THE JONATHAN LARSON PROJECT Soars Off-Broadway — Review

“Try writing what you know,” is the sage advice delivered by Jonathan Larson’s agent (a glorious Judith Light) in a pivotal scene from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s film adaptation of Tick, Tick…Boom!, based on Larson’s semi-autobiographical show. 

But really, the poor guy just wanted to write about spaceships. 

I kid—sort of. But the wondrous new revue The Jonathan Larson Project is a moving, essential reminder of Larson’s diverse thematic interests and astonishing musical versatility. The show is testament to the vast wealth of potential work we lost following the Rent composer’s tragic death at 35. And it is a rollicking, triumphant evening of theater in its own right. 

Project collects 18 unreleased songs by the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, most found among Larson’s files after his death. Some had been heard only at cabarets or workshops, while others were never performed during Larson’s lifetime. In Project, five performers join to present the songs as a single evening, trading off solos and joining together for group numbers. 

Thankfully, conceiver Jennifer Ashley Tepper makes minimal attempts to wrangle a narrative out of this setup. That choice might not work for everyone—audiences with no particular investment in Larson’s work might struggle without a central anchor. But an embrace of tonal chaos feels far preferable to some forced biographical throughline. (Not to mention that Tick…Tick…Boom! already has that well covered.) 

Instead, Tepper and director John Simpkins embrace the mayhem of Larson’s multitrack mind. Project moves discordantly from joyful standalone songs like “Green Street” (splendidly performed by the ensemble), to unconventional pieces like “Iron Mike” (the tale of oil tanker Exxon Valdez put to music), to delightfully bizarre compositions like “Hosing the Furniture” (a frantic satire of the 1939 World’s Fair). 

The indomitable Lauren Marcus attacks “Furniture” with breathless aplomb, while the reliable Jason Tam turns “Iron Mike” into a showstopper. Andy Mientus is also terrific throughout, finding a desperate, frightening edge to two solo numbers, “Valentine’s Day” and “S.O.S.” 

The five performers are tasked to exist in multiple “worlds” at once, a tricky assignment. Mientus, Tam and Marcus better manage the balance of playing not only each song’s character and an element of themselves, but also some aspect of Larson’s complex identity. That’s a lot to hold, and the very talented Adam Chandler-Berat and Taylor Iman Jones have less success toeing that line, though both are in gorgeous voice.

Simpkins’ staging is energetic, if at times overly literal. Alex Bascho Koch’s video and projection work and Michael Schweikardt’s scenic designs too often present the exact imagery offered by Larson’s lyrics, leaving little to the imagination. And the multiple “worlds” of the show, that state of both living in Larson’s mind and memorializing him, can at times feel a little confused. 

The joy of the piece lies in discovering Larson’s most bizarre and ambitious works-in-progress. Project packs its middle section with surreal, unapologetically political tunes about sexism, wealth-hoarding and white male privilege. This portion of the show is demanding, no doubt. And certainly some of Larson’s lyrics are heavy-handed—you can probably guess the takeaway of “White Male World” and “The Truth Is A Lie” before hearing them. But when the tunes are such absolute bangers, so what? 

After all, our current moment of crisis hardly calls for subtlety or tact. Larson’s confrontational politics might have slowed his ascent at the time, but today, that directness is a relief. You can’t help but wonder: what composer is doing it like this today? Calling it like they see it, with love, sincerity and unbridled rage? Surely they are out there. Hopefully, it won’t take another three decades before we hear them. 

The Jonathan Larson Project is now in performance at the Orpheum Theatre. For tickets and more information, visit here.