44 Lights

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Welcome to the premier developmental production of 44 Lights.

44 LIGHTS is a labor of love that has taken over two decades to create. The journey began on the morning of September 11th, 2001, the most beautiful day of the year. It started with cloudless blue skies and intense sunshine, and ended as the most tragic day in modern American history. Tim Tuttle knew over thirty friends, neighbors, and former co workers, who didn’t come home.

The play deals with the darkness of that day and the light and hope that we found in the aftermath.

Tim wrote his first song the night of 9/11 in an effort to communicate his pain and loss through music. Two weeks later, he recorded it with Jeremy Slansky in a New York studio. One song turned into many more and then a memorial concert on the first anniversary. Music From Ground Zero came to life from the ashes outside their office window in downtown Manhattan. The concerts became an annual act of remembrance at local venues.

Three CDs, twenty concerts, and a documentary about the road they travelled to healing after such immense devastation, ultimately led Tim to writing a musical in 2023.

Casting eleven actors and six musicians, he has created an experience for audiences to follow his personal story and find their own journey. Thousands saw and felt the same thing at Ground Zero as he did that morning and for the first time it’s coming to the stage.

Love always conquers death. Our friends and family are never gone, they walk beside us, they live on in our hearts and mind. Forever.

We need to honor the fallen not just by remembering them, but by living a life that makes them proud. They are frozen in time. We must do something positive with our extra moments, the time granted to us.

44 LIGHTS is a combination of beautiful songs and story that takes the audience to an incredibly special place. The feedback has been overwhelming. Everyone who has seen it has said the same thing “I want to share this with friends”. It’s a collective musical experience.

This is the first play that has attempted to deal with the day of 9/11 at Ground Zero in New York City. In Act Two, the audience witnesses friends coming together to find strength in each other. In the end, they find that friendship and love carries them through.

It’s written by someone who was there, who lost many friends, who spent twenty years creating and performing songs to honor them. For more information visit www.musicfromgroundzero.org

Song List

Soldiers Son

Lucky

Twenty Years

Nasty Banker

Narration #1

You Can See Forever

Mary's Blues

Narration #2

Narration #3

He Said

Goodbye

See How They Run

Higher Ground

Narration #4

I Never Knew

- ACT TWO - 

Narration #5

Smile

Another Night

Nothing for Certain

Narration #6

Change Your Mind

Sail Away

Running Back to New York

I Will Carry You

By Your Side

Narration #7

44 Lights

Cast

Creative Team

Meet the Company

Erin Morris

Mary

Erin Morris (Mary) is excited to make her off-broadway debut in 44 Lights. Favorite credits include Dance Nation (Ashley) at The Neighborhood Playhouse, operas Dido and Aneas and sequel premier & Eterna (Witch 1) with Narnia Vocal Arts, Bye Bye Birdie (Kim) and Beauty and the Beast (Belle) in her hometown of St. Louis. After graduating at The Neighborhood Playhouse, Erin spent a summer studying opera at Narnia Vocal Arts Festival in Narni, Italy. Erin has also recently acted in a series of student films at CUNY. In her free time, Erin enjoys songwriting and playing guitar. instagram: @erinrosemorris

Carol Jacobanis*

Susan

Carol Jacobanis (Susan) is delighted to be part of the remarkable team bringing 44 Lights to life! New York theater: Caroline Conway, Heads (Lew Gould director); Arkadina, The Seagull (Wandering Bark); Angel, Surface: The Absurdist Biography of Uncle Phil (Fringe NYC award winner); Joyce, Flashback (Ensemble Studio Theater). TV/Film: Mindy Cermak, “The Calling”; Jane Siddons, “Law & Order SVU”; “King of Hearts” (pilot with Pedro Pascal); Hannah Jefferson, Europe for President (ARTE France & ORF Germany). Carol is an Audie Award winning audiobook narrator and the voice of many, many anime characters. Love and gratitude always to Wynn Handman.

Lindsay Wheeler

Nellie

Lindsay Wheeler (Nellie) is thrilled to have been able to continue working with the company of 44 Lights and finally bring it to stage as her off-Broadway debut. She is originally from the Midwest from Ottawa, IL, and recently graduated from the Neighborhood Playhouse in 2023. She has been involved in various theatre performances such as POTUS (Red Tent Collective), Waiting for Godot (Reading Playhouse), Collective Scene Festival (Equity Library), and Men On Boats (NPH). She has also worked on Power Book II: Ghost and Law and Order SVU, and other short film projects and play readings. She wants to greatly thank her family and friends for their never ending love and support, and all of her teachers and fellow artists who have worked along side her.

Benjamin Mowrer

Carlton

Benjamin Mowrer is a 2023 Graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre and a 2020 graduate of Youngstown State University, where he received his BFA in Musical Theatre with a minor in Dance. Born in Cleveland Ohio, he moved to NYC to continue his career in the arts as an actor, singer, voice actor, and writer. Recent acting credits include Waiting for Lefty (Reading Playhouse), The Imaginary Invalid (Neighborhood Playhouse), Stoop Songs (Neighborhood Playhouse), Cabaret (YSU), The Addams Family Musical (YSU), and Spring Awakening (YSU). He hopes you continue to enjoy and support the arts.

Rich Orlow*

Sullie

Rich Orlow (Sully) Rich is an Emmy nominated and Golden Earphone Award winning actor and voice over artist. He’s appeared Off-Broadway and regionally including; Joe Clay in Day of Wine and Roses, Mr. Lockhart in The Seafarer, Gus in The Dumb Waiter, Eddie in Hurly Burly and many others. He currently tours the country performing a one man interpretation of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 for The American Place Theatre’s Literature to Life program. Rich has also voiced countless commercials, narration, animation, video games and recorded books. Recent appearances in “Law and Order”, “Red Dead Redemption 2”, “Inspector Sun and The Curse of the Black Widow”.  Love to his daughter Sedona.

Tim Tuttle

Narrator

Without realizing it Tim began writing 44 LIGHTS twenty two years ago on the night of September 11th, 2001. He started with one song and created Music From Ground Zero, a musical memorial concert, to honor all the victims from 9/11. He performed shows with incredibly talented musicians in NYC for over two decades at Mercury Lounge, The Knitting Factory, Tribeca Blues, The Cutting Room, and in Woodstock at the Bearsville Theater. After completing a documentary on his story, he turned to the stage. 44 Lights is now becoming a reality. Tim is a product of Wynn Handman’s acting class and is married to Barbara Blackburn, actor, playwright, and author.

Constance Hastie

Donna

Constance Hastie (Donna) is proud to be making her off-broadway debut with 44 Lights. Originally from the United Kingdom, her journey led her to NYC, where she pursued formal training at The Neighborhood Playhouse. Since graduating in 2023 she has appeared in various short films and theater productions including The Imaginary Invalid (Rita Morgenthau Theater), Stoopsongs (Rita Morgenthau Theater), Daydreamers (ATA) and Waiting for Lefty (The Tank.) Some of her favorites include Little Shop of Horrors (The Palace Theatre, UK) and Sweeney Todd (Mike Fry Studio.) She is also a passionate singer- songwriter and would like to thank her family and newly wedded husband for their unwavering love and support. To learn more about Constance please visit her website at: constancehastie.com

Alison Delaney

Elisabeth

Alison is thrilled to be making her Off-Broadway debut with such a wonderful group of people! Alison is a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. Since graduating, Alison returns to the Playhouse each year as the Assistant Director and Assistant Choreographer for their musicals. Some of her acting credits include Hello Dolly!, Love and Information, The Nerd, and At the Ends. Alison wants to thank her family, friends, and Sandy Faison for their love, trust, and support! Let's make art!

Amar Srivastava

Nick

Amar Srivastava is thrilled to be working ont he first musical honoring 9/11. You can catch him starring in the Independent Feature Film “HUNGRY” which will be released later this year. His Film/TV credits include Daredevil, The Blacklist, Blindspot, Nous York, & 8:46. Theatre credits include Disgraced, Rabbit Hole, A Disappearing Number, Ritu Comes Home, A Little Betrayal Among Friends, Antony & Cleopatra, Chaos Theory, Romeo & Juliet, Speaking In Tongues, A View From The Bridge, Hamlet, Deathwatch, Tooth & Claw, Olly’s Prison, Homebody/Kabul, & As You Like It. A graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University. He has studied with Wynn Handman & Robert McCaskill.

Marcus Lorenzo

Tommy

Marcus is honored to be performing in Tim Tuttle's 44 Lights, and bringing such an important moment in American history to life on the New York City stage. Marcus proudly represents the Wynn Handman Studio lineage, along with many members of 44 Lights. Wynn, thank you for creating a space for us to become a better version of ourselves. Some of Marcus's favorite credits include - TV: "Blue Bloods" and "Person of Interest" on CBS. "Law & Order" on NBC. Theater: The Cherry Orchard as Trofimov and Taming of the Shrew as Gremio.

Tim Tuttle

Book, Music, and Lyrics

Without realizing it Tim began writing 44 LIGHTS twenty two years ago on the night of September 11th, 2001. He started with one song and created Music From Ground Zero, a musical memorial concert, to honor all the victims from 9/11. He performed shows with incredibly talented musicians in NYC for over two decades at Mercury Lounge, The Knitting Factory, Tribeca Blues, The Cutting Room, and in Woodstock at the Bearsville Theater. After completing a documentary on his story, he turned to the stage. 44 Lights is now becoming a reality. Tim is a product of Wynn Handman’s acting class and is married to Barbara Blackburn, actor, playwright, and author.

Nancy Robillard**

Director

Nancy Robillard has worked on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in regional theater, with a special focus on developing new work. As a dramaturg and teacher – at NYU’s Tisch School of Arts and others  –  she aims to help writers and actors to realize their vision.  Her world premieres have included Honor and the River  by Anton Dudley, which was hailed by the New York Times as a "stunner", Rosemary and I by Leslie Avayzian, and Slow Dance with a Hot Pickup by John Pielmeier and Matty Selman. In New York, Robillard has worked with the Culture Project, Vital Theatre, Directors Company, Red Fern Theatre Company, Algonquin Theatre, Up Theater Company, and Theatre for the New City. She has worked regionally at the Kennedy Center, Walnut Street Theatre, MetroStage, Northern Stage, Luna Stage, Gateway Playhouse, and the Theater Masters national new play festival in Aspen. Robillard has an MFA in directing from Illinois State University (home of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater). She has taught acting and directing at several colleges is on the faculty of the Dramatists Guild Foundation.

Stephen Reed**

Choreographer

Stephen Reed has appeared in five Tony Award-winning Broadway productions, with the NYC Philharmonic and NYC Opera, and toured extensively nationally and internationally. He has worked directly with performing luminaries such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Liza Minelli, Matthew Broderick, Patti Lupone, Martin Short, and Kristin Chenowith. Additionally, he has collaborated with creative agents such as Fred Ebb, Jerome Robbins, Susan Stroman, Frank Galati, Gillian Lynne, Michael Blakemore, and Wayne Cilento, as well as recording artists Gloria Estefan, Prince, Peter Frampton, and Steve Winwood. Most recently, Stephen appeared in FX Network's "Feud: Capote vs. the Swans" (dir. by Gus Van Sant). Currently, Stephen is the owner/director of Ballet Arts Center for Dance, located in the landmark NY City Center Theatre. Stephen is a proud member of six performing unions (AEA, SDC, AGMA, AGVA, AFTRA, SAG).

Rich Lamb

Music Direction

Rich Lamb is a NYC-based audio engineer and keyboardist. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music, he was worked at various area recording studios including Skyline, Power Station, Systems Two, Mark Dann Recording, and New Calcutta (Rich Pagano). He has also done live sound at Maxwell’s, The Bottom Line, Trinity Church Wall Street, and City Vineyard. Some of his work has received Grammy awards or nominations, including albums by Nicole Zuraitis (2024 winner, Best Jazz Vocal Album), Dan Pugach, and Joan Osborne. He produced both of Tim Tuttle’s CDs, and was bandleader/pianist/backing vocalist for all (except for 2021) of the "Music From Ground Zero” shows, which featured Tim’s music on the anniversary of 9/11 in NYC from 2002-2012, and 2016.

Denise Savas*

Production Stage Manager

Denise Savas is excited to join the 44 Lights team. Hailing from Chicago, Denise is a Stage Manager who has managed everything from theater to documentary films to even the circus. NYC: White Rose, Without You; Chicago: Cabaret Zazou, Teatro Zinzanni, Theatre Wit, Northbrook Theatre, Shattered Globe Theatre, terraNOVA Collective, Emerald City Theatre, Provision Theater, Collaboraction, Stockyards Theater Project, For Youth Inquiry. Recently, Denise produced a feature documentary for Springhill Company and the Lollapalooza 2023 live stream for Hulu. Earlier this year she served as Stage Manager for Anthony Rapp's new musical, Without You. You can also find Denise using her creative skills as an Art Director and Production Stylist for brands like Live Nation and Showtime.

Becky Abramowitz*

Assistant Stage Manager

Becky Carlen Abramowitz is a NYC-based storyteller developing new and reimagined tales as a director, stage manager, producer, and theatre safety professional. Broadway: CHICAGO, Waitress. Off-Broadway highlights: Emojiland, Drunk Shakespeare, Trainspotting Live, HERE Arts Center, TFANA, Theatre Row, Soho Rep, Sleep No More. More NYC: NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, CultureLab LIC, Access Theater, The Gallery Players, STREB, Dixon Place, NY Theatre Ballet, WP Theater, and many festivals. Regional/Tours: Tuacahn, Shakespeare on the Sound, Green Feather Foundation, Shakespeare Theatre of NJ, Barrington Stage, Berkshire Theatre Group, Endstation Theatre. Co-Founder of Invoke Director's Lab. B.A. Theatre, FSU. Proud union member.

Richard Lear**

Assistant Director

Richard Lear is thrilled to be the assistant director on this amazing project. His career has made him wear many hats, starting his career fresh out of college as the lead in the West Coast Opera Company’s production of the Chocolate Soldier. Shortly after, he was a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for two consecutive years, a scholarship competition sponsored by the Metropolitan Opera. After joining the West Coast Ensemble, the largest acting company in Los Angeles, he realized his passion for theater and moved to New York City, 4 blocks from the World Trade Center. He stayed there until he was forced to move by the tragic events on 9/11. Richard was the assistant director for The Orchard’s move from Off‐Broadway to Boston, starring Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jessica Hecht, and Jeffrey Hayenga. He has directed several shows in NYC and NJ. He produced and starred in a promotional trailer for the film Stranger last year. The full‐length film is currently in pre‐production. As an actor, he recently played Harold in the North Star Theater Company’s production of The Full Monty. He was the understudy for the Off‐Broadway revival of God of Carnage, starring Christiane Noll and David Burtka, and one of his plays was produced by Theater Breaking Through Barriers. When possible, he teaches acting at the duCret Center of Art. In addition, Richard organizes scuba diving trips all over the world, loves to garden, and thinks he is a DIY’er to which his spouse might disagree.

Elisabeth Weidner

Music Arrangements and Sound Design

Elisabeth Weidner is a Sound Designer and Composer based in NYC. She is a graduate of Florida State University where she holds a degree in Commercial Music. Elisabeth is a member of United Scenic Artists-Local 829 and serves as Co-Vice Chair for the TSDCA (Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association). Some theatre credits include: Broadway: Funny Girl (Associate Sound Designer) Off-Broadway: David (Sound Designer), 44 Lights (Sound Designer/Music Arranger), American Rot (Sound Designer), White Rose (Sound Designer), F*ck 7th Grade (Sound Designer), The Magnificent 7 (Sound Designer), Trevor (Assistant Sound Designer) Pre-Broadway Out of Town: Water For Elephants (Associate Sound Designer-Alliance Theatre), Hood (Sound Designer-Asolo Repertory Theatre) Resident Sound Designer/Composer: PCPA-Pacific Conservatory Theatre 2009-2019 (Selected) Regional Sound Designer: Anthony Rapp’s Without You IMM Theater Tokyo, Anthony Rapp’s Without You Curran Theatre, Rock, Paper, Scissors; Escape From Peligro Island (Zoom Edition), Arthur and Friends Make a Musical First Stage Milwaukee, Avenue Q, 39 Steps, The Oregon Cabaret, 39 Steps, Crime & Punishment The Ensemble Theatre www.elisabethanneweidner.com

Dana Weintraub

Scenic Design

Dana Weintraub is thrilled to be making her official Off-Broadway debut designing 44 Lights. Dana opened Entertaining Mr. Sloane earlier this year as her first New York City theatrical design and had the premiere of movies The Adults and Somewhere Quiet at the Tribeca Film Festival last summer. Dana received her MFA in Scenic Design from Carnegie Mellon University during the height of the pandemic, so she has been overjoyed to be back in the room, in person with passionate collaborators and audience members!

John Burkland

Lighting Design

The John F. Kennedy Center, Signature Theater, Theater Under the Stars, Drury Lane, DR2, La Mama E.T.C., HB Playwrights Studio, Guggenheim Arts and Process, NYC Fringe, New York Musical Theater Festival, The Summer Play Festival, North Shore Music Theater, Paper Mill Playhouse, Northern Stage, Studio Theater, Theater Alliance, Quintessence Theater Group, Luna Stage, Williamstown Theater Festival, Big Apple Circus, among others. As the lighting director for the Howard Stern Show he’s lit performances by artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Brandi Carlile, Metallica, Harry Styles, Def Leppard, and Lady Gaga. John won a Helen Hayes Award for his work on The Wonderful World of Dissocia and a Surya Bonaly Award for his work on Uncle Vanya. Education: North Carolina School of the Arts.

Alyssa Korol

Costume Design

Alyssa Korol is a costume designer, crafts artisan, and wardrobe manager who enjoys creating thought provoking works to challenge societal expectations and invite new perspectives. She grew up in northern Vermont and is now based in the New York City area. Recent works include Entertaining Mr. Sloane (Annabel Capper Presents, 2024), The Machine Stops (Kevin Ray Works, 2023), and Richard II (The Enemies + Luna Stage, 2022). In her craft, Alyssa values innovative character exploration, complex world building, and lively collaboration, the context for bringing stories to life and making compelling art. Boston University MFA in Costume Design, 2018. (www.alyssakorol.com).

Tom and Michael D'Angora

General Management

Tom and Michael D’Angora (General Managers): Tony and Emmy nominated producers, Broadway: Caroline, or Change (Tony nom), Harmony, How To Dance in Ohio, Suffs, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. They are responsible for producing two of the longest running shows in off-Broadway history: NEWSical The Musical (Off-Broadway Alliance Award) and Naked Boys Singing. Other off-Broadway: Walking With Bubbles (Off- Broadway Alliance Award), A Musical About Star Wars, The Marvelous Wonderettes, and more. During the Broadway shutdown, the D'Angoras used their skill set and celebrity friends to help their community, producing several star-studded virtual fundraisers, raising over 1.5 million dollars and saving venues like Birdland Jazz Club, West Bank Cafe and the York Theatre. Their events featured appearances by the likes of President Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Sting, Patti LuPone, Elvis Costello, Audra McDonald, Sean Penn, Debra Messing, Matthew Broderick, and hundreds more. For their efforts they received a special Friends of off-Broadway Award from the off- Broadway Alliance and a NY Senate Proclamation naming December 21, 2021 Tom and Michael D’Angora Day in the Theater District.

Richard Hillman

Public Relations

Don Kelly

Percussion

Rich Lamb

Keyboards/MD

Matt Scharfglass

Bass

Ted Stafford

Guitar

Ryan Marsh

Production Audio

Brenn Whiting

A2

Special Thanks:

Audio Load In Crew: Brenn Whiting, Chiara Pizzirusso, Ryan Marsh 

Scenic Crew:

Legal Counsel:

Production Assistance:

* These actors and stage managers are appearing through an Agreement between AMT Theater, Amar Srivastava, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

** The Director and Choreographer are members of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theater labor union