1. Hi. I'm Jon.Copy !req
2. I'm a musical-theater writer.Copy !req
3. One of the last of my species.Copy !req
4. Sorry. So… so, you know, lately,
I've been hearing this sound.Copy !req
5. Everywhere I go,
like a tick, tick, tick…Copy !req
6. Like a time bomb in some cheesy B-movie
or Saturday morning cartoon.Copy !req
7. The fuse has been lit.
The clock counts down the secondsCopy !req
8. as the flame gets closer,
and closer, and closer,Copy !req
9. until… all at once…Copy !req
10. This is Jonathan Larson's story.Copy !req
11. Happy anniversary, I love you so much.Copy !req
12. Before the Tony Awards.Copy !req
13. Before the Pulitzer Prize.Copy !req
14. Before…Copy !req
15. We dedicate this opening night
and every performanceCopy !req
16. to our friend, Jonathan Larson.Copy !req
17. …we lost him.Copy !req
18. Everything
you're about to see is true.Copy !req
19. Except for the parts Jonathan made up.Copy !req
20. The date is January 26th, 1990.Copy !req
21. The setting, the barren,
unfashionable no-man's-landCopy !req
22. between SoHo and Greenwich Village.Copy !req
23. I have two keyboards,
a Macintosh computer.Copy !req
24. - A cat.Copy !req
25. An impressive collection of compact discs,Copy !req
26. cassettes, and records
of other people's music.Copy !req
27. Bookshelves sagging under the weight
of plays and novels I didn't write.Copy !req
28. I have an original,
dystopian rock musical…Copy !req
29. …that I have spent the last eight years
of my life writing…Copy !req
30. - …and rewriting, and rewriting.Copy !req
31. I have rejection letters
from every major and minor producer,Copy !req
32. theater company, record label,
and film studio in existence.Copy !req
33. And in just over a week…Copy !req
34. I will be 30 years old.Copy !req
35. Older than Stephen Sondheim
when he had his first Broadway show.Copy !req
36. Older than Paul McCartney when
he wrote his last song with John Lennon.Copy !req
37. By the time my parents were 30,
they already had two kids,Copy !req
38. they had careersCopy !req
39. with steady paychecks, a mortgage.Copy !req
40. And in eight days,
my youth will be over forever.Copy !req
41. And what exactly do I have
to show for myself?Copy !req
42. Happy birthday!Copy !req
43. I made ten copies.Copy !req
44. You are an angel on earth.Copy !req
45. - This is the last time. Seriously.
- I know. Thank you.Copy !req
46. - No, no, no, I got you.
- I'm gonna pay.Copy !req
47. I don't want you to pay.
- Somebody needs to take out this trash.Copy !req
48. So I hear you're moving
out of Jon's place.Copy !req
49. That's the end of an era.Copy !req
50. We hear him sobbing in the fridge
most mornings. It's very sad.Copy !req
51. No, no, no.
We are not talking about that.Copy !req
52. Wait, Carolyn,
you're coming next Friday, right?Copy !req
53. What's happening Friday?Copy !req
54. The Superbia workshop.
- Surprised he hasn't mentioned it.Copy !req
55. That sounds vaguely familiar.Copy !req
56. Guys, this is the biggest break
I've ever had. This is that moment.Copy !req
57. It's the first time people are gonna
see the show that aren't just us.Copy !req
58. It's good you're not putting
too much pressure on it.Copy !req
59. But it's true, though.Copy !req
60. It's like, you get to a certain age and
you stop being a writer who waits tablesCopy !req
61. and you become a waiter with a hobby.Copy !req
62. Boo-Boo, you need to ask yourself,
in this moment,Copy !req
63. are you letting yourself
be led by fear or by love?Copy !req
64. You just quit?Copy !req
65. Well, no, I didn't just "quit" quit.
I gave… I gave my notice.Copy !req
66. - That's exactly the same thing.
- No, I have two weeks left.Copy !req
67. I'm allowing myself to be led by love.Copy !req
68. What?Copy !req
69. You know, Rosa's got another client.
Craig Carnelia.Copy !req
70. This is Rosa your agent,
who hasn't returned your calls in a year?Copy !req
71. Yeah, yeah. That's the one.Copy !req
72. So she invited the entire theater industry
to Craig's musical workshop last year.Copy !req
73. And by intermission, some producerCopy !req
74. had already written him
a check for ten thousand dollars.Copy !req
75. I just wish that
you didn't have to think like that.Copy !req
76. Well, it's expensive to make art.Copy !req
77. No, baby, it's expensive to make art here.Copy !req
78. - Yeah, but worth every penny.Copy !req
79. - That's beautiful.
- I know, right?Copy !req
80. How are you gonna pay for this, Jonathan?Copy !req
81. Ladies and gentlemen,
please give it up for our band,Copy !req
82. and also for my
very, very, very dear friends,Copy !req
83. Roger and Karessa on vocals.Copy !req
84. Friday night.Copy !req
85. - Hi, Jonathan, it's Deborah.Copy !req
86. Susan dropped off your music
for tonight's dance—Copy !req
87. - …but I can't get the speakers to work.Copy !req
88. - Hey, Pookie.
- Hi.Copy !req
89. How was Philly?Copy !req
90. I went from the airport
to a conference roomCopy !req
91. and then back to the airport
three hours later.Copy !req
92. - Sounds amazing.
- Mm.Copy !req
93. Michael was an amazing actor.Copy !req
94. Yeah, he was the lead of every play
in high school, college.Copy !req
95. And then we moved to New York.Copy !req
96. I am sick of waking up at 5:00Copy !req
97. to get in line outside
the Equity Building and wait all day,Copy !req
98. praying that the director
actually even agreesCopy !req
99. to see anyone that's non-union, and then,Copy !req
100. when I finally do get in the room, I sing…Copy !req
101. I don't know, six measures,
if I'm lucky, before they cut me offCopy !req
102. and call me the wrong name—Copy !req
103. Juan, Pedro, Carlos… lo que sea.Copy !req
104. And then a week later, he got a job
at a fancy advertising company,Copy !req
105. making high five figures.Copy !req
106. Healthcare, dental…Copy !req
107. He never looked back.Copy !req
108. You know, for someone who's broke,Copy !req
109. you could probably spend
a little bit less on party planning.Copy !req
110. Well, what is the point of money,Copy !req
111. if you're not gonna spend it
on the people you love?Copy !req
112. - Yeah, except you don't have any money.
- Oh, right.Copy !req
113. This has been sitting here for a week.Copy !req
114. - I'm on it.
- Mm-hm. Yeah. You seem very on it.Copy !req
115. Pretty soon you won't have me around
to remind you to pay your bills on time.Copy !req
116. How will I ever survive?Copy !req
117. That's a very real question.
Have you found a new roommate yet?Copy !req
118. I've been a little busy. You know.
My workshop is next week.Copy !req
119. Wait, what workshop?Copy !req
120. That was funny.Copy !req
121. What time's the show tonight?Copy !req
122. Uh…Copy !req
123. - Curtain's at 8:00.
Mm…Copy !req
124. I've heard the dancing's amazing,
but the music sucks.Copy !req
125. Susan grew up
in a small town in the Midwest.Copy !req
126. She went to college to study biology,Copy !req
127. she thought she'd become
a doctor, maybe teach.Copy !req
128. - But then she fell in love…Copy !req
129. - …with modern dance instead.Copy !req
130. - Every parent's dream, right?Copy !req
131. She moved to New York
without knowing a soul.Copy !req
132. Four years later, she's already dancedCopy !req
133. with every major choreographer
in the city.Copy !req
134. Paul, Trisha, Merce.Copy !req
135. 1990. This was the year
she was finally gonna join a company.Copy !req
136. Not just go from job to job.
Actually have a home, an artistic family.Copy !req
137. And she was ready.
This was her year. She knew it.Copy !req
138. And then she fractured her ankle
during a dress rehearsal.Copy !req
139. Six months of rehab later,
she's dancing again, it's just…Copy !req
140. whatever that moment was, when she knew…Copy !req
141. all of a sudden, she doesn't know anymore.Copy !req
142. But Susan is a real artist.Copy !req
143. She doesn't care about seeing her name
in the New York Times.Copy !req
144. It doesn't matter to her
if she's dancing in front of five peopleCopy !req
145. or in front of five thousand.Copy !req
146. And then there's the matter of us.Copy !req
147. Whoo!Copy !req
148. You know he can't
afford all of this, right?Copy !req
149. Well, he loves making a fuss,
especially about you.Copy !req
150. Hm.Copy !req
151. After everything we've done for him…Copy !req
152. Stop!
- …he walks away.Copy !req
153. Freddy, look, I'm leaving you my mixtapes.Copy !req
154. - Oh!
- You can play them in remembrance of me.Copy !req
155. Jonathan Larson's famous
Moondance Diner mixtape.Copy !req
156. Who doesn't love showtunes
with their French toast?Copy !req
157. Actually, it's not just showtunes.
It's a very eclectic mix.Copy !req
158. - Someone's very touchy about mixtapes.
- Apparently.Copy !req
159. Okay, listen. I'm happy for you.Copy !req
160. - I really am.
- Oh, yeah?Copy !req
161. I'm also extremely bitter
and jealous and envious,Copy !req
162. and sort of hateful towards you right now.Copy !req
163. I mean… he's getting out.Copy !req
164. And you're gonna be next.Copy !req
165. - Well, I got a callback last week.
- Great!Copy !req
166. - For a cruise.
- What's wrong with a cruise?Copy !req
167. It's an Arctic cruise,
so pretty much everything.Copy !req
168. Uh, every single thing is wrong with that.
It's in the Arctic.Copy !req
169. - How you feeling?
- Um…Copy !req
170. It's been a really good week.Copy !req
171. T-cell count is good.
My doctor feels cautiously optimistic.Copy !req
172. Okay, good. You look great.Copy !req
173. Oh, my God, thank you. I know.Copy !req
174. But for the cruise,
I'm gonna have to sort of…Copy !req
175. - Tighten up. Pull it, pull it up.
- Make it tight.Copy !req
176. Scott and I, we used to sing madrigals
in high school.Copy !req
177. - What? Really?
Yeah, yeah.Copy !req
178. I hated singing.
I just did it for the pussy.Copy !req
179. Ran into Scott in SoHo and he really…
really wanted to come.Copy !req
180. Got it. Got it.Copy !req
181. I never get to go
to artist parties, you know?Copy !req
182. It sucks.
The drugs there are always the best.Copy !req
183. Mm. Mm-hm…Copy !req
184. - Scott's in finance.
- Shocking.Copy !req
185. - Yeah. What do you do?
- I'm the future of musical theater, Scott.Copy !req
186. Welcome. I'm gonna get another drink.Copy !req
187. That guy's hilarious.Copy !req
188. Not today!Copy !req
189. - Whoo!Copy !req
190. That was freaking amazing!Copy !req
191. - Whoo!
- Yeah, Scott!Copy !req
192. Whoa.Copy !req
193. Hi. Everyone's leaving.Copy !req
194. - I just needed some fresh air.
- Okay.Copy !req
195. It's freezing up here.Copy !req
196. Where is your coat?Copy !req
197. Oh, I don't know. It's, uh…Copy !req
198. It's at the bottom of a very large pile.Copy !req
199. Oh!Copy !req
200. Mm.Copy !req
201. Wow. That's pretty.Copy !req
202. That's the prison barge.Copy !req
203. - Oh, yeah.Copy !req
204. I heard, uh, in Jacob's Pillow, they're
hiring new teachers for the dance school.Copy !req
205. - Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.Copy !req
206. Work a couple of hours a week.
Then the rest of the time is yours.Copy !req
207. - Free studio space whenever you want.
- Hey… Whoa…Copy !req
208. - Can we just talk for a second?
- Mm.Copy !req
209. Can we just talk about
how amazing you were tonight?Copy !req
210. - Thank you.
- I am not messing around.Copy !req
211. I could just watch you dancing forever.Copy !req
212. I was thinking of maybe applying.Copy !req
213. - Hm?
- To the job in Jacob's Pillow.Copy !req
214. - We went there last summer, remember?
- Oh.Copy !req
215. We saw the new Mark Morris.Copy !req
216. - Oh, yeah!
- Yeah.Copy !req
217. - That's the place in the Berkshires?
- Mm-hm.Copy !req
218. So, you're gonna move to the Berkshires?Copy !req
219. And not have to work
30 hours a week doing word processingCopy !req
220. to pay the rent, why not?Copy !req
221. I might actually be able
to get back into shape.Copy !req
222. Okay. Yeah. All right.
Let's do it. Let's move.Copy !req
223. - I'm being serious.
- Hey, I'm being serious.Copy !req
224. We're gonna live in a log cabin.
We're gonna hunt… acorns.Copy !req
225. We're gonna—
We're gonna gather squirrels.Copy !req
226. What are you even talking about?Copy !req
227. - It's the Berkshires.Copy !req
228. People have vacation homes there.
You've been there.Copy !req
229. I'm so sorry.
Can we— Can we please go inside?Copy !req
230. Sorry, I just feel like I'm scared—Copy !req
231. I'm beginning
to lose sensation in my extremities.Copy !req
232. You are such a baby.Copy !req
233. Take this.Copy !req
234. Whoa. Hold on.Copy !req
235. - You like?Copy !req
236. I thought that you were in a hurry
to get back inside.Copy !req
237. You know that job in the Berkshires?Copy !req
238. - Yeah, sounds amazing.
- I already applied for it.Copy !req
239. - Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.Copy !req
240. - And I got it.
- Oh…Copy !req
241. - Oh, yeah? That's great.
- Yeah.Copy !req
242. It starts in June.Copy !req
243. Okay. So this is just for the summer?Copy !req
244. No. Mm-mm, it's permanent.Copy !req
245. Jon?Copy !req
246. Whoa, the Berkshires?Copy !req
247. That is, like, so far from Midtown.Copy !req
248. Yeah. Yeah.Copy !req
249. Why is she doing this right now?Copy !req
250. And she says,
"I want you to come with me."Copy !req
251. - What did you say?
- I said, "Oh?"Copy !req
252. What am I supposed to say?
I didn't know what to say.Copy !req
253. I mean, like, I can't…
I can't leave New York.Copy !req
254. - Oh, tell her to move in with you.
- Move in where?Copy !req
255. You need a new roommate, right?Copy !req
256. It's two birds, one stone.
You are very welcome.Copy !req
257. Okay, so, what… what about the guy
that you were dating? David?Copy !req
258. - I thought you guys were great together.
- It didn't work out.Copy !req
259. Oh. There's a focus group
at the office this week,Copy !req
260. and they're looking for a few more people.
How about I sign you up?Copy !req
261. So you can lure me to the dark side?Copy !req
262. No! So I can introduce you
to my colleagues,Copy !req
263. and show them how brilliant you are.Copy !req
264. I don't want a job in advertising.Copy !req
265. I don't want you
to have a job in advertising.Copy !req
266. I want you to have a job in…
jingle writing.Copy !req
267. - No, listen.Copy !req
268. You come up with jingles
all the time for fun, Jon.Copy !req
269. You come up with songs
about cereal we're eating.Copy !req
270. - You could get paid for that.Copy !req
271. Well, you know,
when Superbia gets produced,Copy !req
272. I will be getting paid
for my music anyway. So…Copy !req
273. That's true.Copy !req
274. And we are here.
Home sweet home.Copy !req
275. Oh… my… God!Copy !req
276. Michael tosses the keys
to the parking attendant.Copy !req
277. What apartment building
has a parking attendant?Copy !req
278. Fresh flowers in the lobby.Copy !req
279. An old, white lady with a tiny dog.Copy !req
280. Is this real life?Copy !req
281. Ow!Copy !req
282. Stand clear
of the closing doors.Copy !req
283. I swear to God!
I'm talking to you in the back.Copy !req
284. Stand clear of the closing doors.Copy !req
285. You still don't have the song?Copy !req
286. I don't know.
I usually write a song in a day.Copy !req
287. Last week, I wrote a song about sugar.
It took me three hours.Copy !req
288. Why would you do that?Copy !req
289. An exercise.Copy !req
290. In what?Copy !req
291. I like to see
if I can write a song about anything.Copy !req
292. Why don't you try to see
if you can write a song for your musicalCopy !req
293. that's being presented
to an audience in six days instead?Copy !req
294. Ira Weitzman, head of
musical theater at Playwrights Horizons.Copy !req
295. The first, and so far,
only actual theater personCopy !req
296. to offer to put on a workshop of Superbia.Copy !req
297. I'm starting to think
that maybe I don't need it.Copy !req
298. - You do need it.
- You know…Copy !req
299. …you're the only person
who ever said that.Copy !req
300. Just so you know.Copy !req
301. You're telling me in the five years
you've been writing this musical…Copy !req
302. Eight years, actually.Copy !req
303. …no one else has told you
that you're missing a songCopy !req
304. for Elizabeth in the second act?Copy !req
305. No one.Copy !req
306. Okay, I'm lying.Copy !req
307. One person did say that.Copy !req
308. For years, I was a part
of this musical theater writing workshop.Copy !req
309. Once a week, we would gather the few
surviving members of our dwindling tribe.Copy !req
310. We'd watch one of us present what
we'd been working on to a panel of, well…Copy !req
311. real writers.Copy !req
312. The theater legends,
who created the Broadway showsCopy !req
313. that we'd grown up dragging our parents
into the city to see…Copy !req
314. The panel would change every week.Copy !req
315. The night I presented,
people began to buzzCopy !req
316. as soon as we walked through the door.Copy !req
317. Is it really him?Copy !req
318. It was.Copy !req
319. Stephen Sondheim.Copy !req
320. All right, I'll start.Copy !req
321. I'm lost.Copy !req
322. I… I don't know what the show is.Copy !req
323. Is it social commentary?
Is it science fiction?Copy !req
324. And the music is the same thing.
Is it rock? Is it Broadway? Is it both?Copy !req
325. Is it neither? Steve, what did you think?Copy !req
326. I have to say,
I disagree pretty strongly, Walter.Copy !req
327. I think this is a musical
that knows exactly what it is.Copy !req
328. Yes. Yes. Of course, yes. Abso—Copy !req
329. The world that you've created
is really original.Copy !req
330. It's fascinating.Copy !req
331. The problem is, it's not particularly easy
to follow the emotional thread.Copy !req
332. The details distract us
from connecting with the characters.Copy !req
333. - Does that make sense?
- Okay. Okay.Copy !req
334. Yes, yes. We're on the same page.
That's exactly how I felt.Copy !req
335. We're saying the same thing,
just differently.Copy !req
336. But the music, okay, I'm sorry—
The music just wasn't there.Copy !req
337. I actually—
I thought the songs were swell.Copy !req
338. Yeah, okay… Yes. Yes.
The individual songs.Copy !req
339. I particularly like the one the young man
sings at the end of the first act.Copy !req
340. First rate lyric and tune. Well done.Copy !req
341. "First rate lyric and tune."Copy !req
342. Thank you.Copy !req
343. Those five words were enough
to keep me going for the next two years.Copy !req
344. You're missing a song
for the young woman. Uh…Copy !req
345. - Elizabeth?
- Elizabeth.Copy !req
346. It's the turning point in the show.Copy !req
347. Your protagonist is either gonna go
in this direction or that direction.Copy !req
348. Someone has to wake him up,
shake some sense into him.Copy !req
349. Okay.Copy !req
350. It's so funny because I was
gonna say the exact same thing.Copy !req
351. Can we talk musicians?
Because if it's only gonna be four,Copy !req
352. then I gotta figure out how
I'm gonna split up the bass parts.Copy !req
353. This is for you. Here you go.Copy !req
354. - Thank you.
- Yeah. Uh…Copy !req
355. - Jon, this is a reading.
- Mm.Copy !req
356. You'll have a piano.Copy !req
357. I wrote a rock score.Copy !req
358. So, at the very least I'll need a synth
and drums and a guitar and—Copy !req
359. A great song should sound great
without any instruments.Copy !req
360. Mm. Okay.Copy !req
361. Let's just do the song as a cappella.Copy !req
362. Oh, actually, you know what?
Maybe we'll just skip the songs,Copy !req
363. and then we can get the audience
in and out in half an hour.Copy !req
364. I will take a look at the budgetCopy !req
365. and I will see if I can dig up
some money for another musician.Copy !req
366. Two more.Copy !req
367. And piano is the absolute
bare minimum for this.Copy !req
368. Have you spoken to Rosa?Copy !req
369. Hey, Rosa, this is Jonathan Larson,
your client.Copy !req
370. I've left multiple messages
with your secretary.Copy !req
371. - Rosa Stevens is still your agent, right?
- Oh, yeah. No, yeah, we…Copy !req
372. We talk constantly.Copy !req
373. Has she sent out the invites
for the presentation yet?Copy !req
374. We haven't gotten a lot of RSVPs.Copy !req
375. - It's fine.
- Mm.Copy !req
376. Nobody has more contacts
in the industry than Rosa.Copy !req
377. I'm sure she'll get some
good people there for you.Copy !req
378. Yeah, yeah.Copy !req
379. - I'll see you Monday.
- Yes, sir.Copy !req
380. First day of rehearsal.Copy !req
381. And finish the song already. Please.Copy !req
382. - Thank you, Ira.
- Thanks.Copy !req
383. Thank you for all this. Thank you.Copy !req
384. Yeah. I want to leave a message
for Mr. Sondheim.Copy !req
385. This is, um… my name is Jonathan Larson.Copy !req
386. Hi there, this is a message for Joe Papp.Copy !req
387. For Bernie Gersten.Copy !req
388. For the Artistic Director
of the Shubert Organization.Copy !req
389. For La MaMa. So, it's Larson, L-A-R-S-O-N.Copy !req
390. No, not Parson. It's something
that's never been done before.Copy !req
391. It's gonna be quite the event.Copy !req
392. It has tremendous commercial possibility.Copy !req
393. We're filling up fast.
I want to make sure you got your spot.Copy !req
394. I know that his time is limited.
Oh! It would be such a treat!Copy !req
395. Zero pressure.
Ha-ha. I really want you there.Copy !req
396. So, can I count you in?
There'll be a seat reserved for him.Copy !req
397. Superbia at Playwrights Horizons.
It's at 10:00 a.m.Copy !req
398. This Friday at 10:00 a.m.
I'm so excited about Friday.Copy !req
399. I wouldn't want you to miss it.
That's all the information I can give you.Copy !req
400. They should put
every Sondheim musical on PBS.Copy !req
401. Well, Sunday is a pretty good start.Copy !req
402. I don't understand,
why can't he just tell her he loves her?Copy !req
403. Why can't he be an artist
and love her?Copy !req
404. He— He does love her.Copy !req
405. Yeah, but, like,
he can't express it.Copy !req
406. That's a personal problem. Yeah.Copy !req
407. I'm sayin'…Copy !req
408. Men!Copy !req
409. Bernadette in that corset…Copy !req
410. Like, that waist is just like…Copy !req
411. - How did he do that?Copy !req
412. - Did you crack it yet?
- Oh, I'm getting so close.Copy !req
413. - Call me if you need inspiration.
- No, no, don't go. Hang out.Copy !req
414. You can… you can sleep in your old room.Copy !req
415. Mm-hm.Copy !req
416. - Write the song, Boo-Boo.Copy !req
417. …with AIDS.Copy !req
418. North Carolina Senator, Jesse Helms,Copy !req
419. is worried the legislation
was sending the wrong message.Copy !req
420. Let me say that if IV drug users
and homosexual menCopy !req
421. would stop their activities today,Copy !req
422. there would never be
another case of AIDS in this countryCopy !req
423. other than the ones already in progress.Copy !req
424. Henry Champ, at the US Capitol.Copy !req
425. The Senate
has overwhelmingly approved legislationCopy !req
426. providing nearly $3 billion…Copy !req
427. - Hi.
- Hey. Oh, my God! I love you.Copy !req
428. Uh, they want an answer by Wednesday.Copy !req
429. So I was wondering
if we could maybe talk about it?Copy !req
430. Uh…Copy !req
431. - The job.
- Oh.Copy !req
432. Yeah. Um…Copy !req
433. Can we, uh, talk about it tomorrow?Copy !req
434. 'Cause I have to finish
this song right now. Is that okay?Copy !req
435. Sure.Copy !req
436. You sure you're sure?Copy !req
437. I'm sure.Copy !req
438. Okay.Copy !req
439. You don't seem sure.Copy !req
440. - Good night, Jonathan.
- Okay, good night. Um…Copy !req
441. I'll be in.Copy !req
442. Freddy's in the emergency room.Copy !req
443. What?Copy !req
444. He woke up Saturday morning
with a fever, he could—Copy !req
445. He couldn't stop shivering.Copy !req
446. Wait, wait, no. Wait.Copy !req
447. La— He told me last week
his T-cell count—Copy !req
448. The doctor said that it was exactly
where they wanted it, four days ago.Copy !req
449. I guess it changed.Copy !req
450. Shit.Copy !req
451. - He's gonna be fine.
- Yeah, you know… you're right.Copy !req
452. I mean it. He's gonna be fine.
Think about it.Copy !req
453. You know how stubborn he is.
He's a pain in the ass.Copy !req
454. - Right?
- Yeah.Copy !req
455. Frankly, we should be pissed at him
that he's left us understaffed.Copy !req
456. - At Sunday brunch.
- Right.Copy !req
457. - You know what I'm saying?
- Yeah.Copy !req
458. Okay.Copy !req
459. Freddy, shit!
I should go to the hospital.Copy !req
460. When am I gonna go to the hospital?
I need to write.Copy !req
461. When am I gonna write?
I need to talk to Susan.Copy !req
462. I need to see Freddy. I should call Susan.
Why can't I write this song?Copy !req
463. How can you possibly be thinking
about your showCopy !req
464. when your friend is in the hospital?Copy !req
465. - What am I doing here?Copy !req
466. I need to leave.
I need to walk out that door and go.Copy !req
467. But it's 9:30 on a Sunday morning
at the Moondance Diner.Copy !req
468. I'm not going anywhere.Copy !req
469. Eggs up!Copy !req
470. Do you have any of that
wonderful Jewish bread?Copy !req
471. It's "holly," dear.
They call it "holly" bread.Copy !req
472. Would you like some challah bread?Copy !req
473. Tranquilo, tranquilo.Copy !req
474. Ya, tranquilo. ¡Termina tu obra!Copy !req
475. Harrington for four.
Harrington? Harrington?Copy !req
476. Uh, ex—Copy !req
477. Moondance. What do you want?Copy !req
478. That was a Ghostbusters reference.Copy !req
479. Do we take reservations?
No, we do not— We're a diner.Copy !req
480. - Where's my rye bread?
Name, please?Copy !req
481. - Richard.
- Richard. How many?Copy !req
482. - Caplan.
- Richard Caplan.Copy !req
483. How many in your party?Copy !req
484. - With a "C."
- Got it. How many in your party?Copy !req
485. "C" as in "cat."Copy !req
486. - I understand.
Can we order?Copy !req
487. One second. How many in your party?Copy !req
488. It's not a math test.Copy !req
489. - Order.Copy !req
490. Thank you for your patience.Copy !req
491. I said an omelet with no yolks.Copy !req
492. This is why you're just a waiter.Copy !req
493. Tension.Copy !req
494. Major vomit situation in the ladies' room.Copy !req
495. - Check!
- Can we get two more mimosas, please?Copy !req
496. 'Cause she got a new job, okay?Copy !req
497. Either put some Baileys in this coffeeCopy !req
498. or put some vodka
in this orange juice, please.Copy !req
499. Balance.Copy !req
500. BLT up.Copy !req
501. ¡Si se quejan de que se enfría,
no es culpa mía!Copy !req
502. - Fudge!Copy !req
503. - Carolyn.
Can we get the check?Copy !req
504. - Carolyn?
- Hey.Copy !req
505. - Excuse me. Do you have any Baileys?
- One sec.Copy !req
506. Jesus Christ!Copy !req
507. - Brunch.Copy !req
508. Monday morning.Copy !req
509. My first day of rehearsals
for the Superbia workshop, which is still,Copy !req
510. in case you'd forgotten, missing its
crucial Act Two musical number.Copy !req
511. I make my way there
through the land of the dead…Copy !req
512. the Theater District.Copy !req
513. I'll be auditioning for the role
of Old Deuteronomy.Copy !req
514. On behalf of Playwrights Horizons,
I want to welcome everyoneCopy !req
515. and thank you all for taking part
in this very exciting new musicalCopy !req
516. by a very exciting young writer,
Jonathan Larson.Copy !req
517. He's not even 30.Copy !req
518. Oh, wow. Thank you, Ira.Copy !req
519. Um… this is the first real workshop
that this musical has ever had.Copy !req
520. And now you guys are part of the family.Copy !req
521. So, any questions
before we, uh, get going?Copy !req
522. - Yeah, no. Yeah.
Um…Copy !req
523. Could you… um…
Could you explain it, maybe?Copy !req
524. Yeah. Explain what?Copy !req
525. Oh, just the musical. The story.Copy !req
526. It's a little, um, confusing
in certain places. Not in a bad way.Copy !req
527. Superbia, a satire set in the future
on a poisoned planet Earth,Copy !req
528. where the vast majority of humanity
spend their entire livesCopy !req
529. just staring at the screens
of their media transmitters,Copy !req
530. watching the tiny elite
of the rich and powerful,Copy !req
531. who film their own fabulous lives
like TV shows.Copy !req
532. A world where human emotion
has been outlawed.Copy !req
533. This will be the first musical written
for the MTV generation.Copy !req
534. This is my—Copy !req
535. Is it supposed to be aliens?
I wasn't sure if it was all, like, aliens.Copy !req
536. Nope, not aliens. Um…
But it is set in the future.Copy !req
537. It's perfect. Keep going. Keep going.Copy !req
538. I love it. I love it.Copy !req
539. You told me you needed a drummer.
Oh, my goodness.Copy !req
540. Good night. Wonderful work.
Really wonderful work.Copy !req
541. No…
I… I told you I needed a band.Copy !req
542. It's 100 dollars for every musician.Copy !req
543. Yeah. And your annual operating budget
is half a million dollars?Copy !req
544. So far we're up to 12 RSVPs, Jon.Copy !req
545. You don't need a band
with an audience of 12 people.Copy !req
546. You'll outnumber them.Copy !req
547. If you want more musicians,Copy !req
548. you're gonna have to find
the money for it somewhere else.Copy !req
549. I'm sorry.Copy !req
550. Thank you for everything.Copy !req
551. I went to three
friends' funerals last year.Copy !req
552. The oldest one was 27.Copy !req
553. Pam, Gordon, Ally.Copy !req
554. Freddy's not even…Copy !req
555. He turned 25 two weeks ago.Copy !req
556. And nobody's doing enough.Copy !req
557. I'm not doing enough.Copy !req
558. There's not enough time,
or maybe I'm just wasting my time.Copy !req
559. And what about Susan's time?Copy !req
560. When am I gonna talk to Susan?Copy !req
561. What am I gonna say?
I don't know what to say.Copy !req
562. So Susan waits,
and the time keeps ticking.Copy !req
563. Tick, tick, tick.Copy !req
564. And I have three days left
until the workshop.Copy !req
565. Three days left to write this song.
And if the song doesn't work,Copy !req
566. the show doesn't work,
and then it's all been a waste of time.Copy !req
567. Who gives a shit about a song?Copy !req
568. And I miss Michael.Copy !req
569. I need to talk to Michael.Copy !req
570. I don't have time to talk to Michael.Copy !req
571. Make sure you're not speeding up.Copy !req
572. I'm missing consonants
in "quintessential social adventure."Copy !req
573. - Hi. Thanks.
- It sounds great.Copy !req
574. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?Copy !req
575. - I thought it might be a nice surprise.
- Oh, no. It is. It is.Copy !req
576. Okay. It's Tuesday.Copy !req
577. Mm…Copy !req
578. I need to give them the decision
about the job by tomorrow, so…Copy !req
579. Is there a moment
where you can take a break?Copy !req
580. I can't. No, the actors take breaks.
I don't… I don't have any breaks.Copy !req
581. I just don't know what I'm gonna do. So…Copy !req
582. Um…Copy !req
583. Can you… Can you ask for an extension?Copy !req
584. I'm sorry, can we…
Can we talk about this tonight?Copy !req
585. I'm so… One second.Copy !req
586. This is… Can we get this section…Copy !req
587. - I can give you 50 for everything.Copy !req
588. You're gonna sell it
for five times that amount.Copy !req
589. Fifty's the best I can do.Copy !req
590. - Cash?
- Great.Copy !req
591. Oh, no.
He's keeping the Godspell.Copy !req
592. "Day by Day."Copy !req
593. Yeah, yeah. I love it.Copy !req
594. Ah, ah, ah!Copy !req
595. I'd love to take you to lunch.
Celebrate your birthday.Copy !req
596. I can't this week.Copy !req
597. I could really use
your advice on some things.Copy !req
598. Hey, Michael? I'm sorry,
can I call you back later?Copy !req
599. I'm just… I'm right in the middle
of something here.Copy !req
600. Oh, uh, that focus group I mentioned…Copy !req
601. They're still looking
for one more person to sign up.Copy !req
602. It's Thursday at 11:00.
I know money's tight for you right now.Copy !req
603. You know what? Never mind.Copy !req
604. Uh, wait. How much does it pay?Copy !req
605. It's only 75 bucks,
but it could be a thing.Copy !req
606. I'll be there.Copy !req
607. Thank you really. That's… Yeah, thank you.Copy !req
608. - Wow.
- Okay, bye. Bye-bye.Copy !req
609. All right, see you.Copy !req
610. - You were right.
- I know.Copy !req
611. - Can I hear it?Copy !req
612. - Huh?
- The new song.Copy !req
613. - Any day now.Copy !req
614. - You're killin' me, Larson.Copy !req
615. - Oh, sh…Copy !req
616. Shh!Copy !req
617. - My God.Copy !req
618. Hey, it's me.
Just pick up the phone.Copy !req
619. I know you're screening your calls.Copy !req
620. Every light is on
in your apartment right now.Copy !req
621. I can see you!Copy !req
622. Hey. Hi. You could have called first.Copy !req
623. - I just did.
- Mm.Copy !req
624. It's good to see you too.Copy !req
625. I didn't mean it like that.Copy !req
626. - Jesus, Jonathan.Copy !req
627. I need you to talk to me.Copy !req
628. I'm writing, Susan. I'm writing.Copy !req
629. You're gonna write a great
American musical in the next ten minutes?Copy !req
630. Thank you for being
so supportive of my work.Copy !req
631. Because you've been
such a champion of mine?Copy !req
632. - What's that supposed to mean?
- What do you think it means?Copy !req
633. And now, ladies and gentlemen,
we present you with…Copy !req
634. …scenes from a modern
romance as told in song.Copy !req
635. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I—Copy !req
636. I'm not allowed to talk about my needs.
What needs?Copy !req
637. - Did I say that?
- You didn't have to say it. It's implied.Copy !req
638. How is it implied?Copy !req
639. You're the artist and I'm the girlfriend.
That's how you feel, right?Copy !req
640. - Can we talk about this later, please?
- When, Jonathan? When is later?Copy !req
641. Not tonight.Copy !req
642. I have been rehearsing all day.
I have been up since four this morning.Copy !req
643. I have been trying to write a song
for a week and I am nowhere.Copy !req
644. I've been telling you
how unhappy I am for months.Copy !req
645. Everyone's unhappy in New York!
That's what New York is!Copy !req
646. I don't know how
to get through to you anymore.Copy !req
647. You keep shutting me out,
you keep putting up these fences.Copy !req
648. - I'm not. I'm not shutting you out.
- You're a million miles away all the time.Copy !req
649. - Actually, I'm right here.
- Are you, Jonathan?Copy !req
650. Actually? Because I know you.Copy !req
651. You're right. I've been distracted,
but I promise you, after the workshop—Copy !req
652. After the workshop.Copy !req
653. After the workshop!Copy !req
654. Everything is after the workshop.Copy !req
655. Yeah.Copy !req
656. What if the workshop happens
and nothing changes?Copy !req
657. No producer with a big check.Copy !req
658. You don't go straight to Broadway.Copy !req
659. You're still a waiter, you're still living
in this apartment, you're still broke.Copy !req
660. What then, Jonathan? What about me?Copy !req
661. I can't move to the Berkshires.Copy !req
662. I can't leave my career behind.Copy !req
663. You think I don't know that?Copy !req
664. What?Copy !req
665. What are you…? What is this?
What do you want?Copy !req
666. I guess I just…
I wanted you to tell me not to go.Copy !req
667. Of course I don't want you to go.Copy !req
668. - Really?
- Obviously.Copy !req
669. 'Cause this is the first time
you've ever said it.Copy !req
670. Oh, my God.Copy !req
671. You're thinking about how you can
turn this into a song. Aren't you?Copy !req
672. No. What?Copy !req
673. You know what, Jonathan? I'm done.Copy !req
674. Susan? Susan, wait.Copy !req
675. I hope that you have an amazing workshop.Copy !req
676. Susan, hold on. Susan?Copy !req
677. So, just waiting on one more person.Copy !req
678. - Enjoy those waters.Copy !req
679. - So…Copy !req
680. I'm Jon.Copy !req
681. - Yes, Mr. Larson, you're Michael's friend.
- Yeah.Copy !req
682. - How are you?
- Good. You're late.Copy !req
683. - Oh.
- Okay.Copy !req
684. - Sorry about that.
- That's okay.Copy !req
685. - No, because of the subway.
- Yeah, I'm sure.Copy !req
686. Take a seat when you can.Copy !req
687. - Hi.
- Welcome.Copy !req
688. Oh. Thanks.Copy !req
689. You sure there's no way
to get into the bathroom?Copy !req
690. Oh, no, you're not allowed
to use the bathroom.Copy !req
691. Sorry, did she mention
when we were gonna get paid?Copy !req
692. Okay, um, so now that we're all here…Copy !req
693. - Hi.
- Hey.Copy !req
694. Why don't we begin
with a quick brainstorming session? Right?Copy !req
695. Just to get those creative juices flowing.
You know what I mean? It'll be fun.Copy !req
696. Two hours of this.Copy !req
697. - For one extra musician.Copy !req
698. So why don't we start
by you just throwing out some ideasCopy !req
699. when you hear me say the word "America."Copy !req
700. - George Washington.
- Excellent.Copy !req
701. - Abraham Lincoln.
- Abraham Lincoln. Okay.Copy !req
702. Empire, racism, genocide, Vietnam.Copy !req
703. Grover Cleveland.Copy !req
704. - The Constitution?
- Yes.Copy !req
705. - Yeah.
- Magna Carta.Copy !req
706. - The Bill of Rights.
- Mm-hm.Copy !req
707. - The right thing to do.
- Ooh.Copy !req
708. The right stuff.
- Right stuff.Copy !req
709. An open road at sunset.Copy !req
710. Wind in your hair.Copy !req
711. Nothing in your way, except horizon.Copy !req
712. That is beautiful, Mr. Larson.Copy !req
713. Wow. Okay. That goes on the board.Copy !req
714. - The sun.
- Sunrise.Copy !req
715. The dawn of a new day.Copy !req
716. - Oh! Where did you come from?
- It all goes back.Copy !req
717. - You're amazing.
- That is incredible.Copy !req
718. A window looking out on a field.Copy !req
719. Oh, and I look out, and I see
the bunnies and little squirrelies—Copy !req
720. The beating heart of the nation.Copy !req
721. - Ooh!
Oh, my gosh.Copy !req
722. - Absolutely. That's absolutely what it is.
- Beautiful.Copy !req
723. - I've never even heard that before.
- You are gifted.Copy !req
724. I could get used to this.Copy !req
725. I could get paid for this.Copy !req
726. I could get health care. A 401(k).Copy !req
727. A BMW. A luxury apartment…
on Central Park West.Copy !req
728. - No, no, no… East.Copy !req
729. I could actually be rewarded
for my creativity,Copy !req
730. instead of rejected and ignored.Copy !req
731. This could be the rest of my life.Copy !req
732. Now that we have all those
fabulous ideas of yours in our heads,Copy !req
733. we are going to turn to the task at hand.Copy !req
734. We are here to develop a name
of a revolutionary consumer productCopy !req
735. that is just about to hit your shelves.Copy !req
736. Oh. Wow.Copy !req
737. This is where we're gonna needCopy !req
738. that incredible imagination
of yours, Mr. Larson.Copy !req
739. So the product we're looking at
is a tasteless, odorless chemical compoundCopy !req
740. that will be used as
a fat substitute in cooking.Copy !req
741. Mm.Copy !req
742. And it's been successfully tested
on a number of mammals.Copy !req
743. Well, that's good. Mm.Copy !req
744. There are some side effects
associated with the productCopy !req
745. that I've been instructed
to tell you about.Copy !req
746. So it's skin scales.Copy !req
747. Um… full hair loss.Copy !req
748. - Hair, eyebrows, eyelashes…Copy !req
749. This could be the rest of my life.Copy !req
750. And finally, in a small number of users,Copy !req
751. there were reports
of toxic shock syndrome…Copy !req
752. resulting in a brief hospitalization.Copy !req
753. Eh, no big deal.
- There are no bad ideas.Copy !req
754. - Free oil.
- Love it.Copy !req
755. - Oil free.
- Okay.Copy !req
756. - That's the same thing she just said.
- I switched the words around.Copy !req
757. That's totally fine, Kim.
Thank you so much.Copy !req
758. - The American Dream.
- Okay, well…Copy !req
759. Dreams of freedom.
- Okay.Copy !req
760. Nutra-oil.
- That's not bad, Todd.Copy !req
761. Waist oil. No.Copy !req
762. I got it.Copy !req
763. - I have it. I have the exact—
- Go, go!Copy !req
764. You wanna hear? I got the exact
right thing for this product.Copy !req
765. Chubstitute.Copy !req
766. Chubstitute?Copy !req
767. - It's a joke.
- It's not funny.Copy !req
768. - Well, maybe not to you but—
- I recommended you, Jon.Copy !req
769. I put my name on the line for you.Copy !req
770. - Tell them I had a stroke.
- It isn't funny.Copy !req
771. This is my life.Copy !req
772. No, it's not your life, it's advertising.Copy !req
773. It's figuring out how to trick peopleCopy !req
774. into buying shit that they don't want.Copy !req
775. Actually, it's a lot more
complicated than that.Copy !req
776. I don't understand how
you can take any of this seriously.Copy !req
777. - Because they pay me to.
- Money isn't everything.Copy !req
778. - Well, it doesn't hurt.
- Are you sure about that?Copy !req
779. What are you doing with your life
that's so noble?Copy !req
780. - I'm making art.
- That's what the world needs. More art.Copy !req
781. Actually, yes. And at least
I'm not perpetuating a system that's—Copy !req
782. Spare the self-righteousness, Jon.Copy !req
783. You're writing musicals
in your living room,Copy !req
784. you're not saving the rainforest.Copy !req
785. Wow.Copy !req
786. Gosh, I wish I could be more like you,Copy !req
787. and spend my life caring
about driving the right carCopy !req
788. and wearing the right suits
and living in a doorman building.Copy !req
789. Why shouldn't I want those things, Jon?
Not all of us have options you do.Copy !req
790. All the things that you take for granted.Copy !req
791. - What? Like what?
- Like a life with the person you love.Copy !req
792. Do you know what I would give for that?
You— You turn your nose up at it.Copy !req
793. If that's what you want,
what's stopping you?Copy !req
794. What's stopping me? How about
Jesse Helms and the Moral Majority?Copy !req
795. How about the people
that run this country?Copy !req
796. I can't get married. I can't have kids.Copy !req
797. Half our friends are dying and the other
half are scared to death they are next.Copy !req
798. So, I'm sorry for getting a nice car, Jon.Copy !req
799. I'm sorry for moving into
an apartment with central heating.Copy !req
800. I'm sorry for enjoying my life
while I still have time.Copy !req
801. I gotta go.Copy !req
802. Hey.Copy !req
803. You wanna come take the subway?Copy !req
804. I'd rather walk.
- Michael.Copy !req
805. Michael.Copy !req
806. Hello?Copy !req
807. Johnny, darling. It's Rosa.Copy !req
808. - Hello?
- Rosa Stevens?Copy !req
809. - Are we excited for tomorrow?
- Tomorrow?Copy !req
810. The presentation.
You remembered the presentation?Copy !req
811. Remembered it?
I got every producer in town coming.Copy !req
812. - So it better be good.Copy !req
813. Yeah, it's, uh… it's gonna be amazing.Copy !req
814. Let's see if we can't get
a bidding war startedCopy !req
815. on this musical of yours. What do you say?Copy !req
816. Yes, sure.Copy !req
817. Okay, doll.Copy !req
818. Charlie, get me Hal Prince on the line.Copy !req
819. Rosa? Um, I—Copy !req
820. I'm so sorry.Copy !req
821. Yeah. I know, I know, I know.Copy !req
822. Oh, no.Copy !req
823. Why wouldn't you have called me
to tell me my payment was lateCopy !req
824. before you just cut off my power?Copy !req
825. How is—? How does that make sense?Copy !req
826. Sir, as I explained before,
you received a notice—Copy !req
827. No, no, no, listen.Copy !req
828. You don't understand. I have a workshop.Copy !req
829. I have a public presentation
of my musical in 12 hours…Copy !req
830. Sir, if you are going to raise your voice…Copy !req
831. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.Copy !req
832. Look, look, look.
I can pay you over the phone, right now.Copy !req
833. - I have my credit card right here…
- The billing office is closed.Copy !req
834. I would love to figure it out right now.Copy !req
835. The billing office is closed
for the night.Copy !req
836. - What am I gonna do?
- Sir, like I've said, call—Copy !req
837. Hello?
- Hey, Beth. Hey.Copy !req
838. How are you? It's Jon.Copy !req
839. Hi, Jon.Copy !req
840. Hi, um… is Susan there?Copy !req
841. She doesn't wanna talk to you, Jon.Copy !req
842. Yeah.Copy !req
843. Um…Copy !req
844. Sure, sure. Uh…Copy !req
845. Well, can you… um…
can you give her a message for me?Copy !req
846. - What is it?
- Well, it's just, you know…Copy !req
847. I wanted to remind her that tomorrow
is my workshop and you know, I…Copy !req
848. I know I don't have any right to ask this.
It's just that…Copy !req
849. I would just really love her to be there.Copy !req
850. I'll tell her you called.Copy !req
851. Here I am.Copy !req
852. The musical to which
I have devoted my youthCopy !req
853. is about to be put on public display
for every producer in New York.Copy !req
854. I haven't written a single note
or a single lyricCopy !req
855. of the most important song in the show.Copy !req
856. I have no electricity.Copy !req
857. My best friend is furious with me.
My girlfriend isn't speaking to me.Copy !req
858. And there is only
one thing I can think of to do:Copy !req
859. Swim.Copy !req
860. The show is about to begin.Copy !req
861. The room is completely empty.Copy !req
862. The show is about to begin,
and I am lookingCopy !req
863. at 60 empty folding chairs.Copy !req
864. Hi.Copy !req
865. Hey, boy genius.Copy !req
866. I'm turning 30 on Sunday, you know.Copy !req
867. Oh, well, happy birthday.Copy !req
868. Thank you.Copy !req
869. - Thirty's still young, you know.
- No one's here.Copy !req
870. Oh. It's not even 9:00.Copy !req
871. The presentation doesn't start till 10:00.Copy !req
872. Oh…Copy !req
873. That's good.Copy !req
874. - Cool.Copy !req
875. Okay.Copy !req
876. - Can you sight read?
- Yeah.Copy !req
877. Slowly, miraculously,
people start to show up.Copy !req
878. - Johnny.
Be right back.Copy !req
879. This is phenomenal.
Look at the space, it's just phenomenal.Copy !req
880. - It's a rehearsal studio, Dad.
- It's a Broadway rehearsal studio.Copy !req
881. - This is the real thing.
- We're so excited for you, dear.Copy !req
882. - Thank you.
- Are they paying you?Copy !req
883. - No.Copy !req
884. - Next time.
- Sure.Copy !req
885. Oh, look, for us.
- No, that's not…Copy !req
886. - That's for someone else, actually.
- Mm. Do you like that?Copy !req
887. You can literally sit in any other seat.Copy !req
888. - Okay. Break a leg.
- Shall we sit there?Copy !req
889. - I love you. Thank you.
- I love you.Copy !req
890. His hair is ridiculous.Copy !req
891. Good turnout.Copy !req
892. Yeah, mostly friends.Copy !req
893. Mm, what a nightmare.Copy !req
894. Thank you… for being here.Copy !req
895. Wild horses, Jon. You know that.Copy !req
896. - Oh! Okay. Break legs.
- Yeah.Copy !req
897. Oh. Thank you. Thank you.Copy !req
898. Ira, you son of a gun.Copy !req
899. - Jonathan, how are you?
- Rosa.Copy !req
900. - Jon Larson.
- Oh, there he is.Copy !req
901. Just the man I'm looking for.
You nervous? Don't be nervous.Copy !req
902. - Yeah. A little nervous. Sure.
- Of course you're nervous.Copy !req
903. The first presentation of your musical is
like having a colonoscopy in Times Square.Copy !req
904. Only with a colonoscopy,
the worst thing that could happenCopy !req
905. is you find out you have cancer.Copy !req
906. With a musical,
you find out you're already dead.Copy !req
907. Have a good show.
Can't wait to see what you did.Copy !req
908. We can't keep waiting. It's quarter past.Copy !req
909. I know. I know. I know.Copy !req
910. - Break a leg.
- Okay.Copy !req
911. Come here. Thank you.Copy !req
912. Hello. Hi, welcome.Copy !req
913. I'm Jonathan Larson.Copy !req
914. Whoa… Hey, well…Copy !req
915. You don't have to do that.
Thank you so much, that was very kind. Uh…Copy !req
916. Thank you for being here,
um, this morning.Copy !req
917. - This is, um…Copy !req
918. That's Stephen Sondheim.
- Right. Like I was saying…Copy !req
919. Thank you all for being here.
This is my musical, Superbia,Copy !req
920. and I've been working on it for…
a little while now.Copy !req
921. And I just really hope you all like it.Copy !req
922. Thank you.Copy !req
923. And the next hour and a half are a blur.Copy !req
924. And then…Copy !req
925. Karessa steps forward to sing my new song.Copy !req
926. Not even 12 hours old.Copy !req
927. I close my eyes.Copy !req
928. I brace myself.Copy !req
929. I don't dare take a breath.Copy !req
930. But when I open my eyes…Copy !req
931. I don't see Karessa there.Copy !req
932. Whoo!Copy !req
933. - Hello?
- Hi, honey, it's Rosa.Copy !req
934. Hi, Rosa. Thank you so much for calling.Copy !req
935. Well, you already left six messages.Copy !req
936. Yeah. Um…
So have you heard anything yet?Copy !req
937. Honey, I have heard nothing
but raves all day long.Copy !req
938. I'm getting call after call after call.Copy !req
939. Wow.Copy !req
940. Okay. Yes! That's great news.Copy !req
941. Everyone is telling me the same thing.
"That Jonathan Larson!"Copy !req
942. "I can't wait to see what he does next."Copy !req
943. What do you mean, what I do next?
What about Superbia?Copy !req
944. I always told you, it was a tough sell.Copy !req
945. It's too arty for Broadway.Copy !req
946. Tourists aren't gonna shell out 50 dollarsCopy !req
947. to see a show about spaceships and robots.Copy !req
948. Um… That's not what it's about. Um…Copy !req
949. Well, of course, I know that, Jonathan.Copy !req
950. But you know these producers, they care
about one thing and one thing only.Copy !req
951. Okay. Uh… So what about Off-Broadway?Copy !req
952. It's too expensive for Off.Copy !req
953. You got a cast of thousands,
with the special effects…Copy !req
954. Uh… Charlie, tell him I'll be on in a sec.Copy !req
955. - Listen, sweetie, I gotta run.
- I'm sorry, Rosa…Copy !req
956. Congratulations
on a terrific presentation.Copy !req
957. Rosa, Rosa, hold on.Copy !req
958. So, okay…Copy !req
959. So what am I supposed to do now?Copy !req
960. You start writing the next one.Copy !req
961. And after you finish that one,
you start on the next.Copy !req
962. And on and on, and that's
what it is to be a writer, honey.Copy !req
963. You just keep throwing them
against the wallCopy !req
964. and hoping against hope
that eventually, something sticks.Copy !req
965. Listen.Copy !req
966. Little advice from someone who's
been in this business a long, long time?Copy !req
967. On the next one, maybe
try writing about what you know.Copy !req
968. Okay, kiddo?Copy !req
969. Yeah.Copy !req
970. Start sharpening those pencils.Copy !req
971. Yeah, yeah.Copy !req
972. I think let's give it a minute
and see what happens next week.Copy !req
973. Hey, I need a job.Copy !req
974. - Can you hold on a second?
- I'll apologize to the focus group lady.Copy !req
975. I will never say anything bad
about marketing research ever again,Copy !req
976. I swear to God.Copy !req
977. I'm gonna call you right back.Copy !req
978. I wanna do what you do.
I wanna have what you have.Copy !req
979. I want the BMW, I want the doorman,
I want it, I want all of it. Okay?Copy !req
980. - What's going on?
- Oh, it's good. It's good.Copy !req
981. I just spent
the last eight years killing myselfCopy !req
982. on a musical that's never gonna happen.Copy !req
983. I find that very hard to believe.
It was incredible this morning.Copy !req
984. Well…But not incredible enough.Copy !req
985. I can't do it again, Mike.Copy !req
986. I can't stomach five more years
of waiting tables,Copy !req
987. five more years of writing things
that no one will ever seeCopy !req
988. while Broadway just churns out
mega-musicalsCopy !req
989. without a hint of even
the slightest thing originalCopy !req
990. or, God forbid, something
to actually say about the world!Copy !req
991. Are you done?Copy !req
992. - No, actually—
- The presentation, Jon, it was amazing.Copy !req
993. It would be a tragedy
to give up what you have.Copy !req
994. - You did it.
- Please!Copy !req
995. I was a mediocre actor.Copy !req
996. Do you know how many mediocre actors
there are in New York City?Copy !req
997. Do you know how many
Jonathan Larsons there are?Copy !req
998. One.Copy !req
999. I can't keep wasting my time, Mike.Copy !req
1000. - I turn 30 in two days.
- And?Copy !req
1001. And Stephen Sondheim was 27
when he had his first show on Broadway.Copy !req
1002. Well, guess what? You're not
Stephen Sondheim. Wait a little longer—Copy !req
1003. I'm not waiting anymore.
I can't keep waiting. This is my life.Copy !req
1004. - I understand.
- No, you don't. I'm running out of time.Copy !req
1005. - You are not running out of time.
- You don't know anything about it.Copy !req
1006. I'm HIV-positive.Copy !req
1007. What?Copy !req
1008. - How long have you known?
- A few days.Copy !req
1009. Who knows?Copy !req
1010. I might get lucky. People do.Copy !req
1011. Live a year, longer even.Copy !req
1012. Anyway, I think I might know
a thing or two about running out of time.Copy !req
1013. Why didn't you tell me sooner?Copy !req
1014. You tried.Copy !req
1015. Jill Kramer returning, line two.Copy !req
1016. I have to take that.Copy !req
1017. - Mike—
- I can't talk about this now, please.Copy !req
1018. Jill. Hey, it's Michael.Copy !req
1019. Yeah, I just want to see how
the Downy account was going.Copy !req
1020. - Mm-hm.Copy !req
1021. I think of the day I met Michael.Copy !req
1022. It was the first day
at sleep-away camp, 22 years ago.Copy !req
1023. We were eight.Copy !req
1024. I think of high school,
all the shows we did together.Copy !req
1025. I think of the summer that
our parents decided to stayCopy !req
1026. in the same town in Cape Cod,
a mile away from each other.Copy !req
1027. And we'd meet on the beach
every night and, um…Copy !req
1028. we'd just sit there talking
till three in the morning about our plans.Copy !req
1029. About how one day we were
gonna move to the city together and…Copy !req
1030. …find a cheap apartment and be discovered,Copy !req
1031. and change the world.Copy !req
1032. Hey, you've reached Susan, Beth—Copy !req
1033. I think of the first summer
back from college.Copy !req
1034. We smoked a bowl on Kennedy breakwater
and Michael told me he was gay.Copy !req
1035. I think of our friends, so many.Copy !req
1036. - I think of their funerals.Copy !req
1037. I think of their parents
not even 50,Copy !req
1038. saying the Kaddish over their children.Copy !req
1039. I think of them
and I think of Michael.Copy !req
1040. And before I understand
what's happening, I start running.Copy !req
1041. Past the pond, past the carousel.Copy !req
1042. The ticking is so loud now,
I can't hear anything.Copy !req
1043. My heartbeat is pounding in my throat.Copy !req
1044. The wind is shrieking through the trees.Copy !req
1045. The sky is darkening.Copy !req
1046. I want it to stop.
I want it all to stop!Copy !req
1047. Hey. Whatever happens next,
I'm here. I promise.Copy !req
1048. There's, um… there's a support group,
it's called Friends In Deed.Copy !req
1049. I just called them.
They have a meeting tomorrow morning.Copy !req
1050. - You look like shit.Copy !req
1051. I'm so cold.Copy !req
1052. Come on.Copy !req
1053. Oh, Mike.Copy !req
1054. - I'm sorry.Copy !req
1055. Sunday.Copy !req
1056. My 30th birthday.Copy !req
1057. Jon? Steve Sondheim here.Copy !req
1058. Rosa gave me this number,
I hope it's okay to call you.Copy !req
1059. I didn't get a chance to speak with you
after the reading,Copy !req
1060. but I just wanted to say
it was really good.Copy !req
1061. Congratulations.Copy !req
1062. I'd love to get together and talk to
you about it, if you have any interest.Copy !req
1063. - No pressure.Copy !req
1064. The main thing though, is that
it's first-rate work and has a future.Copy !req
1065. And so do you.Copy !req
1066. I'll call you later with some thoughts,
if that's okay.Copy !req
1067. Meanwhile, be proud.Copy !req
1068. You know, there was a small—
very, very small piece of meCopy !req
1069. that was the teensiest bit happy
to hear you're not leaving.Copy !req
1070. I'd have been sad not
to see you every Sunday morning.Copy !req
1071. Oh. Cheers.Copy !req
1072. I told Freddy.
He's pissed off at your agent.Copy !req
1073. - How is he?Copy !req
1074. - He should be going home soon.
- Really?Copy !req
1075. Yes. Yes.Copy !req
1076. God…Copy !req
1077. Oh.Copy !req
1078. - Uh, I'll be— Yeah.
- You go handle that.Copy !req
1079. - Hi.
- Hi.Copy !req
1080. I didn't know you were, um…Copy !req
1081. I wasn't sure whether
you would want me here.Copy !req
1082. I'm so happy you're here.Copy !req
1083. So how was the reading? Did anybody—?Copy !req
1084. - I'm sorry.
- No, it's okay.Copy !req
1085. - I really wanted to be there. I just—
- Susan…Copy !req
1086. I know.Copy !req
1087. What are you gonna do now?Copy !req
1088. I'm gonna start the next one.Copy !req
1089. I decided to take the job.Copy !req
1090. Okay.Copy !req
1091. I'm happy for you.Copy !req
1092. Happy birthday.Copy !req
1093. Thank you.Copy !req
1094. You really didn't have to get me anything.Copy !req
1095. It's for the next one.Copy !req
1096. Got any ideas?Copy !req
1097. Just questions.Copy !req
1098. That seems like
a really good place to start.Copy !req
1099. Goodbye, Jonathan.Copy !req
1100. The next one was tick, tick… BOOM!Copy !req
1101. After that, he went back to a project
he'd started and put away, called Rent.Copy !req
1102. It ran on Broadway for 12 years.Copy !req
1103. It changed the definition
of what a musical could be.Copy !req
1104. What it could sound like.Copy !req
1105. The kinds of stories it could tell.Copy !req
1106. Jonathan never got to see it.Copy !req
1107. The night before Rent's
first public performance, he died…Copy !req
1108. from a sudden aortic aneurysm.Copy !req
1109. He was 35 years old.Copy !req
1110. He still had so many questions.Copy !req
1111. Make a wish.Copy !req
1112. One, two…Copy !req