Cast & Crew

Tim Tuttle

Writer/ Lyricist/ Music Arranger/ Executive Producer

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.

Amar Srivastava

Producer

Amar has predominantly worked in the Theatre; before moving to NYC, he worked professionally in Boston (also where he grew up). In 2008 – he moved to NYC and continued to work on the Stage. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Amar has studied with Wynn Handman and Robert McCaskill in NYC.

Recent Stage credits:

Rabbit Hole (Full Spectrum), Women & Children (Paradise Factory Theatre), Alphabet City X (Metropolitan Playhouse)

Recent Regional Theatre credits:

A Disappearing Number (Central Square Theatre), Ritu Comes Home (InterAct Theatre), Deathwatch (Will Act For Food)

Recent TV/Films credits:

The Blackspot, Blindspot, 8:46, Nous York

Carol Jacobanis (Susan)

A classically trained actor from Los Angeles by way of London now living in New York, Carol is passionate in her belief in the healing, entertaining, and soul-expanding powers of storytelling. New York theater: Caroline Conway, Heads (Lew Gould dir.); 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 (Peacock, opposite Ben Shenkman); Jane Siddons, Law & Order SVU; Hannah Jefferson, Europe for President (ARTE France & ORF Germany); and King of Hearts (TV pilot with Pedro Pascal). Carol is an Audie Award winning audiobook narrator and the voice of many, many anime characters. She can also bake anything, including French macarons. Love and gratitude always to Wynn Handman.

Rich Orlow (Sully)

Rich Orlow is an Emmy nominated and Golden Earphone Award winning actor and voice over artist. He’s appeared Off Broadway and regionally including; Joe Clayin 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 451directed by his long time teacher Wynn Handman for The American Place Theatre’s Literature to Life program Rich has also voiced countless commercials, narration, animation, video games and recorded books. Love to his daughter Sedona.

Tom Frank (Nick)

Tom Frank (AEA, SAG) (Nick) has worked both on stage and film, including two regional productions of Once: the Musical as Guy, as well as a variety of Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway credits. Based in Los Angeles, Tom is a graduate of Kenyon College in Ohio. He is very grateful and honored to get to help Tim pay tribute to the lives lost on 9/11, as well as to the people they left behind.

Rich Lamb

Musical Director

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.

Richard Lear

Assistant Director/ Asst Music

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.

Maksym Lozynskyj (Jeremy)

MAKSYM LOZYNSKYJ (Jeremy) is a singer, songwriter, producer, and actor. His music is available on iTunes and Spotify under the name, Maksym Loz. He graduated from Berklee College of Music with a Master in music production. He has performed on various stages along the east coast and internationally including the Kyiv National Opera for the Presidential Gala concert in Kyiv celebrating 25 years of Ukrainian independence.

Maksym has also starred as the lead role in the major motion picture, Hutsulka Ksenia which is available on Amazon Video. He has scored for award-winning films including the movie Lines of a Woman  for won score. Currently, he is in the process of composing a score for a new documentary film.

He has also performed in and worked on several theater performances with the Yara Arts Group company at the renowned and historic La Mama Experimental Theater in the East Village.

Remy Laifer (Tommy)

Remy Laifer (Tommy) is honored to be telling such an important story about the history of this city. Film/TV: New Amsterdam (NBC); The Food That Built America (Hulu); Escape from Myrtle Broadway; 3 Worlds, 1 Modern Romance. National Tour: Fiddler on the Roof. Off Broadway: Hazing U (AMT). Regional: La Mirada Theatre (opposite Jason Alexander) and Summer Theatre of New Canaan. Listen to his electronic music on all platforms under REMY QUINN. Proud Northwestern graduate. Thanks to family, friends, Tim, and Sherry. www.remylaifer.com || @remylaifer

Samantha Sayah (Nellie)

Samantha Sayah (Nellie) is an actor, singer, musician, and songwriter based in NYC. She recently originated the role of Chava Kanipshin in the world premiere of A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical at Round House Theatre. National Tour: Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide. Regional: Girl in Once, Sister Act (Geva Theatre), Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Florida Repertory Theatre). NYC/Other: Outlook: Not So Good (The Tank), Disney Cruise Line, Tokyo Disney Resort. Film: My Sister’s Wedding and The Bigfoot Club with In The Garage Productions. Her original music is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. IG: @samanthasayah. www.samsayah.com.

Imran Sheikh (Shams)

Imran Sheikh (Shams) is an actor living in NYC; born in Pakistan. His family left their home in Lahore seeking new adventures, opportunities, and fast food in America. Imran’s parents naturally chose New Jersey. His acting career began in Jersey City when in the 6th grade he did Dick Van Dyke’s ottoman pratfall for a girl he wanted to make laugh. Reader, she laughed. In high school he was the class clown, voted most likely to become a priest, and ran his own Warhol-esque Factory for the Spirit Committee creating banners for school sports. At Rutgers University he performed for a paying audience for the first time, performing a series of sketches he wrote and starred in. They were 700 audience members strong, more people than he had even met in his life up until then. Students on campus shouted the catchphrase he wrote for his character for the rest of the semester. After graduating, he made his way to NYC where he stumbled into the Upright Citizens Brigade

 

Selected credits: Theatre: Off-Broadway: American Dreams (Working Theatre), Confidence and the Speech (Charlotte’s). Regional and NYC: Disgraced (Milwaukee Rep, Florida Rep), The Invisible Hand (ACT/ Artists Rep), American Dreams (Cleveland Public Theatre), I Like to Be Here (New Ohio), The Myth Project (Noor Theatre), Carousel of Progress (Queens Theatre), Brahman/i (Crowded Fire), Disconnect (San Jose Rep), The Girl with Her Hands in the Sand & Radio Mara Mara (FringeNYC), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (New York Shakespeare Exchange), Why We Left Brooklyn (Blue Coyote). Television: Guy Code (MTV, Comedy Central), Blue Bloods (CBS), Big Dogs (Amazon). Film: R & J, Origin of Fantasy. Connect with  him at www.imransheikh.info.

Elias Husiak (Carlton)

ELIAS HUSIAK (Carlton) is a NYC born-and-raised actor and singer. He’s performed all around NYC including The Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center (National Queer Theatre), BAM Fisher, Pregones/PRTT (R.Evolucion Latina), National Sawdust (Beth Morrison Projects) and New World Stages. Graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse and Ithaca College (BFA Musical Theatre)

IG: @elihusiak — www.eliashusiak.com.

Sophie Lee Morris (Elizabeth)

Sophie Lee Morris (AEA, SAG-AFTRA) (Elizabeth) is a storyteller based in Queens, NY. Sophie recently served as the vacation swing for the first national tour of Jagged Little Pill. Other credits include: Gossip Girl (Co-Star), Law & Order: SVU (Supporting), Gotham (Co-Star), Slanted! Enchanted!: A Pavement Musical directed by Alex Ross Perry, National Touring Company of Chicago (Mona), National Touring Company of Dirty Dancing (u/s Baby, Lisa; Swing) and The Sound of Music (Liesl, Asolo Rep.) Proud company member of Thistle Dance Company and graduate of TCU (Go Frogs!) www.sophieleemorris.com

John Adams (Tony)

John Adams (Tony) is an NYC actor, SAG member, and Wynn Handyman student. He is grateful and awed every day by the immense courage, sacrifice and effort to save, rebuild and protect this city. Honored to be a part of 44 Lights. Love to his favorite acupuncturist.

Matt Cusack

Musical Director

Matt Cusack (Music Supervisor ) is an actor, musician, composer, arranger, music director/supervisor and music/audio producer. His Broadway credits include One Man, Two Guvnors (Associate Music Director) and Bandstand. Off-Broadway, he was a part of Roundabout Theatre’s revival of The Robber Bridegroom. Matt has also been a part of numerous national tours and regional theatre productions. His favorite credits include John Doyle’s Sweeney Todd, The Buddy Holly Story (Music Director), and loves playing CASH in Ring of Fire (Music Director) and Million Dollar Quartet (Music Director). On television, he can be seen on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and heard in The Reading League’s Reading Buddies where he serves as composer and sound designer. Visit NewOhioMusic.com

Abigail Zealey Bess

Director

Zealey Bess, is an award winning filmmaker and theatre director with a résumé that features work with the legendary Sidney Lumet, John Leguizamo, Kevin Smith, Matt LeBlanc, Frank Whaley, Bruce Beresford and many others. Her work has crossed boundaries and platforms for many years as an independent director and producer in film and theatre.

She has been directing theatre and film, specializing in new work since she arrived on these shores and established Weird Sisters, as a theatrical entity in 1997. Under the auspices of her company she has developed projects in collaboration with many writers both established and newly emerging on the New York scene.

She subsequently directed and produced her debut film, the award winning baseball trilogy: Play Ball! (Fanfare for A Common Man, Random Acts of Intimacy, Caught in Time) that screened throughout the globe including the Berlin Film Festival, Cannes Director Fortnight, and at over 40 USA festivals including New York, Newport, Seattle and Savannah.

Conor Mulligan (Lighting)

Conor Mulligan is an artist and lighting designer. His design work represents an ongoing exploration of light in live performance. Born in Dublin, Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day; at five years old Conor immigrated to the United States with his family. Conor designs lighting for stage productions in NYC and regionally throughout the United States. Conor is a proud member of USA 829. Visit www.conormulliganld.com for more information.

Delaney Brown (Donna)

she is a New York based actor and recent graduate of Pace University with a BFA in Musical Theatre. Her Cerdits include, National Tours: Jagged Little Pill (ensemble U/S Bella and Mary Jane.) Regional: Waitress (Jenna) And Rutka at Cincinnati Playhouse (Stasia.)