REWIND: A MUSICAL

REWIND: A MUSICAL

We are Isabel and Lauren Asher, the mother-daughter duo behind Rewind: A Musical. We combined our crafts on this project in the spring of 2020 when the world slowed down. Lauren was living in Manhattan when the 9/11 attacks occurred, making her and millions of people across the country realize the power of human connection. Rewind is a tribute to our favorite music and the city we love. It acknowledges that even in the darkest moments, love brings people together. We tell this story for the grieving, the resilient, the creative, the nostalgic, and everyone in between.

This jukebox musical bridges the past and the present with the timeless songs of ELO, Rick Springfield, Supertramp, Billy Joel, and more.

SYNOPSIS

Sofie, an aspiring writer working at her aunt’s Manhattan art gallery, encounters a miraculous painting on the morning of September 11th, 2001. When the first Twin Tower is hit, the painting transports her to the downtown art scene of 1985 where she meets Jessie Phoenix, the painting’s artist. Drawn together by fate, Sofie kickstarts his career with the help of her aunt, whose intuition reveals what the future may hold. When Sofie is unexpectedly pulled forward to 2001, Jessie is left behind. His story survives through her book, as their love transcends the test of time. Like a phoenix must burn before it can rise from the ashes, 9/11 is the origin of their story as their souls meet again and again.

DEVELOPMENT

The first reading took place in October of 2025 in collaboration with NYU’s West 4th Stage Company. Our most recent workshop in May of 2026 was presented at Uffner & Liu gallery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, directed by Playwrights Horizons’ student Jolie Jurenka. We have received Live Stage Licenses for all music included.

We invite you to take a step back in time.