Jonathan Larson January 21. The time is around 6:45 pm.  Writer, composer Jonathan Larson was sitting in the very last few rows listening as cast he had chosen for his "about to be" Broadway musical, "Rent" went through one of the final dress rehearsals in The New York Theater Workshop. He and the Director of "Rent" Michael Grief began to sing one of the songs form the show when Larson began to feel a pain in his chest. The pain worsened. Larson (being the compulsive worrier and hypochondriac close friends and relatives knew him as) turned to an actor and said,"You better call 911. Think I'm having a heart attack." Lagon was rushed to the Emergency Room of New York's Cabrini