MISSION
44 LIGHTS is more than a musical; it is a vital act of remembrance, an offering of shared healing, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Its mission is rooted in the personal story of its creation but extends to every New Yorker, every survivor, and every person who remembers that day. As we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11, this mission has never been more urgent.
Our purpose is defined by three core pillars:
Pillar | Our Commitment |
|---|---|
To Remember | Our goal is to create a living memorial that celebrates the unbreakable spirit of New York City. The musical captures not just the darkness of loss but the light of hope, love, and community that emerged from the rubble. It is an active, inspiring act of remembrance that connects a new generation—from high school students to young adults—to the profound human impact of that day. |
To Heal | Music and storytelling create a space for collective catharsis. Unlike a silent memorial, 44 LIGHTS gives voice to the complex, often unspoken emotions of grief, survivor's guilt, and anger. Through its authentic, folk-rock score, the show provides a shared experience where audiences can process these feelings and find a path toward reconciliation. |
To Honor | We are driven to preserve the memory of those we lost, including the more than 30 friends I personally lost. The production is a promise that their stories, and the sacrifices of countless first responders, will not fade. We aim to honor the quiet courage and the loud camaraderie that defined New York in the days that followed. |
This production is uniquely positioned to fulfill this mission. It is told from the intimate perspective of a survivor, chronicling the two-decade journey from trauma to healing. It is this authenticity that transforms a deeply personal story of resilience into a universally relatable experience. 44 LIGHTS is the quintessential NYC story about the most important day in our collective history, intended to bridge a generational gap and ensure that the lessons of empathy, community, and hope are carried forward.
Project Overview: The 25th Anniversary Production of 44 LIGHTS
Production Goals and Significance
For the 25th anniversary of 9/11, our objective is to mount a special, extended production run of 44 LIGHTS. Our immediate, funded goal is a run of 12 performances in September 2026 in New York City. This represents the crucial third stage of our development, building on the success of two previous showcase productions. This is not just another performance; it is a meticulously planned initiative with profound strategic, artistic, and memorial significance.
A Living Memorial for a New Generation
As firsthand memories of September 11, 2001, inevitably fade, this production serves as a vital artistic record, preserving the emotional truth of that time. The 25th anniversary offers a poignant moment for national reflection, and 44 LIGHTS provides a uniquely personal, human-scale story of survival—a necessary counterpoint to the monumental scale of official memorials. It is a living memorial designed to engage a new generation, those who did not experience 9/11 directly, by translating a historic event into a relatable human story of loss, healing, and hope. In a time of national division, this shared experience is designed to foster collective healing and dialogue, reminding us of the unity and resilience that defined our city in the aftermath of tragedy.