When Jonathan Larson died unexpectedly at the age of 35, it was hours before his musical RENT took the world by storm. Larson was hailed posthumously as the voice of a generation, winning Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize and achieving his life-long dream of changing Broadway forever… although he tragically wasn’t there to see it. In his apartment, he left behind hundreds of cassette tapes, scripts, music files, journals—boxes of his writing from shows that were never produced and projects that were never seen… until now.
The Jonathan Larson Project brings to the stage the extraordinary unheard songs of the writer who revolutionized Broadway. This powerful new musical asks how we can make a difference in the world today, with Larson’s voice reaching through time to inspire audiences. From presidential elections to environmental activism to creating and connecting despite every obstacle, Larson’s songs speak to our present time with stunning resonance.
At the same time, The Jonathan Larson Project reflects the journey of an unknown young artist, struggling against rejection, making ends meet as a waiter in a diner and finding his voice… which he has no idea will someday lead to triumph and enduring fame. The show includes cut songs from RENT and tick, tick… BOOM! as well as songs that have never been performed in a theater before. Fortunately for the world of musical theatre, Larson gave us more to see—and that work has finally hit the stage.
The Jonathan Larson Project is a world premiere musical that is also an undiscovered treasure trove of songs you will never forget.
