ Edited by Sasha Thomas
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