UWL’s Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Tick, Tick… Boom!” a semi-autobiographical musical that tells the story of Jon, a struggling composer in 90s New York City, as he struggles with love, friendship and the pressure to achieve his artistic dreams before time runs out.
This musical performance is brought to life at UWL by just three cast members, Sean Peterson, Ellie Hemming and Gavin Muller. With such a small cast, some of these actors play multiple roles, showcasing their talent to be able to change character in just a few moments.
“One of the hard things is embodying all of the different characters and trying to make them all different, physically and vocally,” said Hemming.
With such a small ensemble, each performer must carry significant weight, often portraying multiple characters while maintaining distinct personalities, voices and physicalities for each role.
“I like it because it’s like a challenge. I’ve played a handful of big characters in shows and this one is something that’s different and kind of one of those things were there’s no room for error,” said Peterson.
The limited cast size means every line, note and cue contributes directly to the show’s success. Being a musical show also means that this experience will be filled with song, allowing these actors to showcase their vocal talent as well.
“I think all the songs are very different from each other, one will be a country like Dolly Parton style song, and one will have nods to “Rent”, Jon Larsons other major show,” said Hemming.
This story is easy to relate to especially for UWL college students, in the sense that all students experience that feeling of growth, but also that inevitable comparison to others, while on your own journey.
“I think everyone can relate to the story of wanting to strive for something while not comparing themselves to the people around them,” said Hemming.
“Tick, Tick…Boom!” explores themes of self-doubt, ambition, and the pursuit of a creative career versus a more stable path.
“Time keeps going whether we like it or not, we’re all going to graduate school and go on with our lives, and we might not know what that looks like right now, and it might just happen,” said Muller.
Beyond the performers, the creative team must craft staging, transitions and musical arrangements that keep the production dynamic and engaging despite the minimal cast.
“It is by far the most connected I’ve felt with a cast, and our whole production team is amazing. There’s a lot of inside jokes,” said Muller.
This kind of show requires immense stamina, versatility and trust among the performers, as well as close coordination with directors, musicians and stage crew to create a seamless theatrical experience.
“It’s the most intimate show that I feel like I’ve been in, especially in the space that it’s in. It’s in a three-quarter thrust space, so there’s audience on three sides, instead of a normal proscenium. It’s a very unique space to have the show in, and it’s been fun working off of that,” said Muller.
Some scenes include different sides of the theater getting see a different character’s reaction to something taking place in each scene. This allows the audience to feel closer to the actors and have a unique experience every time.
“If you see the show multiple times from different sides, it’s kind of a different show. You get to see different reactions,” said Hemming.
Sean Peterson, a junior double majoring in musical theatre and communication studies, developed an interest in theater very early on in life and has been consistently involved since fifth grade. Early participation included background roles in productions, with a deeper commitment emerging after guidance from a vocal instructor in high school. Future goals include pursuing a day job in sales while directing theater at a high school level.
Gavin Muller, a senior majoring in theatre with a performance emphasis anda minor in stage management, has been involved in theater since fifth grade. With a strong focus on acting, Gavin has participated in numerous plays and developed a deep appreciation for the art of stage performance. A dream production would involve combining performance experience with skills in stage management.
Ellie Hemming, a senior majoring in musical theatre with minors in stage management and dance, first appeared in a production at the age of five. Coming from a family active in theater, Ellie has gained experience in both house management and stage management. The current role represents the largest performance opportunity at UWL to date. Throughout the years, involvement in theater has remained constant in various capacities and a future career in any aspect of theatre is desired.
If you’re interested in seeing these actors at work in this production, you can see them this weekend. The show takes place in Frederick Theatre in Morris Hall.
Performance Dates:
November 7-8 & 13-15 at 7:30 p.m.
November 9 & 16 at 2:00 p.m.
