A late review of a terrific show produced by Bowtie Productions.
Set in 1990, on the eve of the 30th birthday of Jonathan Larson (Joshua Kilimnik), tick…tick…BOOM! explores the personal and professional sacrifices the late musical composer made to reach his big break in musical theatre. That break was Rent. Sadly, Larson passed away just before Rent’s opening. Despite this, the production became the voice of a lost generation of artists in 1990 who were trying to find their way in the world.
While this production never mentions Rent, tick…tick…BOOM reflects that same path of real life. Jon questions whether he is truly making a difference, as the artistic life remains a delicate pursuit.
Two people play a significant role in Jon’s life in this story: his girlfriend, Susan (Diana Del Rosario), and his best friend, Michael (Misha Sharivker). Susan and Michael are both artists. Susan loves Jon and has supported him in his career, but time is moving forward for her as well. She has decisions to make about her future and ponders if Jon will be a part of it. Michael, a former actor, left the profession and now makes good money at a firm, living the good life—at least for the moment.
Meredith Shedden and Michael Ippolito make a wise choice as director and musical director. They understand how important it is not to turn the late Larson’s life into a melodramatic sob fest. That’s a wise decision. Instead, the two trust the performers to tell a story of real people, warts and all, who were not perfect and never claimed to be.
It’s a successful show for this very reason listed above.
Joshua Kilimnik delivers a vibrant performance as the late composer. He’s personable, likable, and witty, and I like to think that perhaps Larson might have exhibited those same qualities. Josh also plays the piano skillfully and has a fantastic singing voice. The song ‘Why’ is performed with great poignancy.
The chemistry among Kilimnik, Del Rosario, and Sharivker remains genuinely strong throughout. As Susan, Del Rosario’s realization that time is ticking away remains notably sharp. Her and Kilimnik’s performance of ‘Therapy’ is occasionally amusing but also highlights the realistic struggles they face as a couple.
I completely believed in the close friendship between Misha Sharivker’s Michael and Josh’s Jon. The two banter back and forth like best friends do. Sharivker also delivers a strong performance on the song ‘Real Life’. It touches the heartstrings while showing that Misha’s Michael is human, just like the rest of us.
Del Rosario and Sharivker also play several minor roles that appear in Jon’s life. As Jon’s agent, Rosario is a delight and captures the New York flair perfectly. As Jon’s father, Sharivker skillfully shows how father and son demonstrate respect and affection for each other.
This tick…tick…BOOM! closes today, but it could have run for at least one more week.
It’s that good.
Looking forward to seeing more BOWTIE PRODUCTIONS in the future, along with the talented creative team, both on stage and off.
