tick, tick…BOOM!, the acclaimed off-Broadway smash hit musical that inspired the Andrew Garfield Netflix film, opens tonight in Adelaide.
Set against the backdrop of 90s New York, tick, tick…BOOM! tells the story of an aspiring composer named Jonathan Larson. Jon is struggling with his career as a composer, his relationships, turning 30 and his sense of impending mortality. Written by the composer of RENT, Jonathan Larson, and refined after Larson’s passing by David Auburn, this semi-autobiographic piece highlights the mental struggles, anguish, but ultimate joy that pursuing a career in musical theatre at the epicentre of the musical theatre world in a time of creative ferment brings.
Awarded the Outer Critics Choice Award for Best Off-Broadway Show, this brand new South Australian production features, fresh from their own off-Broadway debuts, Adelaide’s own Benjamin Maio Mackay and Tate Simpson as Jon and Susan, with acclaimed local performer Liam Phillips as Michael. Creatively led by acclaimed designer Matt Ralph, multi-award winning musical director Kellie Anne Kimber, multi-award winning choreographer Nina Richards and multi-award winning director Benjamin Maio Mackay, this production is sure to capture the minds and tug on the heartstrings of audience members of all generations.
Cast of tick, tick….BOOM!
See a sneak preview of Benjamin and Tate performing performed one of the show’s best loved songs at 54 Below in New York City here.
Benjamin and Tate performing performed one of the show’s best loved songs at 54 Below in New York City.
Benjamin Maio Mackay says, “The rehearsal process for tick, tick…BOOM! has been a wonderful experience and getting to collaborate and experiment with such incredible artists and creatives is truly bringing a joy and emotional integrity to this show. Tick Tick is such a fascinating piece of theatre and I can’t wait to bring it to Adelaide audiences for the first time at the end of the month. It’s funny, moving and ultimately about the human condition. It’s been a joy getting to work on it and I can’t wait to spend the next month with it.”
Producers, The Lot Theatre are once again transforming mainland Australia’s oldest theatre, The Queens Theatre, to bring this premiere production of tick, tick…BOOM!, to life after finding enormous success with staging Adelaide’s largest ever production of RENT in 2022. “After working on RENT last year, as producers and creatives we became so invested in Jonathan Larson as a person and artist. The more we learnt about this incredibly passionate, talented and tortured creative the more we knew that we had to find a way to share his story with Adelaide audiences,” commented producer and technical designer Matt Ralph. Benjamin Maio Mackay added, “Jonathan had such a tragically short life, but the fact the he gave us this piece of theatre about his journey, which is filled with incredible songs, so that we can celebrate and remember him, outside RENT is joy. I’m so glad that as The Lot Theatre establishes itself here in Adelaide we get to began our creative journey with Larson’s two iconic, sentimental and powerful works. I truly cannot wait to give audiences here a chance to delve deeper into Jon’s life and hear more of his incredible music.”
“We’ve assembled such a strong and connected group of creatives, both on and off stage, to bring Tick, Tick to life. From the first read through I knew this was a special show, filled with emotion and humour – there’s definitely a levity to the show. I’m so excited to be welcoming audiences at the end of June. If you’re familiar with Jon and Rent or not, there’s something so inherently human about this story that everyone will connect to. This will not disappoint,” concluded Ralph.
tick, tick…BOOM! previews June 27 and runs for a strictly limited season, June 27 – July 1, at The Queens Theatre in Adelaide. Tickets start at $45.00 and are on sale now from thelottheatre.au
