[1] Jonathan Larson was invited to compose music for En Garde Arts‘s production of Jeffrey M. Jones’ J.P. Morgan Saves the Nation, a postmodern work detailing the life of financier J. P. Morgan.
Larson was called in as a replacement as Jones' long-time collaborator, Dan Moses Schreier, dropped out, suggested by artistic director Annie Hamburger after hearing a recording of the workshop production of Rent at New York Theatre Workshop.
[2] Ron Chernow's The House of Morgan was a major historical source for the team during development.
[3] The score for J.P. Morgan contains "Larson’s musical recipe" including classic composer John Philip Sousa, soul, Seattle-inspired music, and electric-guitar-heavy grunge.
[5] The show was staged at the "pointedly appropriate setting" of the Federal Hall National Memorial on Wall Street, which was across the street from the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company, founded by the titular character.
[6] Due to the nature of the location, background checks were performed on the actors.
[9] The New York Times noted the piece's "intricate, even esoteric book...obviously the product of many hours of library research" and "peppy score in a post-modernist medley of musical voices".