Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
"Jon did this thing...he would ask himself questions. He would literally write a big question – like a capital-B BIG question – on a piece of paper, and then write his way to the answer, through song." -Lin-Manuel Miranda, interview with GoldDerby, 2021
Jonathan Larson died at age 35, uncertain about what his impact would be. As it turns out, he had a pretty significant one, especially on a young composer named Lin-Manuel Miranda. Twenty-five years after his death, Larson's life was dramatized onscreen, in Miranda's film adaptation of Larson's autobiographical "tick, tick...BOOM!" But what changes when Larson's own anxieties are viewed through the larger context of his life and legacy? Zach Barr (they/them) discusses a film for the first time, diving deep into Miranda's film adaptation to reveal that messages it communicates, intentionally or not, about genius, legacy, friendship, and Sunday brunch.
UPDATE: thank you to the comments for making me aware that it was Michael Starobin, not Jonathan Tunick, who orchestrated “Sunday in the Park…” I regret the factual error, almost as much as I regret not getting to use the phrase “Starobinian,” which is a fantastic adjective.
Bibliography: docs.google.com/document/d/1jcAO52jSbFLwh9bJ-MyKOMo76CBnktjiVo55emGMvxQ/edit?usp=sharing
"And Now They Sing" Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4vfdXUW5yrUATqDIsz1d5C8wDdewZflz
For suggesting topics: instagram.com/admiralzachbarr
For donations: ko-fi.com/admiralzachbarr
"Jon did this thing...he would ask himself questions. He would literally write a big question – like a capital-B BIG question – on a piece of paper, and then write his way to the answer, through song." -Lin-Manuel Miranda, interview with GoldDerby, 2021
Jonathan Larson died at age 35, uncertain about what his impact would be. As it turns out, he had a pretty significant one, especially on a young composer named Lin-Manuel Miranda. Twenty-five years after his death, Larson's life was dramatized onscreen, in Miranda's film adaptation of Larson's autobiographical "tick, tick...BOOM!" But what changes when Larson's own anxieties are viewed through the larger context of his life and legacy? Zach Barr (they/them) discusses a film for the first time, diving deep into Miranda's film adaptation to reveal that messages it communicates, intentionally or not, about genius, legacy, friendship, and Sunday brunch.
UPDATE: thank you to the comments for making me aware that it was Michael Starobin, not Jonathan Tunick, who orchestrated “Sunday in the Park…” I regret the factual error, almost as much as I regret not getting to use the phrase “Starobinian,” which is a fantastic adjective.
Bibliography: docs.google.com/document/d/1jcAO52jSbFLwh9bJ-MyKOMo76CBnktjiVo55emGMvxQ/edit?usp=sharing
"And Now They Sing" Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4vfdXUW5yrUATqDIsz1d5C8wDdewZflz
For suggesting topics: instagram.com/admiralzachbarr
For donations: ko-fi.com/admiralzachbarr
![Low Budget Milky Whites [LIVE at BroadwayCon 2024]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m6EUYZNgxT4/mqdefault.jpg "Low Budget Milky Whites [LIVE at BroadwayCon 2024]
He wasn’t puppeteering her just yet; she was still inanimate. Then he tilted her head ever so slightly, and instantly there she was: imbued with life and seemingly quizzical — even if her big, almost teary eyes are really just beveled foam coated with clear epoxy that catches the light. Yeah, we’re best friends, said Kanagawa. -Laura Collins-Hughes, 2022
Of all the characters from “Into The Woods,” none have seen more…variation between productions than Jack’s beloved cow. The defunct Tumblr blog “Low Budget Milky Whites” catalogued a bestiary of staging choices: puppets, masks, facepaint, balloons, and more. But, funny as they are, what can these costumes teach us about the medium of theatre? Zach Barr (they/them) discusses the differences between Static and Dynamic Art, through the lens of the cow as white as milk.
Performed July 27, 2024 – LIVE at BroadwayCon 2024
Thank you to BroadwayCon and the Mischief Management staff for hosting me! This was my first time ever presenting And Now They Sing live, and it was a blast the whole way through. Special shoutout to the attendee who brought their own Milky White puppet and asked me to sign the udder afterwards – I missed your name but you made my whole weekend.")
