In 1996 on the brink of the opening of his seminal work, the musical Rent, Jonathan Larson passed away suddenly at 35 leaving a vast array of unproduced work. Jennifer Tepper, producer and creative director at 54 Below received permission to comb through his archives, and a series of concerts was put together from her research and staged at 54 Below in 2018.
The Jonathan Larson project is now being produced as a full show. It is currently in previews at the Orpheum Theater (126 2nd Ave.) and will officially open on March 10. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Tepper about the show.
How would you describe The Jonathan Larson Project to anyone unfamiliar with it?
JT: The Jonathan Larson Project is a new musical featuring the undiscovered songs of the writer who revolutionized Broadway. Instead of following a traditional “book,” the piece is structured thematically and investigates some of the chapters that Larson was writing about early in his career. From presidential elections to environmental activism to creating and connecting despite every obstacle, Larson’s songs also carry with them an uncanny contemporary resonance and powerful parallel to our modern lives.
Our five-person cast are all artists. They know each other and the show places them in community over the course of an evening out together. It is clear that they share with Jonathan a similar perspective and journey through the world, and they draw the multiple characters they play throughout the show primarily from those personal and unique human and artistic experiences. Traveling with structure and emotional arc (but not chronology) frees the show to then connect these themes of Jonathan's writing with that of our modern sensibilities and allow the dialogue between historical periods of time to provide emotional arc and character throughlines. While not a linear story, we are confident that audiences will leave the theatre connected to the fight to make the world a better place.
How did you get the idea for this show?
JT: As a theatre historian, I've always been fascinated by the underappreciated corners of theatre history- including lesser-known works by our greatest writers, like Jonathan Larson. When I learned about the Jonathan Larson Collection at the Library of Congress, which contains all of the work Jonathan left behind when he passed away in 1996, I knew I had to explore it. What I discovered was a treasure trove of songs from all kinds of shows and projects that deeply deserved a second life and all seemed connected to each other. I was inspired to create a song cycle of Jonathan's unheard work.
What was the hardest part of putting it together?
JT: The hardest part will always be that we are celebrating the incredible work of this groundbreaking, once-in-a-generation writer and that he is not here to see how appreciated his brilliance is.
What was the best part of putting it together?
JT: The best part was sharing the songs that only existed in boxes, first with my collaborators, and then with the world! Every night, I see audience members react to powerful lyrics and musical moments that have been fully realized by our team and were created by Jonathan Larson... and I flashback to the moment when I first found "The Truth is a Lie" at the library the weekend after the 2016 election and felt like Jonathan was speaking to us through time... or the moment when I found "Iron Mike", which had never been publicly performed before The Jonathan Larson Project... I am so grateful that the Larson family trusted us to give new life to these unforgettable songs!
What is your favorite part of the show?
JT: I really do have so many favorite parts - and they change all the time. But I will say - one of my favorite parts is the opening number "Greene Street". "Greene Street" was on a cassette tape at the library labeled 'Jonathan Larson Music '83'. It had never been publicly performed or recorded before The Jonathan Larson Project. There was only a demo, of Jonathan alone at the keys, and a lyric sheet written on a typewriter. Every performance when I watch our cast, our band, and our crew bring "Greene Street" to life on stage, I feel we are doing Jonathan so proud. We have fully realized the song as an opening number for a musical, as staged by our amazing director John Simpkins and orchestrated by our music supervisor Charlie Rosen, along with the contributions of so many others on our team. Jonathan always felt his work couldn't be fully realized or experienced without a band, and our killer band is giving "Greene Street" extraordinary life, as our cast is getting entrance applause... it's a moment where all of the elements come together and the audience leans forward and I feel so excited by what we're sharing.
What do you think will surprise people about this show?
The songs are so relevant and so resonant today. Jonathan Larson was writing perceptively and thrillingly about so many things we are all talking about right now- I think audiences will be stunned by how much they feel like Jonathan is reaching through time to send messages to us today.
Was there anything that surprised you when you were putting together this project?
I was surprised that I didn't end up with more songs in The Jonathan Larson Project that were cut from RENT or tick, tick... BOOM! There was such a thrilling collection of material beyond those two shows... and what ended up making the most sense in terms of realizing the vision of The Jonathan Larson Project only included one cut song from each.
Why would you recommend people see this show?
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