Jonathan Larson
| Jonathan David Larson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
February 4, 1960 White Plains, New York, United States |
| Died | January 25, 1996 (aged 35) New York, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Playwright, composer |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Adelphi University |
| Information | |
| Notable work(s) | Tick, Tick... Boom! (2001) |
| Magnum opus | Rent (1996) |
| Awards |
Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1996) for Rent Tony Award for Best Musical (1996) for Rent Tony Award for Best Book (1996) for Rent Tony Award for Best Score (1996) for Rent Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical (1996) for Rent Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical (1996) for Rent Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics (1996) for Rent |
Jonathan Larson (February 4, 1960 – January 25, 1996) was an American composer and playwright noted for exploring the social issues of multiculturalism, addiction, and homophobia in his work. Typical examples of his use of these themes are found in his works, Rent and tick, tick... BOOM! He received three posthumous Tony Awards and a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the rock musical Rent.
Larson was born to Jewish parents, Allan and Nanette Larson, in White Plains, New York. He was exposed to the performing arts, especially music and theatre, from an early age, as he played the trumpet, tuba, sang in his school's choir, and took formal piano lessons. His early musical influences were his favorite rock musicians such as Elton John, The Beatles, The Doors, The Who, and Billy Joel, as well as the classic composers of musical theatre, especially Stephen Sondheim. Larson was also involved in acting in high school, performing in lead roles in various productions at White Plains High School.
Larson attended Adelphi University in Garden City, New York with a four-year scholarship as an acting Academic major, in addition to performing in numerous plays and musical theatre. During his college years, he began music composition, composing music first for small student productions, called cabarets, and later the score to a musical entitled Libro de Buen Amor, written by the department head, Jacques Burdick. Burdick functioned as Larson's mentor during his college education. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Larson participated in a summer stock theatre program at The Barn Theatre in Augusta, Michigan as a piano player, which resulted in his earning an Equity Card for membership in the Actors' Equity Association.
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