Tick, Tick… Boom! is filled with homages and references to Sondheim, including the song “Sunday” - which features a plethora of iconic Broadway actors in the movie - that Larson composed as a tribute to Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. In an important moment, Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford) shows up to see the workshop for Superbia, a show Sondheim really did give Larson notes on. Boom!, Andrew Garfield's character is constantly comparing himself to Sondheim’s timeline of achievements, proving just how much he idolizes the artist. Boom! includes some of the most fantastical true aspects of his artistry, though leaves out many details about his alternate work at the time, tragic death, and which aspects of Rent were inspired by his real life. While painting a portrait of who Jonathan Larson was in the year 1990, the positively-reviewed Tick, Tick. As said at the beginning of the movie, the events portrayed in Tick, Tick.Boom! are a true story, aside from the moments that Jon made up. Related: Spider-Man 3 Can Prove Andrew Garfield Was A Great Spider-ManĬonsidering Netflix’s Tick, Tick.Boom!'s true story is an adaptation of the semi-autobiographical musical and not a specific biography of Larson, there are several changes or omitted important moments from his real life.

Premiering Off-Broadway in 2001, Tick, Tick… Boom! developed a significant reputation for its poignancy, detailing Larson’s conflicted journey of artistry before writing Rent, a musical he would sadly never get to see on the Broadway stage. Boom!'s songs coming from past works like Superbia. Following Larson’s unexpected death in 1996, the rock monologue was turned into its own musical, with some of Tick, Tick. Tick, Tick.Boom! is based on a real-life rock monologue originally written and performed by Jonathan Larson in 1992, telling the story of his creative struggle in 1990, six years before his musical Rent could become one of the most influential works in Broadway history.

Jonathan larson musicals