In 1992, a few years before the premiere of Rent, Jonathan Larson performs his rock monologue Tick, Tick… Boom! in front of an audience at New York Theatre Workshop, accompanied by friends Roger and Karessa Johnson. He begins telling about events leading up to his 30th birthday and his desire to become a successful musical theater composer (“30/90”).
In 1990, a week before his 30th birthday, Jonathan juggles work at the Moondance Diner with preparing for a workshop at Playwrights Horizons of his musical Superbia, which he has been working on for eight years. He has a party at home with friends, including his former roommate Michael, who left acting for advertising, his girlfriend Susan, a dancer-turned-teacher, and fellow waiters Freddy and Carolyn (“Boho Days”). While alone later, Susan tells Jonathan about a teaching job in the Berkshires and asks him to come too (“Green Green Dress”).
Jonathan visits Michael at his new Upper East Side apartment, celebrating his financial success and higher quality of life from their old apartment (“No More”). Ira Weitzman, the Musical Theatre Program Director at Playwrights Horizons, asks Jonathan to write a new song for Superbia, as the story needs it. This troubles him, as his idol, Stephen Sondheim, told him the same at the ASCAP Workshop some years ago, but he can’t come up with anything and he only has a week.