When composer, lyricist, and playwright Jonathan Larson died suddenly of an aortic dissection at the age of 35 on January 25, 1996 – the day before the premiere of his new musical RENT, for which he was posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, and multiple Off-Broadway awards, and heralded as the voice of a generation – he left behind boxes filled with hundreds of cassette tapes, scripts, music files, and journals, including dozens of never-before-heard songs and unfinished and unproduced musicals. That treasure trove of original material forms the basis of The Jonathan Larson Project.
Conceived by theater historian, writer, and producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper, the world-premiere musical features more than 20 songs from Larson’s previously undiscovered canon (including numbers cut from RENT and his other hit musical tick, tick . . . BOOM!), performed by the five-person cast of Broadway stars Adam Chanler-Berat, Taylor Iman Jones, Lauren Marcus, Andy Mientus, and Jason Tam, directed by John Simpkins, with music supervision and orchestrations by Charlie Rosen, co-arrangements by Rosen and Natalie Tenenbaum, music direction by Cynthia Meng, and choreography by Byron Easley.
The full-stage sixteen-week limited Off-Broadway engagement at the Orpheum Theatre begins previews on February 14, with an official opening scheduled for Monday, March 10. It follows an earlier concert version of the show presented at 54 Below from October 9-14, 2018, conceived, exhaustively researched, and directed by Tepper (who has served as the venue’s Creative and Programming Director for the past decade), and starring Marcus, Mientus, George Salazar, Krysta Rodriguez, and Nick Blaemire, with a CD released by Ghostlight Records in April 2019. Along with Larson’s innovative post-modern style of music that revolutionized Broadway are resonant themes in the song cycle that reflect his journey as a young then-unknown artist, continue to speak to a youthful audience in our current time, and hold universal appeal in their inspiring messages about life, love, and connection, struggles and hope, and important socio-political issues.
During a press preview held on Friday, January 31, Tepper, Simpkins, Meng, and Easley introduced the show and its background, the cast performed two of its profoundly emotive numbers (“One of These Days” and “SOS”), and I had the opportunity to speak with Tepper, Tam, and Marcus, to get their perspectives on Larson, his work, and his enduring legacy.
What is it about Jonathan Larson?
JASON TAM: We’re celebrating a person who pushed the boundaries of Broadway, and who, as a straight white man, advocated for under-represented people. And he was not celebrated until after he passed away, so he represents every single struggling artist.
LAUREN MARCUS: Jonathan Larson is audaciously earnest; it’s something that doesn’t happen too often now. He’s so literal, he says what he’s thinking and lays it on the line.
Do you have one favorite song in the show that you find most relatable?
JASON: Oh, gosh, that’s hard! The song that we just did as a group, “One of These Days,” is one of my favorites. It’s about finding the courage to keep on going and to have a community that understands and supports you.
LAUREN: “Rhapsody.” I don’t sing it in the show, but it’s about how hard it is to be an artist in NYC, to make money, to work, and also to have a personal life.
JENNIFER ASHLEY TEPPER: It changes every day! One-third of the songs weren’t in the 2018 version at 54 Below, so there are a lot of new ones, but I never get sick of any of them! They represent Jonathan Larson’s dream so they’re all important to preserve his legacy. For this show, we’re doing that with narrative strands and character arcs connected by the themes. It’s not a traditional musical, but it’s more than a song cycle in that it has a narrative thrust and more depth, so every one of them is significant in the story.
Is there an over-riding message in his music that you hope to convey to audiences?
JASON: How do you get through all the struggles? That’s what our show is about – finding the strength, determination, and courage to keep going.
LAUREN: I really hope people pay attention during the political section of the show; it’s shocking how relevant it is – SHOCKING!
JENNIFER: I think overall it’s how we can all make our world better, how to overcome isolation, and to deliver the message of connection.
Many thanks to all of you for your insights into the show and the work of the legendary Jonathan Larson! I look forward to the full stage production.
The Jonathan Larson Project plays Friday, February 14-Sunday, June 1, 2025, at the Orpheum Theatre, 126 Second Avenue, NYC. For tickets (priced at $69-164, including fees), go online.
