These musicals seriously tackle issues such as multiculturalism, addiction, sexual orientation and HIV. Rent was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and won four Tony Awards. The scores of his shows reveal that he was an apt composer and lyricist.
One tick, tick...BOOM! song called "Sunday" is an homage to Stephen Sondheim, who supported Larson. It stays close to the melody and lyrics of Sondheim's own song of the same title but turning it from a manifesto about art into a waiter's lament.
Among the many awards he received during and after his lifetime were: the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (for Rent), the Richard Rodgers Production Award, the Richard Rodgers Development Grant, the Stephen Sondheim Award, the Gilman and Gonzalez-Falla Theatre Foundation's Commendation Award, the Tonys for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Score of a Musical for Rent, the Drama Desks for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Book, and Best Lyrics (also for Rent), the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical (again for Rent), the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical in the Off-Broadway category (another for Rent), and three Obie Awards for Outstanding Book, Outstanding Lyrics and Outstanding Music (yet again for Rent).
Among his many creative works are Rent, tick, tick...BOOM!, Sacrimoralimmorality (1981)with David Armstrong (retitled Saved for the one-week run on 42nd Street), Superbia, the music for J.P. Morgan Saves the Nation, numerous individual numbers, music for Sesame Street, music for the children's book cassettes of An American Tail and Land Before Time, music for Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner, and four songs for the children's video Away We Go! (which he also conceived and directed).
Larson died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed aortic dissection (aortic aneurysm), believed to have been caused by Marfan syndrome, on January 25th, 1996. It was ten days before his 36th birthday, and the night before Rent's first preview off-Broadway.
After his death, Larson's family and friends started the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation.
In 2005, a film version of his most popular production Rent was released, directed by Christopher Columbus.
In September of 2008, Rent closed after 12 successful years on broadway. One of the final shows and the finale were filmed for a limited engagement film, "Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway." The DVD and Blu-Ray disc were released was in February 2009.
Currently original cast members Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, and Gwen Stewart are performing on the farewell broadway tour of the show.
Voice Mail #1
Jonathan Larson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")
Mom
That was a very loud beep
I don't even know if this is working
Mark - Mark - are you there
Are you screening your calls -
We wanted to call and say we love you
And we'll miss you tomorrow
Cindy and the kids are here - send their love
Oh, I hope you like the hot plate
Just don't leave it on dear
When you leave the house
Oh and Mark
We're sorry to hear that Maureen dumped you
I say c'est la vie
So let her be a lesbian
There are other fishies in the sea
... Love Mom
In the song "Voice Mail #1" by Jonathan Larson, the voicemail message is from Roger and Mark's mother. The message is for Mark, but she is not sure if the voicemail is working properly. She tells Mark that Cindy and the kids are there and that they all love him. She also mentions giving him a hot plate but warns him not to leave it on when he's not home.
The most prominent part of the voicemail comes towards the end when she informs Mark that Maureen has left him. However, she advises Mark not to worry; there are other people out there for him to meet. Her message closes with her telling Mark she loves him.
Jonathan Larson's composition "Voice Mail #1" is a poignant tune that represents the varying facets of human emotions. It also gives listeners a glimpse of how technology has affected our relationships with our family and loved ones. It sheds light on the use of voicemail messages in communicating love, care, and concern despite being physically distant.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak... ("Beeeep!")
The outgoing message prompts the caller to speak after the beep.
That was a very loud beep
The caller acknowledges the beep was very loud.
I don't even know if this is working
The caller is unsure if the voicemail system is operational.
Mark - Mark - are you there
The caller is trying to get a response from Mark.
Are you screening your calls -
The caller questions if Mark is ignoring their calls intentionally.
It's mom
The caller identifies themselves as the mother.
We wanted to call and say we love you
The mother and someone else wanted to express their love for Mark.
And we'll miss you tomorrow
The callers will miss Mark the next day.
Cindy and the kids are here - send their love
Cindy and her children want to send their love to Mark.
Oh, I hope you like the hot plate
The mother hopes Mark likes the gift of a hot plate.
Just don't leave it on dear
The mother advises Mark to be careful not to leave the hot plate on when he leaves the house.
When you leave the house
The mother assumes that Mark leaves the house.
Oh and Mark
The mother addresses Mark directly.
We're sorry to hear that Maureen dumped you
The mother sympathizes with Mark because Maureen broke up with him.
I say c'est la vie
The mother believes that Mark has to accept Maureen's decision and move on.
So let her be a lesbian
The mother suggests that Maureen's sexual orientation may have contributed to the breakup but also implies that it's not really relevant.
There are other fishies in the sea
The mother encourages Mark to find a new love interest.
... Love Mom
The mother signs off the voicemail with a message of love.
Contributed by Samantha F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.