Before
the Pulitzer Prize and Tony award-winning RENT, Jonathan Larson wrote
tick,
tick… BOOM!, originally conceived
as a “rock monologue” and was produced
off-off-Broadway in 1990. It wasn’t after Larson’s death prior to the
opening of RENT in 1996 that producer
Victoria Leacock asked David Auburn (Pulitzer prize winner for Proof) to expand tick, tick… BOOM! and bring it to
off-Broadway. Auburn reconfigured the “rock monologue” into a three-actor
chamber musical and the reworked version debuted at the Jane Street Theater in
May of 2003.
The
story is a familiar one, and is as relevant now as it was in 1990. tick, tick… BOOM! is the story of Jon,
an aspiring musical composer who is about to turn thirty and is beginning to
have doubts over whether his career choice was the right one. Pressure mounts
when his girlfriend, Susan hounds him about leaving New York to start a family
and seek out a more stable career. Added tension comes from his best friend
Michael, a once-aspiring actor who gave it up for a lucrative career as a
marketing research executive.
The
constant struggle of pursuing one’s passion over settling for a life that brings you no
joy yet provides security and comfort is a question that pervades through
generations. The ticking clock in the musical is representative of the artist’s anxiety, and it is
always ticking.
On
the twentieth anniversary of his Pulitzer and Tony award-winning musical RENT, there’s a hint of irony that
Jonathan Larson’s first musical had found its audience after his unfortunate
passing in 1996; first in 2001 off-Broadway, an American national tour, two
London West End premiers, and several other productions all over the world. The
character of Jon has been played by theater luminaries such as Raul Esparza,
Neil Patrick Harris, and Lin Manuel Miranda.
Today 9 Works Theatrical brings tick, tick… BOOM! For
a limited run starting on October 1, 2016 at the CPR Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, to the stage with the
incredible talents of Jef Flores, Tanya Manalang and Ariel Reonal.
tick,
tick…BOOM! is directed by Robbie
Guevara,
Daniel Bartolome as musical director, Elisanta
Cortez as vocal supervisor, Arnold
Trinidad as choreographer, Mio
Infante
as scenographer, Mickey Hirai as costume designer and stylist, Martin
Esteva
as lighting designer, Myrene Santos as hair and makeup
designer, Philleep Masaquel as Technical Director, JC
Inocian
as photographer, and Maine Manalansan as graphic creative
manager.
Heading
the production team is executive producer Santi
Santamaria,
with Anna
Santamaria
as company manager, Sunshine Domine as production manager, Toff
de Venecia
as PR
director,
Jonjon
Martin
and Issa
Tuason
as PR managers, GM Hernandez as marketing manager, and Arma Bonilla as stage manager.
tick,
tick…BOOM! will be shown on
October 1, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22 & 23, 2016 at 8:00pm on Fridays and Saturday, and 3:30pm on
Sundays.
For
further inquiries, contact 586.7105, 0917.554.5560, Ticketworld at 891.9999, or
email info@9workstheatrical.com. You follow them on Facebook:
9WorksTheatrical. Twitter & Instagram: @9WTonline. To join the discussion, indicate your status with the hashtag: #9WTticktickboom
