CMU School of Drama


Friday, February 28, 2025

Celebrating Jonathan Larson, Creator of ‘Rent,’ in a New Show Off Broadway

The New York Times: In his Tony-winning musical, “Rent,” Jonathan Larson asked: “How do you measure a year in the life?” The question took on an even heavier weight, with striking resonance, after Larson died unexpectedly at the age of 35 in 1996, hours before the show’s first preview.

1 comment:

Rachel L said...

The research for the Jonathan Larson Project sounds like a musical theatre puzzle and that sounds fantastic! It sounds like such a fascinating and rewarding kind of research. In addition, I love that this project was started out of curiosity, appreciation, and esteem for the life and work of Jonathan Larson. I think to a lot of theatre makers, he is something of a mystery and I think exploring that mystery through song and celebration is a wonderful way to honor the person behind the mystery. I’m really excited to follow the evolution of the Jonathan Larson Project and I hope I might get to see a production of it one day. I also hope that this project continues to evolve, especially if there is discovery of more of Larson’s work, as I think the adaptability of art and artists is often closely tied to his work and the stories he told.