Jonathan Larson/ Sondheim inspiration
I’m slowly making my way through all the musicals I want to watch and just finished Sunday in the Park with George. I like into the woods a lot but I LOVE merrily we roll along and I have noticed a few things, specifically regarding one of my favorite musicals of all time which only really exists as a movie, Tick Tick Boom
For one, I knew that the song Sunday from Tick Tick Boom was inspired by Sunday in the park with George but I didn’t realize it’s like a replica of the song and I love it even more now.
Secondly, the strange parallels between the story of George in Sunday in the park, and the actual life of Jonathan Larson, that his work was not yet popular and then they both died suddenly and early and their work went on to be much more celebrated, I find that so interesting and strange knowing he took so much inspiration from this work specifically
And third I’ve always loved “Johnny Can’t Decide” from tick tick boom and that was before I ever knew much Sondheim other than into the woods. I notice in Merrily and Sunday in the park there are songs where the main character is singing in third person using their own name. I absolutely love the idea that Johnathan Larson took inspiration from this for Johnny can’t decide.
Personally I’m a huge fan of Rent and Tick Tick Boom and have loved everything Sondheim I’ve seen so far (into the woods, Sweeney Todd, merrily, Sunday in the park) so please let me know what I should look into next and if anyone knows any other cool parallels! I’ve seen a lot of musicals but am still becoming cultured on it all lol