received the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Rent. Rent received four 1996 Tony Awards (including Best Musical and two to Mr. Larson— Best Book of a Musical and Best Score of a Musical); six Drama Desk Awards (including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Music and Best Lyrics); Best Musical Awards from the New York Drama Critics Circle and the Outer Critics Circle (Off-Broadway); and three Obie Awards (including Outstanding Book, Music and Lyrics). Previously, he received the Richard Rodgers Award, the Richard Rodgers Development Grant, the Stephen Sondheim Award and The Gilman & Gonzales-Falla Theatre Foundation’s Commendation Award. Earlier work includes Superbia; tick, tick... BOOM!; the score of J.P. Morgan Saves the Nation; and selections of Sitting on the Edge of the Future. He also wrote music for “Sesame Street,” and the chil- dren’s book-cassettes An American Tail and Land Before Time, as well as for Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner. He conceived, directed and wrote four original songs for Away We Go!, a children’s video. Rent had its world premiere on February 13, 1996, at New York Theatre Workshop and opened at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre on April 29, 1996. Mr. Larson died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm, believed to be caused by Marfan Syndrome, on January 25, 1996. It was 10 days before his 36th birthday. His semi-autobiographical musical tick, tick... BOOM! (which he wrote previous to Rent) had a successful run Off-Broadway at the Jane Street Theatre.