TICK TICK BOOM

[Elphie6689]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:15pm

I was wondering if anyone could possibly explain the story of TICK TICK BOOM. I have the soundtrack but I don't know the story.. also does anyone know if you can apply for rights anywhere for this show?? Thanks!

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:17pm

Cast Recording, and I'm sure you can ask luvtheEmcee or anyone else who has seen the show for a synopsis, I just needed to correct the "soundtrack" thing.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:18pm

Cast recording... and I may not be the best person to explain it (but thanks, AG!)... someone will know where to get a good synopsis, though.
I heart TTB, though!

Updated On: 8/3/04 at 11:18 PM

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:22pm

I love TTB! I will handle the synop, give me a minute.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:25pm

We're WAITING! (LOL; just kidding)

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:26pm

TTB is my new favorite musical!

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:28pm

I like your icon, MyNameInLights.

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:28pm

I love TTB, too! The site for some reason has been down for awhile, but from what I remember (I never actually got to see the show) from research and other stuff, the show is basically about Jonathan Larson's life as he's turning 30. He's sick of waiting tables, he still hasn't produced his own show, his best friend just told him that he was gay, he's afraid of turning 30 and moving on with life..

There was more, so I'm eager for insomniak's synopsis, too.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:31pm

It's such a beautiful show. I'd love for it to be produced again off-Broadway or something.

[POLisPOL]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:31pm

Thank you google!

tick tick boom synopsis:

The show opens on a Saturday night in 1990. Jon is about to turn 30, his show Superbia will have its first public performance--a workshop--in a few days, and he's worried that he may have made a wrong career choice. In 30/90 we meet his girlfriend, Susan, and his best friend, Michael, who leaves the lovers alone so they can share a romantic night (Green Green Dress). The next morning, Jon ponders his choices (Johnny Can't Decide) until reality intrudes, and he has to go to work at the diner. The all-too-familiar brunch scene is brought to life in Sunday, Jon's deliberate inversion of a song by his real-life mentor, Stephen Sondheim. Afterwards, Michael takes him to see the fancy apartment he has just bought, and the two have fun contrasting its pleasures (No More) with life in Jonathan's ancient walk-up flat. Later in the evening, he and Susan have one of their increasingly frequent spats about nothing--and everything (Therapy).

As Johnny drives him to the airport, the following day in Michael's gleaming new BMW, Michael voices deep concern about what he may be missing (Real Life). After which, en route to the rehearsal of Superbia, Jon seeks solace from the various pressures he is feeling (Sugar). Returning home to realize he's on the verge of a major breakup with Susan, Jon wishes he could See Her Smile. At the workshop later in the week, Karessa Johnson, an actress in the workshop, brings down the house with an appropriately-titled ballad Come To Your Senses. After Michael reveals that he is HIV-positive, Jon thinks about their lifetime of friendship; about what led him to choose a career in the theatre, and about whether he should give up his dreams of success as a composer (Why). Finally, as the dreaded 30th birthday actually arrives, he ponders the choices we face in life, and thinks about how we translate those decisions into everyday living (Louder Than Words).

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:32pm

The talk about it a bit in the Rent book (or bible, as they have named it over at compulsivebowlers.com). He originally had it as a one-man show, and Jeffrey Seller (producer of Rent) saw it and was interested. It wasn't produced then, but interest in the project arose after Rent became a huge hit.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:37pm

Thanks Gov, I made it meself.

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:39pm

Tick, Tick... BOOM!, as you probably know, was written by the late Jonathan Larson, who also created Rent. TTB was Jonathan's second big project, the first being Superbia, which is discussed in TTB.

TTB's main character is Jonathan, who is based on the playwright himself. It is basically a show about Jonathan's life as a composer struggling to write the Great American Musical, something that will marry the MTV generation to musical theatre. But at one week away from his thirtieth birthday and nothing to for his efforts, Jonathan is debating whether he should continue to pursue his dream or follow his best friend, Mike, into the cooperate world of BMWs and designer suits. His girlfriend Susan is also pushing for Jonathan to move on with his life, as his art seems to have hit a brick wall. Jonathan has one hope left, and that is the upcoming workshop of his musical, Superbia, which will be attended by none other than Sondheim himself.

Hmmm... that is not exactly a synopsis. It's more of an explanation, but I'd rather not spoil it for you. It really suprised me when I saw it. I was expecting something pretentious about a poor, totured artist, but it was a very honest story of a guy who's afraid that he wasted oppertunity. It's really very good.

*rereads post*

Oh. You already have the OBCR, I guess you already knew all of the things I wrote... but since I spent a good five minutes typing this out, I'm gonna post it anyway. This is probably more useful:

http://libretto.musicals.ru/text.php?textid=600&language=1

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:45pm

about the rights....
I live in Canada and a company I work for just looked into getting them.
We can't. Supposedly there's some tour going on so the rights are currently unavailable.
Maybe you could get them from your area...........I'd still reccomend checking it out. It's not promising though.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:45pm

Thanks insomniak. It may do me good to read that.

[Elphie6689]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:45pm

I'm a tad bit confused..on the OBCR Amy Spanger sings "Come to Your Senses" but it says that the character Karessa Johnson sings it.. I'm totally confused.. can someone enlighten me?

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:47pm

Do you have any info about the tour, Judy? Please post it.

Yes, sorry for the pointless explanation, I didn't realized 'til after I typed it that it was useless... and I didn't want to delete it.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:48pm

Elphie, Amy plays both Susan and Karessa in the show.

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:49pm

Sorry insomniak, I don't have any info. Other than it's keeping us from getting the rights! *shakes fist*
It's cold up here in Canada. We have no idea what goes on with small American tours.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:51pm

Elphie: Spanger plays both female roles - the girlfriend and the actress.

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/3/04 at 11:52pm

You Canadians... *shakes head*

Well, thanks anyway. I will just have to google it myself.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 12:18am

Major similarity between TTB and RENT. I know he was writing TTB and then gave up to write RENT. I wonder if he just took the ideas and put it in RENT thinking that TTB will never be produced.

[Broadwaygirl4life]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 12:26am

ahhh ttb is amazing. I love the music! thanks to luvtheemcee for this too!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 12:31am

Just spreading the love!

[Broadwaygirl4life]

Posted: 8/4/04 at 12:37am

lol once again!