tick, tick… Boom! (New York City Center)
Birthdays not only mark the day when we were born, but are landmarks on the road of life. They represent the start of new stages, loaded with exciting events and new challenges. At times they can be overwhelming and also cause us to question the value of our lives.
One of the things that I love most about New York’s theatre scene is New York City Center’s Encores! (Broadway musicals) and Encores! Off-Center (off-Broadway) season series. As stated in NY City Center’s website, Encores! Off-Center “ features landmark Off-Broadway musicals filtered through the lens of today’s most innovative artists…Encores!…places a great emphasis on the scores, with the orchestra performing onstage, and each show receives a brief rehearsal period followed by five performances.” For just a few days, NY City Center provides the opportunity to experience rare musicals, shows that only received a short run, and sometimes shows that didn’t even make it to opening night.
Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical, tick, tick… Boom! was part of their Off-Center season this year. The musical tells the story of Jon (Lin-Manuel Miranda), an aspiring musical theatre composer living in New York City during the 1990s. He has been working on his musical –Superbia– for five years and has yet to be recognized. About to turn 30 and without much success in his career, Jon questions his career choice. His girlfriend Susan (Karen Olivo) and friend Michael (Leslie Odom Jr) advise him to settle for a “more stable” life with a 9-to-5 job and a potential move away from NYC.
tick, tick… Boom! features only three actors. With such a large venue and such a small cast, finding powerhouse performers who can fill the theater and creating an intimate environment could have been a challenge. NY City Center met that challenge with great thought and design. The set was very well envisioned, giving the feel of a rehearsal studio with a small band in the center, Jon’s piano on stage-right, and a box of props to help differentiate from scene to scene. The show was smartly cast. Miranda’s acting was superb, truthful and honest, filled with smart and engaging acting choices. His singing was where he suffered the most. There were moments when his voice was a bit hard to listen to, particularly during the opening number “30/90.” He struggled with intonation and his vocal range fell short of the requirements for the role of Jon. It was possible that Miranda was sick, as implied by the interestingly placed water bottles on the set. Odom and Olivo had outstanding performances throughout the show. Odom has a beautiful tone to his voice and presents great ownership of his singing, accompanied by strong acting skills –my personal favorite of the evening. Olivo stole the night with her performance of the song “Come to Your Senses” (as the leading-lady of the musical within the musical, Superbia). The audience was clapping with excitement even before Olivo and the band hit the last chord.
I had such a bittersweet feeling following the show thinking about Jonathan Larson’s passing. Watching tick, tick… Boom! made me wonder what would have been of Larson’s career had he survived the aortic dissection that took his life in 1996. He had a gift for understanding moments and creating songs about these moments. He was able to take inspiration, translate it and make it his own, such as in the song “Sunday,” a parody/homage to –Larson’s idol– Sondheim and his song “Sunday” from Sunday in the Park With George. Larson had a clear love for life and people. He talked about what was happening with his generation, reminded us that time is ticking and that we have “no day but today” to make something of value. I loved experiencing Larson’s legacy through tick, tick… Bo0m! I encourage you to check out NY City Center’s Encores! and Encores! Off-Center offerings. Next up is Pump Boys and Dinettes (July 16-19), a vibrant and energetic musical tribute to life on the roadside.
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Until next time!
:David
Links of interest:
http://www.nycitycenter.org/Home/On-Stage/Encores!-Off-Center