Interview: Kari Hayter on Directing TICK, TICK... BOOM! at International City Theatre

Before there was Rent, Jonathan Larson wrote tick, tick... BOOM!, his autobiographical play about an aspiring composer worrying how time is passing him by while trying to write the great American musical. And although he never lived to see his struggle for recognition come to fruition, Larson posthumously received three Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his revolutionary rock musical, Rent.

So what can be learned about Larson's life in tick, tick... BOOM! which explores the drive to follow your dreams despite the struggles you must go through to achieve them? I decided to speak with Kari Hayter, a professional director and educator based in Southern California, who is directing tick, tick... BOOM! for International City Theatre in Long Beach, running February 17 through March 5, on her vision for the production and how its themes speak to not only artists but everyone reaching to achieve their dreams.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with me Kari. I am curious, is this your first time presenting any of Jonathan Larson's plays or musicals? Tell me a bit about those other productions.

Director Kari Hayter

I directed a production of Rent in 2011 at California State Fullerton as a graduate student. It was during that production that I became enthralled by his story, his legacy and his artistry

A brilliant, groundbreaking creator of musical theater, Larson died tragically of an aortic aneurysm on January 25, 1996, just ten days before his 36th birthday and one day before the off-Broadway premiere of Rent. What do you think Larson would say about the phenomenon his rock musical has become today?

I think Jonathan Larson would feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment if he knew how many lives he has touched and continues to touch with his music. His deep connection to the human condition and his true sense of what it means to love is powerful and timeless.

Do you ever wonder what he would have been working on next once Rent became his highly-acclaimed global hit? Or perhaps what new genre he might have invented?

Yes! He was always full of ideas and very aware of what it meant to live in the present moment.

Originally written and performed by Larson as a musical monologue, tick, tick... BOOM! was adapted after his death into a three-person musical by playwright David Auburn, best known for his masterful play Proof. Would you please briefly summarize the story for readers not familiar with it?

Jonathan Larson

tick, tick...Boom! is a story of a young man's battle between his heart and his head. His heart, his passion, his music, his ART is what gives him purpose. However, the questions in his mind about living life solely as an artist can be challenging and frightening. This story is about one man's fight to have both, along with the help and love of his two best friends.

I read that in 1988, Larson won the Richard Rodgers Development Grant for his rock musical Superbia, which received a staged reading at Playwrights Horizons. How is this a key plot point in tick, tick... BOOM!?

Because you will see his biographical path illuminated on stage in this story.

Tell me a bit about the actors and their roles in tick, tick... BOOM!

Ernesto Figueroa plays Jon, the character which is based on Jonathan Larson. His best friend, Michael is played by Phillip Lewis and his girlfriend, Susan, is played by Samantha Lawrence. We see how their relationships are interwoven amongst Jon's emotional journey, along with several other small characters played by Phillip and Susan.

Have you worked with anyone on your technical team before, specifically music director Anthony Zediker, who helms the live band?

Anthony and I have worked together at AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles). I have also worked with the Lighting Designer, Sound Designer, Prop and Costumes Designers before on Marry Me a Little. The set designer and I have worked on several other projects together.

The struggle to create your dreams will no doubt resonate with everyone in the audience, not just artists. But what is it about Larson's life challenges that speaks to you the deepest as an artist yourself, making you want to honestly tell his story?

Jonathan Larson died tragically of an aortic aneurysm on January 25, 1996, just ten days before his 36th birthday and one day before the off-Broadway premiere of Rent.

Jonathan writes about the many challenges of love and what it means to explore relationships honestly and with the ultimate care. Amongst pain, suffering and/or loss, he teaches us to live life to the fullest each and every day. He writes about characters who go on journeys to discover ways to be better in life: better artists, better friends, better lovers, better human beings.

The title of the play makes me think of the time bomb going on within Larson's body that took his life. But perhaps it's more about the slow ticking of time passing him by. How do you interpret the title?

Precisely that. Every moment in our lives should be valued and appreciated because life is short. We can choose to deal with the ticking of life or run away and hide. Jonathan teaches us to embrace the ticking...

What is the most interesting or unusual thing audiences will learn about Jonathan Larson during the play? Or should I call it a play with music?

It is definitely a musical. Much of the music furthers the story and the emotional arc of all three characters.

What aspects of the lead character's life and struggles as an artist do you think will surprise or perhaps inspire audiences to go out and follow their own dreams?

He is relatable, honest, has a sense of humor and can also use his imagination to the fullest extent. He is a believer.

Now that tick, tick... BOOM! is ready to open, what's next for you on your own road of dreams?

I am thrilled to have the opportunities I do to create art with passionate and artistic people. I am currently working on a new play called Women of Zalongo that parallels the ongoing cycle of intergenerational trauma. Past and present intersect as the women are called to finish what their ancestors began 200 years ago at the cliff in Epirus, Greece when they resisted oppression and enslavement by the Ottoman Empire. It is a beautiful play that I have loved developing with the playwright and many beautiful women that opens in March 2023.

Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with me! You have quite a few exciting months ahead with two shows opening!

tick, tick... BOOM! runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2p.m., February 17 through March 5 presented by International City Theatre, located in the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center at 330 East Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802. Two preview performances take place on Wednesday, Feb. 15 and Thursday, Feb. 16, both at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (except February 17, opening night, for which tickets are $55 and include a post-show reception), and $52 at Sunday matinees. Low-priced tickets to previews are $37. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (562) 436-4610 or go to www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.

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