ARI AFSAR
Music & Lyrics for That Girl
Ari Afsar (she/her) is a Bangladeshi-American mixed race singer, songwriter, and storyteller who believes in the power of art changing culture, and culture changing policy. A graduate of Ethnomusicology from UCLA, Afsar released her album, WE WON'T SLEEP, distributed by Sony Masterworks in 2020. She just finished her Artivism fellowship at the Tony-award Broadway Advocacy Coalition–which culminated in a community-developed Abolition song cycle–and just started her Dramatist Guild Fellowship. This past summer she was selected for The Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep with her new musical That Girl, book writer: Rehana Lew Mirza. Her work has been featured at the La Jolla Playhouse (WOW Festival’s Allegory), McCarter Theatre (commissioning I & You: The Musical with book writer: Lauren Gunderson), Pasadena Playhouse (TYA production of Lyle Lyle Crocodile), University of Rochester (Silhouettes: a Repro Justice Musical with book writer: Jordan Ealey), and at the National Music Theater Conference, where she won the 2019 Georgia Bogardus Holof Lyricist Award for Jeannette. As a performer, Afsar has opened for Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Gloria Steinhem, and Hillary Clinton and just made her sold-out Joe’s Pub Solo Show debut featuring music across her discography. She starred in the top 10 Netflix movie Wedding Season, composed with Pasek & Paul for Shawn Mendez in Sony’s Lyle Lyle Crocodile, originated Eliza in Chicago's Hamilton, starred in the world premiere of Bhangra Nation (aka Bhangin It) at La Jolla Playhouse, awarded top 10 at Miss America as Miss California, and placed top 36 on American Idol. She is currently an MPA candidate at NYU Wagner. www.ariafsar.com @ariannaafsar
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REHANA LEW MIRZA
Book for That Girl
Rehana Lew Mirza's (she/her) plays include: Hatefuck (First Floor, Chicago; WP/Colt Coeur, NY); A People’s Guide to History in the Time of Here and Now (Primary Stages Toulmin commission); Soldier X (Ma-Yi); Tomorrow, Inshallah (Living Room Theater; Storyworks/HuffPost commission); Neighborhood Watch (NNPN/InterAct commission, upcoming production: Jackalope 2025); Words We Believe; and Barriers (Desipina, Asian American Theater Company). She shares a Kleban Award and a 2016-2022 Mellon Foundation National Playwright residency administered in partnership with Howlround at Ma-Yi with Mike Lew. Together they’ve co-written The Colonialism Project (LJP commission) and the musical Bhangra Nation (originally Bhangin’ It, Rodgers Award; Orchard Project, Rhinebeck, and Springboard) with composer/lyricist Sam Willmott. The musical premiered at LJP and had its UK premiere at Birmingham Rep in 2024. Additional honors include: WP Resident Playwright, NYFA Fellow, HBO Access Fellow, Lilly Award (Stacey Mindich “Go Write A Play”), CCTP Residency, Colt Coeur member, and a TCG Fellowship. She also was the founder and Artistic Director of the theater/film company, Desipina, with her sister Rohi Pandya. MFA: Columbia; BFA: Tisch.
Why are you excited to bring this piece to the O'Neill and what are you hoping to accomplish here?
We couldn’t be more thrilled for the opportunity to hear this musical with additional collaborators: director, actors, musical director, dramaturg, and support! We hope to get a sense for how this musical moves throughout time periods and across generations. The staff, the environment, and the history of the O’Neill is such an inspiring place, and we are eager to soak up all the creativity.
What inspired you to create this piece?
We wanted to tell this story as two mixed women who never get to see sisterhood that crosses cultures and generations. We also wanted to tell the story of important American histories (the Vietnam War and 9/11) from the viewpoint of Americans who don’t get their perspectives represented often enough. By using comedy and centering femme relationships in our storytelling, we hope that these layers of history and representation are subconsciously absorbed.
Why are you drawn to plays/musicals as a medium for storytelling and/or for telling this particular story?
We love the heart in musicals. For this particular story, sometimes we imagine what it was like for our parents in the 70s. Our heads and our hearts go there so quickly in the creation of this musical.
What advice would you give to aspiring playwrights?
Don’t be afraid to approach talented people you admire—a life long collaboration might unfold! Collaboration is KEY in developing stories and art that has the power to change the world.
Ari and Rehana's reading recommendations to accompany your experience with That Girl:
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
See No Stranger by Valarie Kaur
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han