Jonathan Larson
1960-1996
New York City, New York, USA

Jonathan Larson was born in White Plains, New York, in Westchester County to a Jewish family. Since he was little he was exposed to the performing arts as music and theater. He played the trumpet and tuba in his high school band, was involved in his school's choir and took formal piano lessons. His early musical influences were rock musicians such as Elton John and Billy Joel, as well as the classic composers of musical theater, especially Stephen Sondheim and the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Larson was also considered a great actor in high school, performing in lead roles in various productions at White Plains High School. He composed RENT one of the most famous Broadway musical ever in the 90s.On the night of the final rehearsal, one night before Rent's premiere Jonathan Larson suddenly died of an aneurysm from Marfan Syndrom. It was ten days before his 36th birthday. Jonathan Larson never got to see his masterpiece on Broadway.

Important works and awards:

• RENT: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score

Larson was an important person in the 1990s because of his works and his intelligence for composing things like his most famous RENT,as you have read it made up to four awards and in that you can see that he realy put his heart into what he loved doing best musicals.