A look at tick, tick...BOOM! at MetroStage - commercial

tick, tick...BOOM! is extending its run for ONE WEEK

EXTENDED UNTIL SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2007

Performances:

Thursday & Friday at 8pm

Saturday at 3pm & 8pm

Sunday at 3pm & 7pm

If you missed out on this incredible musical by Jonathan Larson, creator of RENT, then now is your chance to get out to MetroStage and tell your friends!

Call 703-548-9044 for tickets

or visit BoxOfficeTickets

Fundraiser for the National Marfan Foundation

Sunday, November 25th performance at 7:00pm will benefit the National Marfan Foundation.

A portion of the proceeds will go the organization.

Jonathan Larson, creator of tick, tick...BOOM! and RENT, died suddenly of a misdiagnosed aortic dissection, thought to have been caused by Marfan syndrome. The night of the last dress rehearsal for RENT, Jonathan went to two local emergency rooms in New York City to seek care for chest pains. One diagnosed him with the flu, the other food poisoning, and sadly he died alone in his apartment before his hit play opened on Broadway. His death could have been prevented.

The Larson family is determined that other families be spared the tragedy of a missed diagnosis of aortic dissection. They are working with the National Marfan Foundation to raise awareness about Marfan syndrome and aortic dissection. Early diagnosis and proper medical care are essential. This fundraiser will help the NMF with their important efforts.

Members of the Washington DC-Baltimore area have been notified of the event.

Door prizes will be awarded. Ask for a ticket if you are planning to attend MetroStage Sunday evening. Refreshments will be served afterwards for a meet & greet with the cast.

For more information contact the National Marfan Foundation:
800-8-MARFAN
info@marfan.org
http://www.marfan.org/

WETA's Around Town Theatre Review of tick, tick...BOOM!

Play Video

NEWS ALERT

Check out MetroStage's new MYSPACE page -

www.myspace.com/metrostageboom

$25 tickets available by mentioning "MYSPACE"

Call 703-548-9044

Offer ends: Sunday, October 28

Also, check out the latest review at DC Theatre Scene -

http://dctheatrescene.com/2007/10/22/tick-tick-boom/

Oct 19 - After the 8 PM performance of Jonathan Larson’s pre-Rent musical tick, tick...BOOM! now at Metro Stage, cast members Stephen Gregory Smith, Felicia Curry and Matt Pearson tell why they jumped at the chance to do the show, and how closely they identify with the show’s themes - two of them are 29, and all really understand the difficulties of making art or making a living. Listen as they discuss the show, and the jobs they do to help pay the rent.

We (at DCTS) were joined by Director Matt Gardiner who is making his directorial debut at the astonishing age of 23. Matt talked about casting the show, his personal connection to the story and music of tick, tick…BOOM! and his one struggle with the musical.

Stephen, Felicia and Matt can be heard singing portions of “Johnny Can’t Decide, “Real Life” and “Sugar”, accompanied by Music Director Derek Bowley.

To listen, go to http://dctheatrescene.com/2007/10/22/a-visit-with-tick-tickboom/

What the critics are saying about tick, tick...BOOM!

• “…winningly staged at MetroStage by director Matthew Gardiner… Stephen Gregory Smith, dynamically stepping into a starring role… Felicia Curry, who brings a big Broadway voice and lithe strength to the modest musical… promising newcomer Matt Pearson… The standout song of the show is "Come to Your Senses," a rock ballad that slowly builds to a shattering climax and is delivered with gospelly bravado by Miss Curry…. a warp-speed fusion of rock music and powerful emotion that engages the audience's senses and modern sensibilities.” -Jayne Blanchard, Washington Times
  
  
• “Memo to the producers of Jonathan Larson's Rent on Broadway: get down here and see Stephen Gregory Smith tear up the house… and does he give it everything he's got!... The three (actors) establish a sense of partnership as they work their way through the dozen songs that constitute the heart of this touching musical... MetroStage has mounted many satisfying small musicals…(with) emotionally involving staging as the show progresses, the impact of the final four songs is impressive. Curry…has grown into a fine musical leading lady… Matt Pearson …has his own moments to shine… But perhaps the most impressive time for all three comes quietly in the lovely "See Her Smile" when Smith is in the lead but the vocal support from both Pearson and Curry is sublime.” -Potomac Stages Pick Brad Hathaway, potomacstages.com
  
  
• “a fireball four-person rock band exuding a caffeinated buzz… One of the production’s standout moments, in fact, is “Green, Green Dress,”… (director Matt) Gardiner packs this number with a thrilling erotic charge.” -Celia Wren, Washington Post
  
  
• “Several of Boom’s numbers…have all the pull, heart and energy of Rent’s best numbers. “Therapy”…clearly demonstrates that while Larson elected to live in rock music, his talent was far from limited.” -Tom Avila, Metro Weekly
  
  
• “Singing with power and emotion and acting with humor and intensity, Smith leads the cast through the one-act, 100-minute musical backed by a rock combo.. of remarkable balance. His co-star is the highly talented Felicia Curry, who turns in a strong performance of her own... her singing is spectacular... she has a number titled “Come to Your Senses” that she delivers with impressive emotion. When she is finished, you may think you’ve just seen the highlight of the show. Smith, however, tops it with the next number, “Why.”… Matt Pearson…has his own moments to shine. He is subtly superb in the vocal support behind Smith on one of Larson’s loveliest ballads, “See Her Smile.” -Brad Hathaway, Alexandria Gazette Packet
  
  
• “…producing artistic director of MetroStage in Alexandria, Carolyn Griffin, has done it again! This show has the emotional impact and drama of Rent---and more. Through about a dozen songs, with first-class singing and acting---and I mean acting---we are moved by these likeable characters.” -Richard Massabny, Arlington Channel 69
  
  
• “Most charming Stephen Gregory Smith commands the stage brilliantly with such ease that one would think he was born to play this role… Matthew Gardiner provided most commendable directing and always kept the show on an intimate level allowing utmost empathy for the cast. It was a 30th birthday being celebrated in this script but it applies universally to any decade birthday so it will appeal to any age group.” -Bob Anthony, AllArtsReview4U.com

Special Offer for tick, tick...BOOM!

STUDENT SUNDAYS

at MetroStage

Tickets: $25 (with student ID)

REGULARLY $35

Sundays at 7:00pm

Call 703-548-9044 to reserve

(mention "student")

Jonathan Larson performing "Sunday"

tick, tick...BOOM OPENS THIS WEEK

DC AREA PREMIERE

Pay-What-You-Can Preview

Thursday, October 11, 2007

8pm

Before RENT, Jonathan Larson had another story to tell....his own.

Jonathan Larson won the 1996 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize posthumously for RENT. tick, tick...BOOM! was originally performed as a solo show by Larson in 1990. This version of the musical received it's world premiere off-Broadway in 2001. David Auburn, the 2001 Pulitzer Prize winning playwright of Proof, re-shaped and re-orchestrated the piece for three performers.

Stephen Gregory Smith will be playing the role of Jon. He recently performed his one man cabaret act, Use What You Got, at Signature Theatre, Meet John Doe at Ford's Theatre, Into the Woods, Assassins and One Red Flower at Signature Theatre, and Damn Yankees at Arena Stage. He received the Helen Hayes Award in 2004 for his portrayal of Jimmy Curry in 110 in the Shade at Signature Theatre.

Felicia Curry, playing Susan, has performed at MetroStage in Three Sistahs and Two Queens One Castle. She received Helen Hayes nominations for both Godspell and Aida at Toby's Dinner Theatre. She recently was seen in The Araboolies of Liberty Street at Imagination Stage and will be performing in Petite Rouge as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Matt Pearson, playing Michael, is a recent graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Theatre. He most recently appeared in the cabaret Lost Songs of Broadway at Signature Theatre. In Chicago, he appeared in Sunday in the Park with George, Swing! and The Little Mermaid.

Director Matt Gardiner is the Resident Assistant Director of Signature Theatre where he has worked on Witches of Eastwick, Saving Aimee, Into the Woods, My Fair Lady, Allegro, One Red Flower and Nevermore. Matthew assisted Mark Lamos on Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Kennedy Center) and Jane Pesci-Townsend on The Last Five Years (MetroStage). Matthew is a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon with a BFA in Directing.

Music Director Derek Bowley just finished work on the Kennedy Center TYA tour of Katie Couric's The Brand New Kid. Later this year, he will serve as Music Director for the Kennedy Center's production of The Phantom Tollbooth and Theater J's Schlemiel the First.

Opening/ Press Night is Sunday, October 14, 2007 at 7pm.

tick,tick...BOOM! is in performance

from October 11 - November 25, 2007.

Tickets can be ordered

through www.boxofficetickets.com

at 800-494-8497.
For group rates and information, call 703-548-9044.

Smith goes tick, tick...BOOM

Check out the article in Washington Theatre Review (Fall 2007)

featuring Stephen Gregory Smith and Matthew Gardiner.

29...and holding

Our First Production Meeting

We had our first preliminary Production Meeting on Monday, August 27th and we got to meet the set designer, Adam Koch; lighting designer, Mark Lanks and costume designer, Sasha Ludwig-Siegel. These fresh, young newcomers to MetroStage had some great ideas for tick, tick...BOOM!.

Since the set has to be everywhere (lots of locations) and nowhere at the same time, it has a very downtown/industrial feel to it. Here is the model, rendered in black & white for now, of the set:
More details to come later...

Announcing the cast of tick, tick...BOOM!

Because Erin Driscoll had to apologetically drop out of MetroStage's next production at the last minute to pursue another musical elsewhere, we are excited to announce the full cast of tick, tick...BOOM! who will all begin rehearsals soon.

Stephen Gregory Smith as Jon











Felicia Curry as Susan











Matt Pearson as Michael

Upcoming ad in Washington City Paper for tick, tick...BOOM!

Here's a look at the ad that will be in Washington City Paper's Washington Theatre League Centerspread on Friday, August 31st.