Gotta hand it to Meg Gibson.

She’s a creative lady who tackles risky productions and isn’t shy to see if she can do it with determination and guts.

Last summer, she directed ‘Shakespeare in Love’ in Scarborough with class. It was a solid production, to say the least.

This time, she tackles ‘Tick Tick…Boom,’ the story of composer Jonathan Larson (Rent) at the Whitby Courthouse Theatre. There’s a sense of sadness surrounding the title, knowing that young Larson died suddenly just two days before his hit Broadway show, ‘Rent,’ opened. ‘Tick, Tick…Boom’ suggests that a bomb might go off at any moment. Throughout the show, we hear something ticking, followed by an explosion. I often wonder if Larson knew he was unwell and that his time was limited. I suppose audiences will never know.

‘Tick, Tick…Boom’ is a three-person musical; however, Gibson takes a risky chance and casts more people in this stage production.

Does that work?

More about that shortly.

Jon (Justin P. Douglas) is an aspiring musical theatre composer living in SoHo, New York City. The year is 1990, and he’s turning 30. Jon once again questions his career choice and whether he is doing the right thing to continue being an ‘artist.’ He lives in an apartment with his childhood friend, Michael (Thomas Yellowlees). Michael was a good actor but left the unsettled profession and now has a lucrative career in marketing. Jon’s girlfriend Susan (Jessica MacNeill) is a dancer who teaches ballet to ‘wealthy and untalented children.’

The young composer is all in a flutter. He is preparing for the workshop for SUPERBIA, a new musical he has composed. The ensemble members are individuals who are a part of Jon’s life, whether it be his parents or close friends.

Shauna McLean and Gibson’s set design presents a fantastic bohemian aesthetic thanks to Jennifer Bakker's sharp lighting. The entire stage space is used to its maximum potential, with a playing area just off stages left and right. The ensemble spins around three towers to signify various scene changes. These towers are beautifully painted and reflect the artist's eclectic life. Costume Designer Rhonda Martin and her team outfitted the performers in suitable clothing and vibrant colours from the early 1990s. I was impressed with some of the props that Heather Doucette and her team collected. From my seat in the auditorium, they appeared to be vintage from the 1990s.

Now to the question of casting more people into the production. Was this a good choice Gibson made?

For the most part, it is,

She and music director Michael Grieco aim to enhance the sound quality of several songs. ‘Sunday’ and ‘Louder than Words’ are examples of lovely vocal quality. There are moments when seeing the characters on stage, rather than hearing them on the phone, elicits genuine laughter. For instance, Jon’s parents, Gordon Bell and Carolyn Kelso-Bell are delightful to watch as they talk to their son on the phone. However, there are instances where having the entire cast on stage posed challenges for me. When focusing on the three characters, I found my eyes wandering to see what some of the ensemble members were doing.

Michael Grieco’s music direction is solid, but I found it challenging to hear the lyrics in several songs. There are moments when the band (upstage of the action) overpowers the singers. The cast didn’t clearly enunciate their consonants, causing the lyrics to slip by. That’s frustrating because the songs address some essential emotional elements.

I attended the Saturday evening show and knew there was a matinee earlier that day. However, let’s not forget that another audience was arriving that evening. No one should assume the audience is familiar with the story or the songs, so the actors must be mindful of consonant enunciation moving forward. Since the words of the songs carry significant meaning, it’s crucial to avoid sloppiness in their delivery.

There’s a genuine sincerity in Meg Gibson’s direction. She truly understands and empathizes with the fact that major life decisions are definitely scary times. But as she says in her Director’s Programme Note:

‘Whether you’re an artist standing at a similar crossroads in your career or simply facing life’s uncertainty thrown at us…” never give up on your dreams.

The three central characters do just that. They never give up on their dreams.

Justin P. Douglas delivers a vibrant performance as Jon, who is determined to succeed but gets tired. He doesn’t know if he has the energy to continue down this artistic path. His relationship with Thomas Yellowlees’ Michael remains genuine. Jon meeting his musical idol at the end of the show is heartfelt. Douglas nicely shows that gratitude in his eyes and face.

Yellowlees’ Michael presents a strong contrast to Douglas’s Jon. While Michael is a believable best friend, Yellowlees cleverly indicates something emotionally amiss in Michael’s character development. This is done subtly, and when the truth is revealed, I heard some gasps from the audience.

Jessica MacNeill is a knockout as Jon’s girlfriend, Susan. MacNeill has an impressive singing voice and maintains a strong stage presence throughout the show. Her farewell gift to Jon at his 30th birthday party is handled maturely – it isn’t a sappy moment, thank God, but it demonstrates the feelings developing between her and Jon.

A round of applause to this hardworking cast who want to tell Jonathan Larson’s story with truth.

It’s worth a trip to the Centennial Building to see the show.

Just a reminder to the cast – make sure you work on clear enunciation of song lyrics going forward.

Running time: approximately two hours and ten minutes with one intermission.

“Tick, Tick…Boom’ runs until February 22 at the Whitby Centennial Building, 416 Centre Street South. For tickets: whitbytheatre.ca or at the Box Office before show time.

WHITBY COURTHOUSE THEATRE presents
‘TICK, TICK…BOOM’ by Jonathan Larson
Produced by David Rudat
Directed by Meg Gibson
Music Direction: Michael Grieco
Choreography: Meg Gibson
Costumes: Rhonda Martin
Properties: Heather Doucette
Stage Manager: Teresa Bakker

Performers: Justin P. Douglas, Jessica MacNeill, Thomas Yellowlees, Lyara Malvar, Douglas Oak, Gordon Bell, Scott Clark, Ireland Smith, Carolyn Kelso-Bell, Holly Jaeger, Michael Grieco.