Perhaps the most recent bridge between most Taiwanese audiences and American composer and playwright Jonathan Larson, "Rent," an adaptation of Puccini's classic opera "The Bohemian" ( La Bohème) rock musical, which swept the Tony and Pulitzer Prizes in 1996, ushering in a new era for Broadway, depicting a group of artists and musicians living in New York's Lower East Side, living in poverty Under the shadow of AIDS, struggling between ideals and survival, growing between loss and frustration, learning about life, about art, and about love.
Jonathan Larson, the creator of "Rent," died at the age of 35 of a difficult-to-diagnose aortic dissection early on the day of the play's off-Broadway world premiere. After that, "Rent A Good House" went from off-Broadway to Broadway, sweeping major awards and becoming the seventh longest-lived drama in Broadway history.
Before "Let's Go", Jonathan had written a work with strong autobiographical flavor. The plot described Jon, a young musical creator who worked as a part-time job at a restaurant in Soho during the day and wrote songs at home at night. At the age of 30, the original musical "Superbia", which he has created for eight years, is finally about to start a workshop. However, between survival, friendship and love, the strong anxiety and anxiety about his own talent and works have always been haunted him in his mind.
The sound you hear isn't a technical problem, it's not a musical cue, it's not a joke. That's someone's growing anxiety over time. That person is... me. Jonathan Larson
The musical was originally called "Boho Days" and later changed to "Tick, Tick...Boom!" ”, in fact, rather than a musical, it is more like a dramatic monologue based on pop rock music. In the first few years of the 1990s, Jonathan often took the form of a one-man show in different venues. This work was performed, but it wasn't until after his death that he became famous for "Rent in Jiwu", and no one proposed to "Tick, Tick...Boom!" " was adapted and eventually expanded into a three-actor-interpreted musical, which also successfully completed multiple rounds of performances in New York and London.
Tick, Tick…Tick, Tick…Time flies, 30 years later, boom! "Tick, Tick...Boom! "The movie version of "Countdown Time" appeared! Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, one of Broadway's most iconic contemporary creators, and starring Andrew Garfield, this musical film has been a hit since its release. The anticipation was overwhelming, and after its release, it shocked the musical community all over the world. The film not only brought the audience back to New York in the 1990s, faithfully presented the music and life of Jonathan Larson, but also because of the autobiography of the book itself. Color allows us to see more possibilities in the narrative techniques and lens language of musicals.
In the story of "Countdown," legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim not only attended the protagonist Jon's musical theater workshop, but also called him personally, becoming his inspiration at the time of despair. power (the caller voice for that scene in the movie was actually recorded by Santan himself, my god!); and in real life, Santan not only mentored Jonathan in some writing workshops, but he was also a hero he revered Idol. In fact, it should not be difficult for those who are familiar with Santan's works to find, "Tick, Tick...Boom! The essence of "Company" is to some extent "Company" plus "Sunday In the Park with George" (Sunday In the Park with George), and Jonathan himself did not shy away from Santan's writing on him. He believed that Broadway in the 1980s and 1990s was full of commercial European "Pop Opera" (cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, etc.) that featured popular plots, sensational melodies, and spectacle sets. The essence is very far away from his generation, so he has always hoped to create an original musical that can continue the core concept of Santan's musical, but has a more contemporary New York flavor from the issue to the sound of the music.
I'll bring rock and roll back to Broadway. Jonathan Larson
That's right, it is precisely because of this powerful kinetic energy and enthusiasm that "Jiwu Rent" was born. Although it may not be the earliest rock musical or the most rock musical on Broadway, its appearance definitely ended Broadway's debate and doubts about rock music, and officially opened the door to a new era.
Today, 30 years later, Jonathan has left us for 24 years, and Santan has reached the age of 90. Although in Taiwan, because of the interests and narrow-mindedness of large business groups, the audience is still constantly being fed these commercial European dramas, but With the new knowledge brought back by the efforts of various returnees and the circulation of information on the Internet, more and more creators and actors have begun to understand the historical aesthetics and the context of Broadway. Nathan Larson, Jason Robert Brown, and Lin-Manuel Miranda are among the same creators who continue to give musicals new voices. To me, each of them is a giant in my heart, and that's why, seeing Lin turn Jonathan's autobiographical work into such a great movie, he also asked Grandpa Santan to have this 30 years ago. The young man who had a short fate offered his voice, and his inner excitement was really indescribable.
Cages or wings? Cages or wings ? Which do you prefer? Which do you prefer ? Ask the birds. Ask the birds. "Louder Than Words" from "Countdown Time"
In terms of form, content, and meaning, "Countdown Moment" is definitely the best musical adaptation film in the past decade. It records the development and context of the energy of the third generation of Broadway in the last century, and also implies a full appreciation for musicals. Full of love; in every era and every art form, there are people who are fighting against the mainstream, against business, facing fear, longing to be recognized, exploring themselves, and burning themselves. In New York in the 1990s, there were Batman, Ninja Turtles, Keith Haring and Jonathan. Those of us who were able to connect with this universe were happy.
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