tick, tick…Boom!: all the cameos in the award-winning film
© MACALL POLAY/NETFLIX
It's taken us a month to put this one together but hey, it's not like tick, tick…Boom! is going anywhere! Lin-Manuel Miranda's film version of Jonathan Larson's semi-autobiographical musical about his great push to make a giant musical, titled SUPERBIA, has made a massive stir, even being nominated for Golden Globes.
But did you know there is an absurd volume of cameos in the film? How many have you spotted?
Creatives on the bleachers
One moment in the movie sees Larson put his early attempts at his new musical in front of a panel, with an audience of creatives looking on. These are largely made of legendary present-day composers, writers and creatives including:
Jason Robert Brown
Dave Malloy
Helen Park
Georgia Stitt
Marc Shaiman
Alex Lacamoire
Stephen Schwartz
Matthew McCollum
Grace McLean
Eli Bolin
Jeanine Tesori
Shaina Taub
Stephen Trask
Joe Iconis
Nick Blaemire
Tom Kitt
Amanda Green
Jaime Lozano
Chad Beguelin
Matthew Sklar
Steven Levenson
Workshop stars
Imagine having this star power for your actual musical workshop! Appearing in Larson's Superbia rehearsal week are (all accompanied by MD Kurt Crowley):
Aneesa Folds (Freestyle Love Supreme)
Joél Pérez (Fun Home)
Kate Rockwell (Mean Girls)
Janet Dacal (The Band's Visit)
Eddy Lee (Hamilton)
Gizel Jiménez (Wicked)
Focus group
A very amusing scene sees Larson demo full-sell-out working in an ad-agency focus group – where he works alongside:
Laura Benanti (My Fair Lady)
Danielle Ferland (Into the Woods)
Utkarsh Ambudkar (Freestyle Love Supreme)
Micaela Diamond (The Cher Show)
Diner Scene
This is truly the Avengers moment of the film – Larson's twist on "Sunday" from Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, an ensemble number set in Larson's diner, is basically transformed into a giant ode to Broadway, made all the more pertinent given the loss of "Sunday" creator Stephen Sondheim earlier this year. Appearing in the moment are:
Chuck Cooper (The Life)
Chita Rivera (West Side Story)
Joel Grey (Cabaret)
Phillipa Soo (original Hamilton cast)
Renée Elise Goldsberry (original Hamilton cast)
Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me, Kate)
Howard McGillin (longest-running Phantom on Broadway)
André de Shields (Hadestown)
Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun)
Bebe Neuwirth (Chicago)
Bernadette Peters (Sunday in the Park with George)
Wilson Jermaine Heredia (original Rent cast)
Adam Pascal (original Rent cast)
Daphne Rubin-Vega (original Rent cast)
Lin-Manuel Miranda – after his role in In the Heights, the Hamilton creator is still dishing up grub!
© Netflix, photo by Macall Polay
Odd spots
Roger Bart and James C Nicola – Funnily enough, Bart, who appears in the opening number sat in Larson's diner, was a fellow waiter with the Rent creator in the '90s! He's sat opposite legendary director Nicola.
Danny Burstein and Judy Kuhn – The two Broadway legends are Larson's parents in the film
Christopher Jackson and Jelani Alladin – Appear for Larson's final showcase – the two Broadway performers falling for Larson's great work.
Anna Louizos and Robyn Goodman – The vet set designer and three-time Tony Award-winning producer are both jamming along during Larson's apartment-set party, which is the setting for one of the early numbers "Boho Days".
Luis A Miranda – Miranda's father is the concierge in "No More", where Larson basks in the luxury of his best friend Michael's new apartment.
Stephen Sondheim
While the top-class actor Bradley Whitford does a stellar Sondheim taking on the role, the actual Sondheim also pops up at the end of the film – in perhaps one of his last appearances. He provides the actual voice message left for Larson, which comes at the emotional climax of the show. Classy.
