The first MENA Musical Theatre Project – in collaboration with the Lazour Brothers!
The first ever MENA Musical Theatre Project has been launched at SPAA. This annual six-week residency programme gives our students the chance to experience and explore the emotions and creativity of the Musical Theatre World with International Artists.
With these projects, our aim is to work with Musical Theatre creators who have a connection to the region for international collaboration with our students, and to be able to develop new musicals to celebrate and amplify stories of and from the MENA region.
We’re thrilled to be working with the Lazour Brothers in our first rendition of this project. Their connection to the region and their Lebanese heritage, in combination with their contemporary Musical Theatre writing is a wonderful starting place for this programme.
We asked the Lazour Brothers about their experience at SPAA, and here’s what they had to say!
1. How was your experience at SPAA till now?
Our time at SPAA has been fabulous! It is such a privilege to be collaborating with these brilliant students, finding our way into a brand new musical with supremely creative minds. There is such rigor here at SPAA, but the sense of play is real and palpable, and how essential is that to artmaking?
2. Was there any special moment that felt special at SPAA?
We had an Open Mic with the SPAA students and staff! So much fun to hear original work and support one another.
3. What you like the most about SPAA?
The people, hands down!
Daniel and Patrick Lazour are brothers and esteemed Musical Theatre writers. Their musical We Live in Cairo premiered at the American Repertory Theater in 2019, directed by Taibi Magar. Projects in development include a musical adaptation of Ritesh Batra’s film The Lunchbox (Lincoln Center Theatre commission) and their medical sing-along, Night Side Songs (A.R.T. commission). They are writing original music for Caroline Lindy’s upcoming feature, Your Monster and their movie musical Challenger: An American Dream is being developed with Bruce Cohen Productions and Universal Remote. Original songs by the Lazours can be heard on their independently released albums: Freres, Flap My Wings (Songs from We Live in Cairo) and Beth’s Homemade Cowboy Breakfast. They are Jonathan Larson Grant and Richard Rodgers Award recipients, MacDowell and Yaddo Fellows, and New York Theater Workshop Usual Suspects, as well as proud teaching artists. Patrick holds a B.A. from Boston College and Daniel holds a B.A. from Columbia University.
To listen to their works, visit: https://www.thelazours.com
