tick, tick…BOOM! COMING TO UW-L

Before Jonathan Larson made history with the Musical Rent, he wrote the 90s music-filled gem, tick, tick… BOOM! about his journey trying to make it on Broadway.

UW-L’s Theater Department is taking on this musical and Director Nic Barilar joined Ballzer to talk about the show, the first musical to be held in Frederick Theatre.

On the brink of his 30th birthday, an aspiring musical theatre composer navigates love, friendship, and the pressure to create something great before time runs out. Before he electrified the world with Rent, Jonathan Larson struggled to leave his mark on Broadway. In this autobiographical musical of that struggle, “Jon” questions whether he should continue to seek his big break or give it all up and move on with his life. Scored by the rock-inspired music that redefined the genre for the ‘90s, tick, tick… BOOM! explores the ticking-time-bombs that we set for ourselves, the social pressures to succeed, and how those pressures can make us lose sight of what’s most important.

Performance Dates
November 7-8 & 13-15, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
November 9 & 16, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
Frederick Theatre, Morris Hall
General Admission Seating, online ticket sales and more info HERE.