Big Bear Theatre Project's 'tick, tick…BOOM!' opens October 15 with a three-person cast and a story built for dreamers

Big Bear Theatre Project opens tick, tick…BOOM! on October 15, 2026, at the Big Bear Lake Performing Arts Center, 39707 Big Bear Blvd, running through October 25^[1]. The production is directed by Brian Adams and stars Corydon Melgoza as Jonathan, Tori Waner as Susan, and Emmon Amid as Michael — a cast of three carrying the entire emotional weight of the show^[1].

What the show is

tick, tick…BOOM! is a semi-autobiographical musical written by Jonathan Larson, the composer and playwright best known for creating Rent^[1]. Larson wrote it about his own life, centering the story on a composer in New York City scrambling to finish his work on the eve of his 30th birthday — acutely aware that his window to break through might be closing^[1]. The source material describes it as "a high-voltage celebration of creativity, ambition, and the relentless drive to make art that matters" that "crackles with urgency and the very real ache of a dreamer racing against the clock"^[1].

Why this production matters locally

For Big Bear Valley audiences, this kind of small-cast, character-driven rock musical is relatively rare on the mountain stage. The intimate three-person format — all dialogue, narration, and song delivered directly by Melgoza, Waner, and Amid — demands total commitment from the performers and places the audience unusually close to the material. It is a different theatrical experience than a large ensemble production, and one that tends to reward repeat attendance.

Director Brian Adams and lead Corydon Melgoza have not yet spoken publicly about their approach to the material; their perspectives on staging a show this personal, and this closely tied to Larson's own biography, would add meaningful depth to what Big Bear Theatre Project is attempting here.

Tickets and details

tick, tick…BOOM! runs October 15–25, 2026, at the Big Bear Lake Performing Arts Center^[1]. Ticket information and the full performance schedule are available through Big Bear Theatre Project directly; visit bigbeartheatreproject.com or check their event listings for pricing and showtimes.