Artistic Director’s Welcome
Welcome to the 45th Season at the A.R.T.!
Night Side Songs is a new music-theater experience created by the duo Daniel Lazour and Patrick Lazour that explores the intimate experience of illness through the universal power of song. The piece takes us on a journey that weaves historical visions with a contemporary narrative, giving voice to the medical and emotional experiences of patients, doctors, and caregivers. At its core, Night Side Songs seeks to create a space where we can all share in a collective healing experience—one that includes the audience as an active partner.
The A.R.T. commissioned this project five years ago after producing the world-premiere production of Daniel and Patrick’s We Live in Cairo, a new musical about the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. Like many new projects at the A.R.T., this production has developed over many years through multiple workshops and readings, including a roundtable discussion with professors and medical experts from across Harvard University and a residency last season at Farkas Hall made possible through The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund and our colleagues in Harvard’s undergraduate concentration Theater, Dance & Media.
We are thrilled to be working again with the extraordinary director Taibi Magar, who has been at the helm of many new plays and musicals at the A.R.T. including We Live in Cairo, Macbeth In Stride, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, and The Half-God of Rainfall. We are also excited to be partnering on the premiere of Night Side Songs with Philadelphia Theatre Company, where Taibi serves as co-Artistic Director.
There are gentle moments of joy, and more solemn ones, to embrace in this production. This piece has spoken to me in ways both unexpected and deeply personal, and I trust it will to you, too. Thank you for coming to the A.R.T. and joining us for this production.
Diane Paulus
A.R.T. Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director
American Repertory Theater
Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director:
Diane Paulus
Executive Director:
Kelvin Dinkins, Jr.
in association with
Philadelphia Theatre Company
presents
NIGHT SIDE SONGS
Creative Team
Words and Music by
the Lazours
Words and Music by
the Lazours
A.R.T.: We Live in Cairo. Off-Broadway: We Live in Cairo, NYTW; Hound Dog, Ars Nova. New York: Dead Are My People, Noor Theatre; Night Side Songs, Under the Radar. Film: Your Monster, Sundance 2024; Challenger: An American Dream, Bruce Cohen Productions/
Directed by
Taibi Magar
Directed by
Taibi Magar
A.R.T.: The Half-God of Rainfall; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (Lortel Award), Signature Theatre; Macbeth In Stride; We Live in Cairo. Off-Broadway: We Live in Cairo, NYTW; Help, The Shed; Capsule, Under the Radar Festival/
Scenic Design
Matt Saunders
Scenic Design
Matt Saunders
A.R.T.: Debut. Off-Broadway: Walden, Second Stage; Jordans, Public; FLEX, Lincoln Center (Audelco Award); Catch as Catch Can, Playwrights Horizons; Daddy, New Group, Vineyard (Drama Desk Award); Pipeline, Lincoln Center; Venus, Signature; Good Person of Szechwan, The Foundry Theatre, The Public. Regional: Over 100 credits including Guthrie, Mark Taper Forum, Berkeley Rep, Yale Rep, Wilma Theater, and Kennedy Center. Education/Training: M.F.A., Yale School of Drama. Pew Fellow and Hodder Fellow, Princeton University. Associate Professor of Design at Swarthmore College.
Costume Design
Jason A. Goodwin
Costume Design
Jason A. Goodwin
A.R.T.: Debut. National Tour: Disney’s Aladdin, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Back to the Future: The Musical. Off-Broadway: Hell’s Kitchen, The Public Theater; All of Me, The New Group. New York: Criminal Queerness Festival, National Queer Theater; Packages O’ The Things We Deliver, National Black Theatre. International: The Devil Wears Prada, West End; The Ring of Fire, RWS Global; Hercules, Disney Theatrical Group. Regional: A Tender Thing, Barrington Stage.
Lighting Design
Amith Chandrashaker
Lighting Design
Amith Chandrashaker
A.R.T.: Dragon Mama. Broadway: Prayer for the French Republic (Tony Nomination); Merrily We Roll Along. Off-Broadway: The Public, Playwrights Horizons, NYTW, The Atlantic, The Signature. Regional: Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, The Geffen, The Huntington. Opera: The Glimmerglass Festival, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera. Dance: Staatstheater Nürnberg, The Lyon Opera Ballet, The Royal Ballet of New Zealand, The Joyce, The National Dance Company of Wales. Awards: Drama Desk and Henry Hewes. Union Trustee for United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE. Education: MFA, NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Faculty at The University of Maryland’s School for Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies.
Sound Design
Justin Stasiw
Sound Design
Justin Stasiw
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Lempicka, Moulin Rouge!, Beetlejuice, Frozen, Once on This Island, Anastasia, Something Rotten!, Side Show, It’s Only A Play. Off-Broadway: The Big Gay Jamboree, We Live in Cairo, The View Upstairs, Songbird. Regional: The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, La Jolla; Beatsville, Asolo Rep.; Jasper in Deadland, 5th Avenue. Justin is a proud member of IATSE and USA/829.
Music Direction and Piano Arrangements
Alex Bechtel
Music Direction and Piano Arrangements
Alex Bechtel
A.R.T.: Debut. Off-Broadway: The Appointment. Select Regional: Penelope, Signature Theatre (DC), Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival; Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre Company; three new musical pantos for People’s Light and Theatre Co.; eight seasons of new music for Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Company Member of Lightning Rod Special.
Casting Director
Taylor Williams, CSA
Casting Director
Taylor Williams, CSA
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: All In, Romeo and Juliet, Stereophonic, Illinoise, An Enemy of the People, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, Slave Play, Is This a Room & Dana H, What the Constitution Means to Me. Film: Good One; The Front Room, A24; Omni Loop, 2am Films; Rocky’s Deli; What the Constitution Means to Me, Amazon Prime. Awards: Artios Award.
Production Stage Manager
Elizabeth Emanuel
Production Stage Manager
Elizabeth Emanuel
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Death of a Salesman, Hudson; Linda Vista, Hayes. Off-Broadway: Magnificent Bird/
Actors’ Equity Association member
First performance at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, Philadelphia on February 21, 2025.
First performance at Cambridge Masonic Temple, Cambridge on March 27, 2025.
First performance at Hibernian Hall, Boston on April 9, 2025.
Support for the development of Night Side Songs was provided by The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund.
A.R.T. Season support is provided by Harvard University, The Barr Foundation, The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund, The Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Barton & Guestier, and Meyer Sound.
The A.R.T. 2024/25 Season is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Runtime: One hour and forty minutes with no intermission
This production contains descriptions of cancer treatments as well as discussions of grief, loss of a parent, and terminal illness.
Company & Staff
Cast (in Alphabetical Order)
Harris/Ensemble
Jordan Dobson
Harris/Ensemble
Jordan Dobson
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Bad Cinderella (Prince Sebastian); Hadestown (Orpheus); A Beautiful Noise (Shilo); West Side Story (Tony). Tour: Rent (Angel), Japan. Select Regional: Hair, Signature Theatre; Hair, Two River Theatre; Austen’s Pride, Into the Woods, ACT of Connecticut; The Wanderer, Paper Mill Playhouse; Cabaret, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Co.; The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon. Film: Maestro (William); Closing Night (Jericho).
Actors’ Equity Association member
Doctor/Ensemble
Robi Hager
Doctor/Ensemble
Robi Hager
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Spring Awakening, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Bye Bye Birdie, Doctor Zhivago. Tour and Regional: Spring Awakening; Fun Home; tick, tick…BOOM! (Jonathan); and others. As a composer: Little Duende, O’Neill Center 2021 NMTC, 2021 NAMT Festival, Rhinebeck Writer’s Retreat, and Lortel 121 Project; Siluetas, O’Neill Center’s 2022 NMTC, Power Street Theatre 2024.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Yasmine/Ensemble
Brooke Ishibashi
Yasmine/Ensemble
Brooke Ishibashi
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway/
Actors’ Equity Association member
Frank/Ensemble
Jonathan Raviv
Frank/Ensemble
Jonathan Raviv
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: The Band’s Visit (10 Tony Awards including Best Musical). Off-Broadway: Here There Are Blueberries, NYTW; Monsoon Wedding, St. Ann’s Warehouse; Hound Dog, Ars Nova; The Band’s Visit, Atlantic Theater. Selected Regional: Kismet (Hajj), Granada Theatre; Fun Home (Bruce), KC Rep; Into The Woods (Baker), Barrington Stage. TV/
Actors’ Equity Association member
Desiree/Prudence/Ensemble
Mary Testa
Desiree/Prudence/Ensemble
Mary Testa
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Oklahoma!, Wicked, Guys and Dolls, Xanadu, Chicago, Marie Christine, etc. Off-Broadway: Gardens of Anuncia; Oliver!, Encores!; Oklahoma!; The Portuguese Kid; The Government Inspector; First Daughter Suite; A New Brain; etc. Opera: Anna Nicole, BAM. Film: The Mother, Big Stone Gap, Eat Pray Love, etc. TV: “The Good Fight,” “Divorce,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” etc. Awards: The Legend of Off-Broadway Award, three Tony nominations, two Lortel nominations, six Drama Desk nominations, two Drama League nominations, two Outer Critic’s Circle nominations, an Obie Award, and a special Drama Desk Award celebrating Queen of the Mist and “Three Decades of Outstanding Work.”
Actors’ Equity Association member
Additional Staff
Assistant Stage Manager
Olivia McQuerry
Assistant Stage Manager
Olivia McQuerry
A.R.T.: Debut. Broadway: Purlie Victorious. Off-Broadway: Three Houses, Signature Theatre; Jonah, Roundabout Theatre Company; Scene Partners, Vineyard Theatre; The Harder They Come, The Public Theater; A Sherlock Carol, New World Stages. Regional: Goddess, Sanctuary City, Octet, Swept Away, Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Education: Design and Production, Stage Management, University of Northern Iowa.
Actors’ Equity Association member
Associate Lighting Designer
Elijah Kleinberg
Associate Sound Designer
Tracy Cowit
Dialect Coach
Erika Bailey
Dialect Coach
Erika Bailey
A.R.T.: The Odyssey; Diary of a Tap Dancer; Romeo and Juliet; Gatsby; Becoming a Man; Life of Pi; 1776; WILD: A Musical Becoming; Jack and the Beanstalk; Gloria: A Life; Moby-Dick; We Live in Cairo; Endlings; Othello; ExtraOrdinary; The Black Clown; Jagged Little Pill; WARHOLCAPOTE; Burn All Night; The Night of the Iguana; Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women; Fingersmith; In the Body of the World; Waitress; O.P.C. Broadway: Mary Stuart. Regional: Vanity Fair, Central Square Theater; New Electric Ballroom, Gloucester Stage Company; Arms and the Man, Guthrie Theatre; The Foreigner, Cabaret, To Kill a Mockingbird, Kansas City Repertory Theatre. As Head of Voice and Speech at A.R.T., Erika also teaches in the Theater, Dance & Media concentration at Harvard as well as coaching public speaking skills across the university. Education: M.A., Voice Studies, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama; M.F.A., Acting, Brandeis University.
Production Assistants
Kayla Owen
Mina-Claire Paz-La Draoulec
Mental Health and Wellbeing Consultant
Dr. Charmain Jackman, Innopysch
Physical Therapists
Artistic Athlete Health Collective
A.R.T. Staff
Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director:
Diane Paulus
Executive Director:
Kelvin Dinkins, Jr.
SENIOR STAFF
Director of Facilities and Capital Projects: Peter Atkinson
Public Relations Director: Rebecca Curtiss
General Manager: Connor Davis
Managing Director: Anna Fitzloff
Executive Administrator: Kathleen Fowkes
Director of Finance: Julia Goldmacher
Senior Theater and Facilities Manager: Tracy Keene
Chief Development Officer: Eileen Kennedy
Director of Production: Krystin Matsumoto
Director of Artistic Programs & Dramaturg: Ryan McKittrick
Associate Artistic Director: Dayron J. Miles
Producer: Evan O’Brient
Chief Marketing Officer: Jennifer Weissman
STAFF
Artistic & EngagementArtistic Coordinator & Special Assistant to the Artistic Director: Karina Cowperthwaite ProducingAssociate Producer: Emma Watt Marketing & CommunicationsAssociate Director, Creative Services: Joel Zayac DevelopmentAssociate Director, Institutional Giving: Anna Cline FacilitiesAssistant Project Manager: Alex Giorgetti FinanceController: Toufiq Aitelfqih Patron ServicesHead of Patron Services: Emma Putnam |
ProductionProduction Manager: Skip Curtiss ScenicAssistant Technical Director: Victor Gutierrez PaintCharge Scenic Artist: Gerard Vogt Stage OperationsStage Operations Manager: Kevin Belcher CostumesCostume Manager: Muriel Mangual-Bennett WardrobeWardrobe Manager: Alycia Marucci SoundSound Manager: Camilo Atehortua LightingLighting and Projections Supervisor: Matthew Adelman PropertiesProperties Manager: Erin Kehr Production OverhireProperties Artisans: Dylan Reid |
Special Thanks
Madeline Benson, Dr. Susan Block, Dr. Robert C. Green, Dominic Hall, Amanda Moment, Paige Hornor, Dr. Howard Koh, Dr. Susan Nathan, Dr. Judith Paice, Dr. Susan Pories, Pew Center for the Arts, NAMT, The TDM Staff at Farkas Hall.
Rehearsed at Playwrights Horizons Downtown Studios
The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
The director of this production is a member of the STAGE DIRECTORS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS SOCIETY, a national theatrical labor union.
United Scenic Artists represents the designers and scenic painters for the American Theatre.
Explore
Essential Question
What role does community play in caregiving?
A.R.T. leads with inquiry and asks questions in a spirit of brave curiosity in a never-ending journey of learning and growth. For each production, the creative team, company, and Engagement team develop an Essential Question to guide work in the rehearsal room, onstage, and for engaging with audiences.
