Take 5 with Music Director Jordan Oczkowski

Fall 2025 Music Director Jordan Oczkowski has some interesting parallels to composer and lyricist Jonathan Larson as he tackles the musical helm of his musical: both are rockin' piano players and both were on the cusp of turning thirty when they began work on TICK, TICK... BOOM! We took a moment with Jordan, whose generosity, enthusiasm, and talent are palpable to all that enter the rehearsal room, to ask some questions about how Jonathan Larson's work resonates with him in this moment and what's been memorable about the process of putting this electric autobiographical musical on its feet at The Umbrella...

How'd you get started with music and musical theater? Any advice for those starting out?

My mom had me take piano lessons at age three, and I continued throughout elementary school. In elementary school, I also started acting in musicals. One of the first roles I played was Tiny Tim in Leslie Bricusse's Scrooge. I’ve been hooked on theatre and all things music since then. I continued to act on stage until high school and in music school I transitioned into playing in the pit orchestras for schools and local productions. If you want to make the leap into the performing arts, I would say power up your bravery and go for it! Try all sorts of different types of music and dance and performing. It's so good for your mental health to engage in the arts.

I resonate with Jon’s opening monologue about not being accomplished enough by age 30.  In the arts it is so easy to compare yourself with your peers. Social media has made it even easier to do so. Seeing colleagues and friends making great art or having amazing opportunities forces me to reflect on what I have accomplished. As we all know, this is not a healthy way to view life. Comparison is the thief of joy. I also love Jon’s monologues about the state of the world and his passion for social justice. As a person of color, I’ve always felt strongly about social justice and now more than ever, I want to harness my own agency because actions speak louder than words. 

What is unique about this score and Larson’s other works is that he really writes for a rock band. The band has some very tightly arranged parts that are harmonically very simple. This structure allows him to write really beautiful melodies and harmonies for the singers. Larson was also a rockin’ pianist. His writing really fits ergonomically into the players hands. Steven Schwartz’s musicals also have the same feeling as he writes from the piano. Larson also loves chords with no 3rds. That third determines whether a chord is major and minor and most of the time we associate different emotions with major and minor sounding chords. The lack of a third in the chord helps create emotional ambiguity and makes audiences feel multiple emotions at a time. 

I believe that the next decade will be really exciting! Outside of being a Music Director I am a full time elementary school music teacher, which is so rewarding. I am very lucky to be at a school that values music and the arts. I’m in my 6th year and I have no plans of leaving any time soon. I also moved to Boston during the pandemic and it’s the longest I have lived in one city since high school. It’s amazing to form bonds and relationships with people that you know will last a long time. 

This has been such a fun and thoughtful process. Everyone is here to make great art and do this story justice. While we are striving for amazing art, we have been so lighthearted and given so much grace to each other to try new things and make mistakes. One of my favorite mistakes came at the end of a very long night when I completely messed up playing "Happy Birthday". The cast and crew thought it was so funny that I messed up such a simple tune.

Funnily enough, Jonathan Larson's onstage avatar jokes about forgetting how to play "Happy Birthday" as well! Catch that moment and so many other unforgettable ones in TICK, TICK... BOOM! before it closes on November 23, 2025.