44 LIGHTS by Tim Tuttle, a 9/11 musical born on Wall Street, to be presented at Chain Theatre

After witnessing the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and losing over 30 friends, neighbors and co-workers in the attacks, Tim Tuttle discovered something surprising: the power of music. Though he had never written music before, the night of 9/11 compelled him to put his grief into song. One song became many, eventually leading to the creation of an annual memorial concert named "Music from Ground Zero." Now, more than two decades later, that concert has evolved into "44 Lights," a full-scale musical theater work for eleven actors and four musicians. It tells the story of how one man processed his pain and loss through music, and how his circle of friends came together to support each other in the aftermath. With songs, dialogue, and memory, the musical explores the ways art can emerge from tragedy, how grief can transform into community, and how remembrance becomes a form of resilience. 

This unique musical is being produced by Extreme Girl Productions in conjunction with Kindred Spirits November 4 to 15, 2025 at Chain Theatre. Abigail Zealey Bess directs.  An open-ended Off-Broadway run next season is pending.

Some shows evolve slowly and this one did.  Tim Tuttle, who had never before written a song, wrote his first one the night of 9/11 in an effort to communicate his pain and loss through music. Two weeks later, he recorded it with Jeremy Slansky in a New York studio. One song begat many more, which were assembled into a cathartic memorial concert on the first anniversary of the attacks. That concert, named "Music From Ground Zero," became an annual act of remembrance at local venues. Three CDs and twenty concerts ultimately ensued, plus a documentary about the road to healing after such immense devastation.  Tim Tuttle distilled the whole 23-year experience into a musical for eleven actors and six musicians in 2023.  Now titled "44 Lights," it follows characters based on Tuttle and his circle of friends as they navigate grief, honor the fallen, and discover the power of art to bring people together.  The title refers to the 44 halogen lamps which are projected to the sky annually in remembrance of the victims, symbolizing the enduring light of memory and community.

The musical follows Nick, a 42-year-old bond trader who narrowly survived 9/11, as he struggles to reconcile grief, guilt, and survival in the months following the attacks.  Haunted by the deaths of many friends, Nick is torn between the brutal demands of Wall Street and the healing power of music. He forms a band with his colleagues to channel loss, anger, and hope. At work, Nick manages a desk of traders whose camaraderie is laced with trauma: every ringing phone and missed order is charged with the memory of the towers. The band plays their first gig downtown--a raw, cathartic performance that smacks of anger (brought on by survivor guilt) and failure. Nick’s marriage strains under the weight of his downward spiral. While his wife urges him toward healing and away from Wall Street’s grind, Nick clings to the job as both livelihood and punishment. The couple's clashes expose the gulf between her insistence on choosing life and his compulsion to drown pain in whiskey and rage. A co-worker attempts suicide, confessing later that he gave a woman friend a pass to an IT conference that doomed her.

In moments of breakdown and fragile hope, Nick finds guidance in unexpected places, including a woman bartender who reminds him that breathing itself is a miracle. She and other characters rekindle Nick’s belief in music. Songs become a lifeline, carrying the characters through grief, rage, and the search for connection. Through personal confrontations, near-tragic decisions, and the support of his wife and friends, Nick learns to confront despair, honor those who were lost, and reclaim a sense of purpose. The musical culminates in a moving tribute of song and light, celebrating resilience, memory, and the enduring power of love in the face of tragedy.

The story of the play is neither strict remembrance nor fiction.  While the character of Nick is somewhat autobiographical, other characters are composites of people that Tuttle knew or was told about.

The style of the music is classic folk rock with all kinds of '70s flavors, ranging from the mournful to the joyful and including beautiful ballads with a Fleetwood Mac or Dylan slant. The production style is minimalist, depending on shifting scenes and movements to carry you through the journey.