Jonathan Larson News

Upcoming MTI Shows - 7/17 for Seoul

In honor of the fresh, new Off-Broadway revival of RENT currently in previews at New World Stages, today we are taking a look back at the various incarnations of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical by Jonathan Larson over the years - from the lighting-in-a-bottle original cast led by relative theatrical newcomers Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin Vega, Taye Diggs, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel and more, all the way up to today and the new New York revival. We also look at the stupendous Blu-ray capture of the final cast of the original Broadway production, in addition to the Chris Columbus film version starring most of the original cast, live performances such as at the 2008 Tony Awards and the 1996 Democratic National Convention, some glimpses of both RENT and RENT REMIXED in the West End and all about the very best documentaries on the show! After all, when it comes to reviewing RENT in all its guises, well, there's no day but today!

Fresh from their hit Broadway turns, Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal) and Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening) star in The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown. Talkin' Broadway calls the show's writing team of Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk 'the most important young writers in musical theatre today.' This original musical for Broadway's next generation will run from August 4 through 28, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works. Check out photos of the cast in rehearsal below!

The new, off-Broadway production of Rent began previews onJuly 14, and opens Thursday, August 11 at New World Stages. The highly anticipated resurrection of the cult classic, written by Jonathan Larson, is being directed by Michael Greif, who directed the show's original off-Broadway and Broadway productions. The creative team includes choreographer Larry Keigwin, music supervisor Tim Weil, set designer Mark Wendland, costume designer Angela Wendt, lighting designer Kevin Adams, sound designer Brian Ronan, and projection designer by Peter Nigrini.

According to Baz Bamingboye in his Daily Mail UK column, the Weinstein Company is planning a four-week workshop of the new musical, Finding Neverland, this fall in New York. The workshop, directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford is said to star Julian Ovenden as J.M. Barrie and Kelli O'Hara as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies. Bamingboye writes that 'if it works - and Ovenden and O'Hara are available - the Weinsteins will launch a big production for Broadway.'

Anoche fue el estreno de Tick, Tick… Boom!, un musical producido por Tela - Katola que no tiene desperdicio alguno. El hall del Teatro Lara de Madrid se convirtió durante 90 minutos en un pequeño piso de Nueva York, una oficina, una azotea, un coche, un lujoso apartamento… Todo ello gracias al ingenio de un gran montaje y al ritmo de las canciones de Jonathan Larson, el autor del famoso musical Rent.

The new, off-Broadway production of Rent begins previews today, July 14, and opens Thursday, August 11 at New World Stages. The highly anticipated resurrection of the cult classic, written by Jonathan Larson, is being directed by Michael Greif, who directed the show's original off-Broadway and Broadway productions. The creative team includes choreographer Larry Keigwin, music supervisor Tim Weil, set designer Mark Wendland, costume designer Angela Wendt, lighting designer Kevin Adams, sound designer Brian Ronan, and projection designer by Peter Nigrini.

Desde esta noche y hasta el proximo dia 17 y del 21 al 24 de julio podreis ver la produccion de Tela - Katola, Tick, Tick… ¡Boom!, en el hall del Teatro Lara. Se trata de un musical de Jonathan Larson cuyas entradas puedes conseguir a traves de ticketea o bien de entradas.com.

The American Theatre Wing today announced that applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Jonathan Larson® Grants. The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony® Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.

Barrington Stage Company, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Tristan Wilson, Managing Director, announced today the complete Stage 2 season- the Musical Theatre Lab premiere of Mormons, Mothers and Monsters, two cabarets Surviving the Avalanche and Hell Raisers, and the Berkshire premiere of Chaim Potok's My Name is Asher Lev-as well as the previously announced productions of Zero Hour and Going to St. Ives.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents the world premiere family musical The Adventures of Pinocchio from July 13 to August 28, 2011. Based on Carlo Collodi's classic tale of a wooden puppet who yearns to be a real boy, this original CST Family commission will turn CST's Courtyard Theater stage into a larger-than-life, European-style marionette theater. Created by multiple Drama Desk Award-nominated team Neil Bartram (music/lyrics) and Brian Hill (book), The Adventures of Pinocchio is directed by Rachel Rockwell, who returns to CST after staging last summer's world premiere CST Family musical The Emperor's New Clothes. Tickets for The Adventures of Pinocchio from July 13 to August 28, 2011, in CST's Courtyard Theater are $18-$25 with special discuonts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% parking discount at Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is happy to announce that songwriters Michael Kooman and Chris Dimond, who won the 2010 Jonathan Larson Grant, will be presenting 'Out Of Our Heads: The Music of Kooman & Dimond' on Monday, July 18 at 7pm.

This summer, California youth and the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program (est. 1995) will workshop Ryan Scott Oliver's brand new Jasper in Deadland, August 5 and 6. 'Jasper in Deadland tells the story of 16-year-old Jasper, who loses his best friend Agnes and travels into the afterlife to retrieve her. But this afterlife-'Deadland'-is some kind of freakish, a hybrid of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse and Judeo-Christian mythologies, divided into seven 'circles' where Jasper encounters Cerberus, the demoness Ammut, Loki and his daughter Hel, a psychotic redneck named The Chuckster, and the ever mysterious Mr. Lethe. Will Jasper retrieve his best friend Agnes? Or will he join the Dead forever?'

Christoper Infantino, of Media, is now 16 years old and has been studying the three components of music theatre at The Media Theatre for the past decade. 'Acting, singing, and dancing are very important to me,'

TICK TICK...BOOM! composed by the creator of hit musical RENT Jonathan Larson will have its first professional production ever in Australia playing for one week only at NIDA's Parade Playhouse, Parade Theatres from 12 to 16 July.