CYGNET THEATRE ANNOUNCES THE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM OF TICK, TICK…BOOM!

Before he electrified the world with Rent, Jonathan Larson was a young man struggling to make his mark in the theater. While he waits tables and seeks his big break, the pressure to give it all up grows as Jon approaches his 30th birthday. Will he sell out to keep the lights on? Will he lose the love of his life? Will he finally write the soaring song that can change everything? And if he does, will anyone be there to see it? Set in 1990 and scored by the music that redefined a genre, tick, tick… BOOM! cracks open the ticking-time-bomb world of creating theater to celebrate the power of finding your voice and holding on to a dream.

Director Katie Banville shared her thoughts on the production saying, “Tick, Tick… Boom! pulls me in and holds my curiosity by directly questioning how we find fulfillment as artists in tandem with how we live our lives. How are we choosing to spend our time? Do our creative pursuits stand at odds with the rest of our lives or are they inextricably intertwined? My life as a person and an artist have changed so dramatically over the last few years — I transitioned from performing to being on the creative team, I became a parent — and I’m constantly wrestling with these questions.” She continued, “This show is an opportunity for all of us to pause for a moment and consider these big life questions. I’m also incredibly grateful to be working on this show at Cygnet, where so much of my artistic and personal development has taken shape.”

The cast of three includes LA-Based singer/songwriter AJ Rafael as Jon in his Cygnet Debut. Returning to the Cygnet stage are Leo Ebanks (Mud Row) as Michael and Emma Nossal (Rock of Ages) as Susan.

Rafael shared his excitement about joining the production saying “I’m grateful to have the opportunity to tell the story of Jon, through the perspective and experiences of what I have personally been through as a songwriter and storyteller myself. Also, to do this musical in San Diego feels serendipitous, as it was also the first city that I performed at as a young artist back in the MySpace days. To be in “Tick, Tick… Boom!” at this moment in time feels like a full circle moment to me in a lot of ways.”

In addition to direction and choreography by Katie Banville the creative team includes music direction by Dr. Randi Roberts, scenic design by Yi-Chien Lee, sound design by Salvador Zamora, lighting design by Joshua Heming, costume design by Regan A. McKay, props design by Jaeonnie Davis-Crawford, wig and makeup design by Peter Herman, and stage management by Matthew Bantock.

Tickets for tick, tick…BOOM! are on sale now and may be purchased in person at the box office located at 4040 Twiggs Street in San Diego Old Town Historic State Park, by calling 619-337-1525, or by visiting cygnettheatre.com. Regular ticket prices start at $39.

Cygnet Theatre Company produces a year-round season of professional Off-Broadway-style theatre as well as thought-provoking and engaging educational programming. Cygnet is committed to maintaining high standards of artistic and fiscal integrity, and serves more than 40,000 patrons annually from San Diego and beyond. Cygnet performs its mainstage productions at the state-of-the-art theatre in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. An active member of the San Diego community, Cygnet has outreach programs serving tens of thousands of students and community members annually. For more information, visit www.cygnettheatre.com.

tick, tick…BOOM! Fact Sheet

WHAT:

Cygnet Theatre presents tick, tick…BOOM! by Jonathan Larson

WHERE:

Cygnet Theatre

4040 Twiggs St. in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

WHO:

Decenic Designer: Yi-Chien Lee

Sound Designer: Salvador Zamora

Costume Designer: Regan A. McKay

Lighting Designer: Joshua Heming

Wig and Makeup Designer: Peter Herman°

Props Designer: Jaeonnie Davis-Crawford

Stage Manager: Matthew Bantock*

CAST:

AJ Rafael*: Jon

Leo Ebanks*: Michael

Emma Nossal: Susan

*Member of Actors Equity Association, °Resident Artist

DATES:

Previews begin: Wednesday, July 3, 7:00 PM

Press Opening: Saturday, July 6, 7:00 PM

Closes: Sunday, August 4, 2:00 PM

Showtimes:

Wednesday – Saturday at 7:00 PM

Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM

PRICE:

Prices start at $39 with discounts for preview performances, student and military.

HOW:

Phone: (619) 337-1525

Online: www.cygnettheatre.com

In Person: Cygnet Theatre – 4040 Twiggs St., San Diego, CA 92110