Gone Missing

Feb. 28 - Mar. 8 | Arthur Wagner Theatre

Created by The Civilians | Written by Steven Cosson | Music & Lyrics by Michael Friedman | Directed by Aysan Celik

About the Show

During the post 9/11 grief that gripped New York City, a group of young theater artists set out to talk to New Yorkers about loss. What arose from these interviews were dark, edgy, charming, and often hilarious tales about things lost and found. The New York Times called Gone Missing “a theatrical elegy for all those people and pets, attributes and inanimate objects that walked out of our lives, never to be heard from again…” and “fresh, breezy and very funny indeed.” The show features a score by the celebrated late composer Michael Friedman, who wrote an eclectic collection of breakup songs that underscore the emotional resonance of the real people who were interviewed. Originally created by the Obie Award-winning theater company The Civilians, who, over the last 24 years, have become one of the most beloved and acclaimed theater companies of the American Theater, this timely work is brought to life by a new generation of theater artists seeking to understand the question of loss.

Content Warning

In 2002, The Civilians decided to interview New Yorkers about things lost and found, as an indirect response to the grief and loss of 9/11. The director Steve Cosson and composer Michael Friedman asked me to research and perform in the original production of Gone Missing, but I wasn’t able to do it at the time.  I saw the show multiple times, fangirled over it, and regularly sang along to the soundtrack. After performing in many Civilians shows over the years, it was still my favorite.  When I did perform in Gone Missing in 2018,  it was for a heartbreaking reason. New York City Center Encores produced a revival of it in memory of Michael, who had died several months earlier at the young age of 41. He had been one of the most gifted and prolific composers of our generation. During the show I remember standing on stage, preparing to sing what is possibly my favorite Michael song ever (“Etch-a-Sketch”), with a heart full of love and grief for my friend, in front of 1200 people who were also grieving. 

Years later, directing this fantastic cast of students in the show has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had as an artist and educator.  It’s incredible to hear their voices bring the piece to life in a whole new way, and to find that it still resonates with us. I am so grateful to our understudies who were a major part of this process; we could not have done it without them. Every time I watch the students perform, I understand the grief of loss a little bit more. In a moment where it feels like the world is collapsing, being in the rehearsal room with these students has been a true gift, and I hope our community will find this piece as meaningful as I do.