Bay Street Theatre devises the next great American musical before 30 with 'Tick, Tick...Boom!'

Last November, it seems all anyone with even a slight interest in musical theater could talk about was the new Netflix movie “Tick, Tick… Boom!”

The film is an adaption of the autobiographical musical about Jonathon Larson, most known for creating “Rent.” Now you have a chance to see the stage version here in Savannah with the Bay Street Theatre’s production starting Sept. 9.

The stage version is a little different from the film version but still has entrancing energy. “The audience can expect something remarkable,” said director, Jeffrey DeVincent.

“It's hard to explain. So it's a different way of experiencing the story.”

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The musical follows Jon as he navigates relationships and expectations while trying to write the next great American musical before he turns 30.

“I see it as a really tightly wound young man who discovers along the way through his own music [that] the answer is really self-empathy and the need to be forgiving of oneself and to keep pushing, but the discovery of self-empathy and self-forgiveness really helps him achieve his goal.”

This production is also a return to directing for DeVincent after a three-year hiatus due to shutdowns and other COVID protocols. During that break from theater, DeVincent was introduced to “Tick, Tick… Boom!” through Netflix.

“I thought Andrew Garfield was just magnificent. Lin-Manuel Miranda did a fantastic job directing it.”

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The film version is much more elaborate than the original stage version, but that isn’t to say that putting together “Tick, Tick… Boom!” for a Savannah audience hasn’t come without its own difficulties.

“The production has been very challenging in that we've had two cases of COVID-19 which means ten days of needing to vary rehearsals and lots of vacation conflicts, but it's been a blast.”

While the film had a full cast, the stage version has traditionally only had three performers playing the 10 different roles. Bay Street Theatre’s production continues that tradition.

“It's only three performers in the show. One plays Jon, who is the lead character, obviously, and the other two people play everybody else. It's been so much fun, and it's been a real treat for me.”

DeVincent said that seeing it live will convert film fans because the energy of the piece is the same.

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“The live energy is just amazing, and it's obviously not as subtly acted as you see in film, but the live thing is most important. I come from the land of you go see a play. I want to see people playing. I want to see people having fun. I want to see people being energized.”

What he would like to see most is people discover how empathy and forgiveness for yourself can help you break through mental blocks.

“Artists have a tendency to want to bang their heads on the wall until they get through with an issue whereas being curious about the issue and allowing yourself to discover yourself as you go and discover the people around you, as you live with them, it's a really beautiful thing to watch.”

“Tick, Tick… Boom!” is Sept. 9th through 11; and Sept. 16 through 18 at Bay Street Theatre inside Club One. Tickets are $20 and $30 and can be purchased clubone-online.com/events.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah GA events: Tick, Tick...Boom! at Bay Street Theatre