By Ron Fassler…

The world premiere of The Jonathan Larson Project is set to open at the Orpheum Theatre for a limited 16-week engagement beginning Valentine’s Day February 14, 2025. Celebrating the  visionary writer of Rent, who died suddenly at the age of 35 in 1996, the show is composed of dozens of unheard songs, unfinished and unproduced musicals, along with pop songs found in files and boxes. Produced by Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, and Marc Routh and conceived by Jennifer Ashley Tepper, it will feature more than 20 undiscovered songs by the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning writer. Directed by John Simpkins, The Jonathan Larson Project will begin previews on Friday, February 14 with an official opening on Monday, March 10 at the Orpheum Theatre, located at 126 2nd Avenue in the East Village. Casting will be announced at a later date.

“Jonathan Larson dreamed of revolutionizing musical theatre,” said conceiver Jennifer Ashley Tepper. “Tragically, he wasn’t around to see his wildest dreams come true, since he passed away unexpectedly at the age of 35, right before Rent hit. “Over a decade ago, I began immersing myself in the hundreds of boxes that Jonathan Larson left behind when he died. The hours of cassette tapes of undiscovered songs, piles of scripts that had never been produced, and many personal letters, photos, journals, and more were endlessly inspiring.”

Tepper continues, “Jonathan’s lost songs are political, personal, surprising, galvanizing, relevant, and tell a fascinating new story about a young man following his heart in New York City, trying to change the world. I felt strongly that there was a show to be made from Jonathan’s work that had never been heard. I am so thrilled that after many years, The Jonathan Larson Project is finally making its full-scale debut as a stage musical.”

Originally presented as a concert at 54 Below in Fall 2018, The Jonathan Larson Project was released as an album from Ghostlight Records in 2019. The trove of songs includes work from unproduced shows including 1984 and Superbia, songs that were cut from Rent and tick, tick… BOOM!, songs written for theatrical revues and for the radio, and most importantly, songs never publicly performed or recorded before The Jonathan Larson Project.

For more information and to sign up to be the first to know about ticketing and casting information, please visit www.thejonathanlarsonproject.com.

Artwork for The Jonathan Larson Project
(© Victoria Leacock Hoffman)