Jonathan Larson Papers
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2006560743
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Music Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Finding aid encoded by Library of Congress Music Division, 2011
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Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Jonathan Larson Papers 1978-1996
Larson, Jonathan
Biographical History for: Jonathan Larson Papers 1978-1996
Biographical Note Date Event 1960, Feb. 4 Born, Mt. Vernon, New York (parents are Allan S. Larson, a direct-marketing executive, and Nanette Larson, a homemaker) 1974-1978 Attended White Plains High School, White Plains, N.Y. Played tuba in symphonic and marching band, sung in and accompanied choruses and elite vocal ensemble, and performed in school and community plays and musicals, including Gypsy (Herbie), West Side Story (Riff), Seesaw (David), Pajama Game (Heinze), The Late Christopher Bean, and The Teahouse of the August Moon 1978 June Graduated from White Plains High School 1978-1982 Studied theater at Adelphi University, Long Island, N.Y., on a four-year, full-tuition scholarship Performed in Godspell (Jesus), Twelfth Night (Malvolio), Rhymers of Eldrich (Skelly), Moonchildren (Lucky), and was music director for several cabarets Earned Actors Equity card after working summers as performer in summer stock at Barn Theatre, Augusta, Mich. 1979 Fall Composed first score for El Libro de Buen Amor (libretto and lyrics by Jacques Burdick) 1980 Apr. Wrote Herstory cabaret with Nicolas Petron 1981 Apr. Wrote The Steak Tartare Caper with Nicolas Petron 1981 Oct. Wrote Sacrimmoralinority cabaret with David Armstrong (taped for cable television, Jan. 1982) 1982 Apr. Wrote American Scream cabaret with Maggie Lally 1982 Summer-Fall Received BFA, cum laude, Adelphi University, Long Island, N.Y. Wrote book, music and lyrics for a musical adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984, and actively pursued getting it produced on Broadway by 1984 Composed three tunes for animated Sesame Street segments Performed with piano-bar trio J. Glitz 1983 Jan.-Feb. Saved (formerly known as Sacrimmoralinority) presented as an Equity showcase at Blitz Theatre, N.Y. 1983 Mar. Recorded demo of 1984 score 1983 Summer Performed with singer Trace Robinson at Nantucket restaurants 1983 Summer-Fall Engaged Donald Farber to help acquire stage rights of 1984 1983 Joined ASCAP 1984 Mar. J. Glitz performed weekly at Panache 1984 Apr. J. Glitz performed weekly at Don’t Tell Mama 1984 Spring-Summer Began writing Mowgli with Seth Goldman 1984 Summer Played piano bar in Nantucket 1984 Nov. Wrote Pageantry with David Armstrong for Adelphi University 1984 Made final efforts to get 1984 produced 1985 Feb. Began writing Superbia 1985 Apr. Wrote One Big Happy Family cabaret with Michael Lindsay for Adelphi University 1985 Fall-Winter Joined ASCAP musical theatre workshop and presented songs from Superbia 1985 Pursued production of Mowgli 1986 Apr. Selected for Dramatists Guild workshop and presented act one of Superbia 1986 Summer Adapted and composed music underscore for American Tail and Blinkins book-and-cassette episodes 1986 Oct. Composed underscoring for American Authors plays 1987 Feb. Wrote Prostate of the Union cabaret with Michael Lindsay for Adelphi University 1987 Mar. Wrote music for three songs in Bubble Gum, a one-woman show by Alicia Stone 1987 Aug. Wrote modern dance score for Brenda Daniels’ Garden Party 1987 Oct. Wrote Emote Control cabaret with Michael Lindsay for Adelphi University 1987 Fall Stephen Sondheim’s guest for last five weeks of Into the Woods rehearsals 1987 Dec. Scored Sweet Valley Twins book-and-cassette project 1987 Continued revising Superbia and mounted staged readings at Naked Angels and Public Theatre, in addition to producing private readings and submitting the show to several regional theatres 1988 Jan. Superbia won Richard Rodgers Development Award 1988 Summer Scored two Land Before Time book-and-cassette episodes 1988 Fall Recorded new demo of “Genre in a Drum” 1988 Worked with director R.J. Cutler and producer Ira Weitzman to prepare for Dec. 19th staged readings of Superbia at Playwrights Horizons 1989 Apr.-May Travelled to Europe 1989 Spring Scored Venus and Other Myths for Brenda Daniels 1989 June Met Billy Aronson who conceived a contemporary version of La Bohème 1989 Summer Participated in American Music Theatre Festival’s Sitting on the Edge of the Future and wrote “Hosing the Furniture” 1989, Sept. 11 Produced, directed and performed in Superbia concert at the Village Gate 1989 Sept. Awarded Stephen Sondheim Award from the American Music Theatre Festival 1989 Fall Invited to write for National Lampoon’s Tricentennial Revue 1989 Fall-Winter Wrote and recorded modern dance score Damage for Brenda Daniels 1989 Dec. Recorded demo of his and Aronson's first three songs 1989 Winter-1990 Spring Wrote one-man show, first called 30/90 and then Boho Days 1990 Sept. Performed Boho Days at Second Stage 1990 Fall Composed incidental music for Naked Angels programs Composed and recorded modern dance score Roam for Bill Douglas 1990 Adapted Superbia as a screenplay Wrote “Say Da-Da” and other scores for Jann Wenner home movies 1991 May-June Appeared with Roger Bart in Billy Bishop Goes to War presented by the American Stage Company at Farleigh Dickinson University 1991 Spring-Summer Rewrote Boho Days as tick, tick...BOOM! 1991 June Composed incidental music for A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival 1991 Nov. Performed tick, tick...BOOM! at Village Gate 1991 Dec. Superbia reading at the Public Theatre 1991 Winter Resumed work on RENT 1991 Worked on screenplay, The Wreck of the Barque Stefano, with Eddie Rosenstein 1992 Winter-Spring Tried to package songs from tick, tick...BOOM! as a pop album; recorded a demo for Geffen Publishing 1992 Feb. Completed second draft of The Wreck of the Barque Stefano screenplay 1992 Summer-Winter Began work with Hal Hackady on Blocks 1992 Sept. Sent RENT pitch letter to New York Theatre Workshop 1992 Fall Worked on Sacred Cows project 1992 Winter Began work on act two of RENT 1992 Dec. Performed tick, tick...BOOM! at the New York Theatre Workshop 1993 Apr. Performed tick, tick...BOOM! at the New York Theatre Workshop 1993 June Staged reading of RENT at the New York Theatre Workshop 1993 Fall Blocks rehearsed and performed 1993 Worked with Bob Golden on children’s video, Away We Go! Won Stanley Drama Award and Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla special recognition award 1994 Jan. Won Richard Rodgers Development Award 1994 Oct. Studio production of RENT at New York Theatre Workshop 1994 Participated in New York Theatre Workshop summer retreats Directed and edited Away We Go! 1995 Feb.-Mar. Blocks performed 1995 Spring-Summer Composed music for, recorded, and rehearsed J.P. Morgan Saves the Nation for En Garde Arts 1995, Oct. 21 After ten years, quit job as waiter at the Moondance Diner 1995 Fall Composed score for reading of God’s Heart by Craig Lucas 1995 Wrote sea chantey for White Squall Worked on packaging of Away We Go! video 1996, Jan. 24 Dress rehearsal for RENT 1996, Jan. 25 Larson died, New York, N.Y. (from an aortic aneurysm caused by Marfan syndrome) 1996, Jan. 26 RENT began previews at the New York Theatre Workshop (opened Feb. 13; closed Mar. 31) 1996, Feb. 3 Memorial for Larson at Minetta Lane Theatre 1996, Apr. 9 Larson awarded Pulitzer Prize for Drama for RENT 1996, Apr. 16 RENT began previews at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre (opened Apr. 29) 1996 Spring RENT won Obie, Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Theatre World and other awards 1996, June 2 RENT won Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Featured Actor in a Musical 1997-2008 The Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation presented annual grants to composers, lyricists, and bookwriters (beginning in 2009 the Jonathan Larson Grants were administered by the American Theatre Wing) 2001, Mar. 23 tick, tick...BOOM! opened off-Broadway at the Jane Street Theater 2002, Jan. 6 tick, tick...BOOM! closed off-Broadway at the Jane Street Theater 2005, Mar. 31-Aug. 28 tick, tick...BOOM! played at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London’s West End 2005, Nov. 23 RENT, the motion picture, premiered 2008, Sept. 7 RENT closed on Broadway after seventeen years and 5,124 performances—becoming, at the time, the seventh longest-running show in Broadway history
Scope and Content Note The Jonathan Larson Papers, spanning the years 1978-1996, came to the Library well-organized and accompanied by a detailed appraisal and inventory. The papers are organized in five series: Projects, Biographical Materials, Photographs, Electronic Files, and Books. The "Projects" series contains materials for musicals, musical revues, club acts, films, and dance works. These files may include any combination of notes, research materials, correspondence, scripts, script pages, lyric sheets and sketches, musical sketches and scores, notes and sketches for designs, production materials, programs and press materials, and other miscellaneous items. The "Projects" series is organized first by title, then chronologically by year, where possible, to reflect Larson's own arrangement. Cross references for variant titles are inserted in the container list. The materials for RENT, Superbia, and tick, tick...BOOM! are particularly extensive. These materials are loosely arranged in the following order: scripts, music, and other materials. They are further organized in other subsets based on the type of scores and their source. Much of the material for these three shows arrived in envelopes of materials that had been separated, organized and described by Jonathan Larson himself. Original labels have been cut out and placed at the back of each folder as necessary. Many of these envelopes contained wide varieties of materials, and it was often impossible to determine where one item ended and the next began. Pages of items in such folders have been numbered so that the original order is maintained. Certain frequently-requested materials are highlighted with notes in the container list where appropriate. The "Projects" series also contains miscellaneous song materials. Many of these are songs that came from shows, but were clearly identified as being separate from the individual show materials. In several instances, songs from various sources were combined together for ease of arrangement. At the end of this series are songs by other writers, but with notes and/or annotations by Jonathan Larson. The "Biographical Materials" series contains an assortment of personal writings and correspondence, class and workshop notes, flyers, and programs. It also includes business papers, bank statements, tax returns, licenses, bills, and receipts. It is arranged alphabetically by general subject matter. A small "Photographs" series showcases portraits of Jonathan Larson and his piano bar trio J. Glitz. The "Electronic Files" series contains various-sized computer discs that supplement material found in the "Projects" series, such as the RENT and Superbia materials. The final series, "Books," consists of novels and plays highlighted or annotated by Larson and that have been retained with the collection. Consult with reference staff about books that were returned to the Larson estate.
series
Projects, 1979-1995
file
1/2 m.t. house [concept for a musical], 1991
Lyric sheets, synopsis, song list, character descriptions
Notes
1984 [unproduced musical], 1982-1983
1984 novel
Script; 1982 Aug. 29
Script; 1982 Sept. 1
Scripts
2 typescripts and photocopies; 39, 20 p. each
Script
Set designs
Holograph manuscript in ink, colored marker, and watercolor; [14] p.
Correspondence, notes, clippings
Correspondence
30/90 see tick, tick...BOOM!
An American tail [children's storybook and cassette], 1986
Cues and notes
Angel sent me [play], 1990
"Break out the booze" piano-vocal score and lyric sheets
Armageddon [unproduced musical], circa 1981-1982
Lyric sheets, script pages, notes
Away we go! [children's video and book], circa 1993-1995
Production materials and draft scripts
Production materials and notes
Artwork
Correspondence, business papers, agreements, receipts
Partnership agreements
Miscellany
Billy Bishop goes to war [musical], 1991
Piano-vocal score
The Blinkins [children's storybooks with cassettes], 1986
Scripts and notes; [45] p.
2 published books
Blocks [rock revue], circa 1992-1995
Script; 1993 Oct. 14
Script, lyric sheets, notes
Printed piano-vocal scores
Boho days see tick, tick...BOOM!
Bubble gum [play], 1987 see also Miscellaneous songs composed by Larson: Lyric sheets, 1987
Cartoon artificial see Garden party
Damage [dance piece], 1990
Holograph manuscript; approximately [13] p.
Dance scores, 1990-1991
Holograph manuscript; approximately [20] p.
A darker purpose aka Naked Las Vegas [play by Wendy Riss], 1991
Emote control [cabaret], 1987
Lyric sheets
Famine plays [idea for a musical], circa 1991
Notes; [11] p.
Garden party [dance piece], 1987
Holograph manuscript; approximately [56] p.
Genre in a drum [unproduced music video], circa 1986-1988
Sketch, lyric sheets, notes; [8] p.
God's heart [play by Craig Lucas], 1995
Herstory [cabaret], 1989
"Menopause" piano-vocal scores
"The same" piano-vocal scores
Ideal landscape see Garden party
J. Glitz [piano-bar act], 1982-1984
Lyric sheets, script, correspondence, notes
Running order, dialogue
Songlists
J.P. Morgan saves the nation [musical], 1995
Draft scripts
Production materials
Printed piano-vocal scores, lyric sheets, scripts, production materials
2 scripts, 1995
Lead sheets, lyric sheets, production materials, miscellany
Clippings, 1995
2 piano-vocal scores and lead sheets
Land before time [children's storybooks with cassettes], 1988
"Friends in need" script
"Search for the valley" script
Score
El libro de buen amor [musical], 1979
Lead sheets
Holograph manuscript and photocopies; [7] p.
Music notebook, 1979 Sept. 19 - 1979 Oct. 8
Script, 1985
Manhattan tower [unproduced project], undated
Martin on the inside [musical], circa 1980-1987
A midsummer night's dream [play], 1991
Scores
Holograph manuscript and photocopies; [4] p. each
Mowgli [unproduced musical], 1984-1995
Script, 1984
Business papers
"Morning song" piano score
Naked truth: ten takes on censorship (& some music) [play], 1990
Script pages
Notes, miscellany
Holograph manuscript; approximately [46] p.
National lampoon [unproduced musical revue], 1989 see also Presidential politcs
Sketches, lyric sheets, notes
"Kodak saves the day" lyric sheets, chord progressions; [3] p.
"Out of my dreams" lyric sheets
"The vision thing" choral arrangement
"Vision thing/Do unto them/Nina chorus Likability/La di da" lyric sheets, chord progressions
Revue sketches and lyrics by various authors
No sacred cows: a sample cabaret [cabaret], 1985-1989
Lyric sheets, scripts
One big happy family [cabaret], 1985
Lyric sheets, sketches
Music manuscripts
Miscellaneous items found with One big happy family
"When I grow up (E.R.A.)" piano score
Collected lyrics, lyric sketches
Polar express [unproduced musical], undated
Lyric sheets, synopsis, notes; [34] p.
Ponce de Leon is alive and well and living just south of Winter Park [unproduced musical], 1991
Script, Act I
Script; 1991 Sept. 11
Presidential politics [unproduced musical revue], 1989 see also National lampoon
Prostate of the union [musical revue], 1987
Lyric sheets, sketches, notes
"Valentine's day" lyric notes, sketches
Red dot bop [corporate video], 1991
Chord chart, lyric sheets, notes
Remember then...A night at the Brooklyn Fox [cabaret], 1979
Music manuscripts, lyric sheets, notes, fliers
RENT, [musical, 1989-1996]
Script, 1989 Sept. 22
Scripts, 1990
Script/lyrics, 1990
Script, 1990
Excerpt narration, script
Scripts, 1992
Script, Act I; 1992
Lyric sheets, script pages, sketches, notes
Scripts, Act I, 1992
Choral book, 1993
Scripts; 1992-1993
Lead sheets, programs, miscellany
Script, miscellany
Miscellany; 1993-1994
Script pages, lyric sketches, notes
Script, 1994 July
Script, 1994 Sept. 1
Script, 1994 Oct. 25
Lyric sketches, dialogue pages, notes
Mock-ups of promotional cards for New York Theater Workshop studio production; 1994 Oct. 29-Nov. 6
Program/flyer for New York Theatre Workshop, 1994 Oct.
Script pages, lyric sketches
Script, 1995 Sept. 12
Script pages, lyric sketches; 1995 Sept.-Oct.
Scripts, Act I
Lyric sketches, notes
Script pages, 1995 Oct.-Dec.
Script, 1995 Nov. 1
Script 1995 Dec. 19
Scripts, 1995 Dec.
Script, 1996 Jan. 1
Script, 1996 Jan. 16
Contracts, 1995 Sept. 7
Lyric sheets, script pages, presentation schedule by JL
JL's notepad, last used the day of his death 1996 Jan. 25
Script, 1995 Dec. 19
Script, 1996 June 15
Piano-vocal score, script pages, miscellany
Souvenir program, playbill, ticket stubs for final performance and party; 2008 Sept. 7
Chord charts
Miscellaneous scores
Piano-vocal score, 1994 Oct.
Script and piano-vocal score, 1995 Nov. 1
Piano-vocal score, 1994-1995
Piano-vocal score, 1995 Dec. 19
Parts
Original drum book
Sacred cows [musical pilot/demo for television show], 1992-1993
Lyric sketches, script pages, notes
Scripts, 1993 Mar. 13 - 1993 May 5, undated
Sesame Street [television show], 1992-1993
Script for show #3100
Script for show #2878
"Suppertime" lyric sheet
Shangri-la [unproduced play], 1995
Sitting on the edge of the future [unproduced revue], 1989
Lyric sketches, notes, miscellany
Lyric sheets, notes, miscellany
Theatreworks/USA and American Music Theater Festival agreement papers
The steak tartare caper [musical], 1981
"I wish I could say" piano-vocal scores
"Crime don't pay" lyric sheet
The suicide [musical], 1987
Superbia, [musical, 1985-1991]
Script, notes, miscellany
Script pages, notes
Scripts, 1985-1986
Grant application notes
Act I script pages
Synopses, outline, 1988 Apr.
Script, 1987 May
Scripts, 1987 July 15
Script, lyric sketches, 1987 Nov.
Scripts, 1987
Synopsis, 1988
Scripts, 1988
Lyric sketches, clippings, notes, miscellany
Script and partial scripts, 1988 Nov.
Script, 1987
Script, lyric sketches, notes, 1988 Aug. 16
Script pages, miscellany
Script, 1989
Music manuscripts, lyric sheets, script pages, miscellany
Scripts, 1991
Financial papers, advertising, notes
Piano-vocal scores
Scripts, 1990-1991
Scenic designs/rendering
Screenplay
Correspondence, advertising, programs, miscellany
Synthesizer-vocal score; 1986
Instrument parts
Synthesizer-vocal score, 1986
Piano-vocal score, 1988
Sweet valley twins [audio-book episodes], 1987
Best friends
Leadsheet
The haunted house
Lyric sheet, notes
Sylvester shuffle, 1995
Lyric sketches and sheets, storyboard, notes
Holograph manuscript; approximately [53] leaves
tick, tick...BOOM!, [solo performance piece/rock monologue, 1993]
Lyric sketches and sheets, script pages, notes
Questionnaires
Script, lead sheets, lyric sheets, notes, 1990 Sept.
Lyric sheets, correspondence, notes, miscellany
Script, 1991
Programs, advertising, box office statements, miscellany
Lead sheets, correspondence, advertising, business papers, miscellany
Advertising, production materials, miscellany
Budgets, schedules, notes
Programs, promotional materials
Promotional flyer
Script, correspondence, production materials, miscellany
Venus and other myths [dance piece], 1989
White squall [film], 1995
The wonder years [unproduced television script], circa 1988-1993
Form letter
The wreck of the Barque Stefano [unproduced screenplay], 1991-1992
Screenplay, 1991 Sept. 23
Screenplay, 1991 Oct. 5
Miscellaneous songs composed by Jonathan Larson
Break out the booze
Piano-vocal score, 1991 Aug. 8
Lyric sheet
Cold fever
Lyric sketches, lyric sheets, notes
Come to your senses
Printed score
Do unto them
Lead sheet/score, 1991 Aug. 8
Hurry up and wait
Score, 1987
Sketch
I should tell you
I wish I could say...
Piano-vocal score, 1981
Menopause
Piano-vocal score, 1980
Open road
Out of my dreams
Lead sheet, 1991
Play game
Reality of the dream
The same
Santa Fe
See her smile
Therapy
Truth is a lie
We can't go on
Lead sheet/score, 1991 Aug. 13
We're the new Christian right
White male world
With open eyes
Lead sheet, 1994
You called my name
Lyric sheets, 1987
Jonathan Larson samples
Jonathan Larson music demo tape and catalogue, 1979-1987
Lyric/text samples
Song listings by categories
Miscellaneous song materials
50s medley
The Christmas song...and other Christmas songs
Cole Porter medley
Music and lyrics by Cole Porter
Piano-vocal scores, lead sheets
Pippin
Published sheet music
Too many songs by Tom Lehrer
Biographical Materials, 1978-1995
Addresses in 3” x 5” card file
Business correspondence, 1983-1993, undated
Letter of complaint to electronics store
Miscellaneous correspondence, 1984-1993, undated
Student Materials
Class notes
Dramatic verse workshop
Notes from David Craig workshop
Notes regarding Joan of Arc
“Say goodnight, Gracie”; section from Brighton Beach
Financial Papers
Artists Community Federal Credit Union, 1993
Bank statements, 1986-1993
Canceled checks, 1989-1993
Electric bills, 1989-1995
Telephone bills, 1989-1995
Tax returns, 1987-1994
Grants/Awards
Kleban Award submission, 1991
NEA grant application, 1993
Correspondence, applications, and other materials related to grants, 1988-1992
Organizations
American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters program, 1988
ASCAP correspondence, applications, and other materials, 1983-1993
New York Theatre Workshop promotional materials, 1992-1993
Projects
Broadway Arts agreement to record Blocks, 1995
Clippings of interest to JL
Oversize clippings of interest to JL
Love Heals
Love Heals promotional packets including JL lyric
Programs involving JL
Flyers, programs, and promotional mailings
La Bohème souvenir programs
Resumes
JL DAT log
JL music demo tape and catalogue
Writings
Drawing
Licenses, identity cards
Bike lock materials
White Plains High School class of 1978 ten-year reunion directory
Articles, photocopied of friends
Memorial service programs
Moondance Diner manual
Programs, most with annotations
Photographs
Portraits of Jonathan Larson
Photographs of "J. Glitz"
Small photo album, mostly of city buildings
Electronic Files, 1990-1996
3 1/2" discs
5 1/4" discs
Computer manuals
Books
Burdick, Jacques. Theater. New York: Newsweek Books, 1979
Chase, Mary. Mrs. McThing: a play in two acts. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1979
Cooper, Martha and Henry Chalfant. Subway art. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1984
Field, Dorothy, Michael Bennett and William Gibson. Seesaw: a musical. New York: Samuel French, 1975
Golding, William. Lord of the flies. Wideview/Perigree Books, 1954
Grebanier, Bernard. Playwriting: how to write for the theater. New York: Harper and Row, 1961
Howard, Sidney. The late Christopher Bean: a comedy in three acts. New York: Samuel French, 1960
Miller, Arthur. Death of a salesman. New York: Viking Press, 1974
O’Neill, Eugene. Nine plays. New York: Modern Library, 1941
Patrick, John and Vern Sneider. The teahouse of the August moon. New York: Dramatists Play Service, 1957
Reinhardt, Ad. Art as art: the selected writings of Ad Reinhardt. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1975
Schulman, Sarah. People in trouble. New York: Plume, 1991
Shaffer, Peter. The white liars and black comedy. New York: Samuel French, 1968
Shakespeare, William. The tempest. Unknown paperback
Shapiro, Karl and Robert Beum. A prosody handbook. New York: Harper and Row, 1965
Sontag, Susan. Illness as metaphor and AIDS and its metaphors. New York: Doubleday, 1990
Tebelak, John-Michael and Stephen Schwartz. Godspell. New York: Theatre, 1971