APSU Department of Theatre & Dance to present ‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’

By: Dr. Andrea Spofford February 18, 2025

APSU students rehearse for the Department of Theatre & Dance’s production of “Tick, Tick…Boom!” The show will run from Feb. 27 through March 2.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University’s Department of Theatre & Dance, with support from the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts and the Roy Acuff Chair of Excellence, will present "Tick, Tick...Boom!” in APSU’s Margaret Fort Lab Theatre from Feb. 27 through March 2, 2025. 

A semi-autobiographical musical written by and based on the life of Jonathan Larson, "Tick, Tick...Boom!” is directed by Zakk Mannella with musical direction by Austin Shaw.  

“This year's Roy Acuff Chair of Excellence season continues with ‘Tick, Tick...Boom!’” CECA Director Dr. Andrea Spofford said. “We are grateful that APSU is the home of the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts and the Roy Acuff Chair of Excellence. This show, and others like it, is a testament to what our students can create and is one of the many ways we engage with our community and the arts.” 

"Tick, Tick...Boom!” was first performed as a solo piece, later premiering off-Broadway in 2001. The musical explores themes of purpose and drive, addressing life in the arts.  

APSU’s version of the production stars the following students: 

• Jules Orihuela as Jon 

• Julia Atwell as Susan 

• Ariez Sun as Michael

• Nicolas Sperandeo as the Jon Understudy 

• Allie Pyka as the Susan Understudy 

• Lily Reynolds as the Michael Understudy 

“’Tick, Tick... Boom!’ is a raw and electrifying journey through realizing your dreams, battling doubt, and pursuing passion against all odds,” Visiting Assistant Professor and Director Zakk Mannella said. “It is a stunning tribute to the power of resiliency and creativity all while facing the reality of the ticking clock that reminds us all to live life to the fullest before time runs out.” 

Tickets for “Tick, Tick...Boom!” are $5 for APSU students, faculty, staff, military, and seniors and $10 for adults. They can be purchased by visiting the Department of Theatre & Dance Box Office website, emailing boxoffice@apsu.edu, or calling 931-221-7379.  

For more on this production, contact Mannella at mannellaz@apsu.edu. To learn about future CECA events and productions, visit https://www.apsu.edu/ceca/. Additional support for student success is provided by CEMC and Cumberland Connect.  

About the Roy Acuff Chair of Excellence at Austin Peay State University 

In 1985, country music legend Roy Acuff generously established an endowment to enrich the arts community at APSU and in Clarksville-Montgomery County. The result was the Roy Acuff Chair of Excellence, which brings regionally and nationally acclaimed artists to APSU to share their expertise with students and the community in a dynamic atmosphere of unrestricted experimentation. The Acuff Chair rotates between APSU's four creative arts departments and programs—Art + Design, Creative Writing, Music, and Theatre & Dance—and has been filled each year with residencies by nationally and internationally known artists since its inception.