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 #4
Jonathan Larson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'SPEAK'...(beep)
Alexi Darling:
Mark Cohen
Alexi Darling
Labor Day Weekend
In East Hampton
Just saw Alec Baldwin
Told him you said "Hi"
Just kidding
We still need directors
You still need money
You know you need money
Pick up the phone
Don't be afraid of ker-ching ker-ching
Marky, sell us your soul
Just kidding
We're waiting...
In Jonathan Larson's song Voice Mail #4, the audience is presented with a playful dialogue between Alexi Darling, Mark Cohen, and Roger. Alexi's message is left for Mark, and she informs him about the events that have transpired in East Hampton during Labor Day weekend. She mentions how she saw Alec Baldwin and playfully tells Mark that she relayed the message of him saying "hi." As the message continues, Alexi reminds Mark of the need for a director, as well as the dire need for money. To emphasize the latter issue, the sound of the cash register's "ker-ching" is included in the message. The playful and jovial nature of the message is evident when Alexi tells Mark she's only joking about selling his soul to them while waiting for his call back.
The song allows for a glimpse into the life of struggling artists in New York City during the late 80s/early 90s. The mention of the need for a director and money is a constant struggle for artists, theater productions, and smaller productions during this time. Larson's song brings to light the fact that even when succeeding in their field, there is a constant need to produce and direct and thus, a perpetual need for money.
Overall, the message of Voice Mail #4 can be interpreted as a reminder that chasing dreams and success in creative fields does not come easy, and the need for determination and the understanding that the quest is a long and hard one is necessary.
Line by Line Meaning
Speak...
Please leave a message.
Mark Cohen
This message is for Mark Cohen.
Alexi Darling
The caller is Alexi Darling.
Labor Day Weekend
This message was left on Labor Day weekend.
In East Hampton
The caller is in East Hampton.
On the beach
The caller is on the beach.
Just saw Alec Baldwin
The caller saw Alec Baldwin.
Told him you said "Hi"
The caller claims to have told Alec Baldwin that the recipient said hi.
Just kidding
The previous statement was not true.
We still need directors
The caller is reminding the recipient that they still need directors.
You still need money
The caller is reminding the recipient that they still need money.
You know you need money
The caller is emphasizing that the recipient knows they need money.
Pick up the phone
The caller is urging the recipient to answer the phone.
Don't be afraid of ker-ching ker-ching
The caller is encouraging the recipient to not be afraid of the sound of money coming in.
Marky, sell us your soul
The caller is jokingly asking Mark to sell his soul to them.
Just kidding
The previous statement was not meant seriously.
We're waiting...
The caller is waiting for a response.
Contributed by Juliana M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
gerard yatcilla
❤!