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Unknown Soldier

  • Credits

    Book by Daniel Goldstein
    Music by Michael Friedman
    Lyrics by Michael Friedman and Daniel Goldstein
    Directed by Trip Cullman
    By Special Arrangement with Hunter Arnold

  • Location

    Kreeger Theater

  • Run Time

    Approximately 1 hour 40 minutes without an intermission

  • Program
"A thoughtful, history-spanning portrait...that celebrates the urge to fully know people."

— The New York Times

Cleaning out her grandmother’s home, Ellen Rabinowitz discovers a mysterious photograph of a soldier, tucked away in a box of keepsakes. And so begins this sweeping, heartfelt musical about one woman’s journey to unearth the secrets buried in her family’s past. Spanning three generations, Unknown Soldier unravels a delicate tangle of family lore, as Ellen chases the extraordinary story that unlocks her history—and charts her future.

Please note this production includes strobe lights, theatrical haze, and smoking of herbal cigarettes.

Unknown Soldier is made possible through generous funding from  with additional support from Patricia and David FisherCatherine and Chris Guttman-McCabe, and Herb and Dianne Lerner.

Cast

KERSTIN ANDERSON

Lucy Lemay

RIGLEE RUTH BRYSON

Young Ellen/Lucy Rabinowitz

ADAM CHANLER-BERAT

Andrew Hoffman

LORA LEE GAYER

Ellen Rabinowitz

AMY GRIFFIN

Swing / u/s Lucy Anderson

NEHAL JOSHI

Doctor

JUDY KUHN

Lucy Anderson

CANDICE SHEDD-THOMPSON

Ensemble / u/s Lucy Lemay, Ellen Rabinowitz

PERRY SHERMAN

Francis Grand

JORDYN TAYLOR

Swing

WOOD VAN METER

Swing / u/s Francis / Dance Captain

ELIZABETH VARGO

u/s Young Ellen/Lucy Rabinowitz

RONALD JOE WILLIAMS

Ensemble / u/s Doctor

TAYLOR WITT

Ensemble / u/s Andrew

SUMIÉ YOTSUKURA

Ensemble

Creative

DANIEL GOLDSTEIN

Book and Lyrics

MICHAEL FRIEDMAN

Music, Lyrics, and Orchestrations

TRIP CULLMAN

Director

PATRICK McCOLLUM

Choreographer

MARCO PAGUIA

Orchestrations/Music Supervision

JULIE McBRIDE

Music Supervision

CHRIS KONG

Music Director

MARK WENDLAND

Set Designer

JACOB A. CLIMER

Costume Designer

BEN STANTON

Lighting Designer

LEON ROTHENBERG

Sound Designer

LUCY MACKINNON

Projection Designer

J. JARED JANAS

Hair, Wig, and Makeup Designer

SUSANNA WOLK

Associate Director

FRANCINE ESPIRITU

Associate Choreographer

PETER LEIGH-NILSEN

Associate Music Director/Conductor/ Piano

OTIS RAMSEY-ZÖE

Dramaturg

JOSEPH PINZON

Casting Director

THE TELSEY OFFICE

New York Casting

LISA ANN CHERNOFF

Stage Manager

DAYNE SUNDMAN

Assistant Stage Manager

HUNTER ARNOLD

Producer

Photos

Judy Kuhn in "Unknown Soldier". Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Lora Lee Gayer, Kerstin Anderson, and Adam Chanler-Berat in "Unknown Soldier". Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Adam Chanler-Berat and Lora Lee Gayer in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Sumié Yotsukura, Perry Sherman, and Taylor Witt in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Lora Lee Gayer and Adam Chanler-Berat in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Lora Lee Gayer and Adam Chanler-Berat in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Adam Chanler-Berat, Taylor Witt, Candice Shedd-Thompson, Nehal Joshi, Sumié Yotsukura, and Ronald Joe Williams in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Ronald Joe Williams, Perry Sherman, Kerstin Anderson, and Taylor Witt in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Judy Kuhn, Riglee Ruth Bryson, Kerstin Anderson, and Lora Lee Gayer in "Unknown Soldier". Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Perry Sherman and Kerstin Anderson in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Teresa Castracane.
Perry Sherman and Nehal Joshi in “Unknown Soldier”. Photo by Kian McKellar.
Candice Shedd-Thompson, Sumié Yotsukura, Taylor Witt, and Ronald Joe Williams in Unknown Soldier. Photo by Kian McKellar.
Lora Lee Gayer Williams in Unknown Soldier. Photo by Kian McKellar.
Kerstin Anderson in Unknown Soldier. Photo by Kian McKellar.
Kerstin Anderson in Unknown Soldier. Photo by Kian McKellar.
Perry Sherman and Kerstin Anderson in Unknown Soldier. Photo by Kian McKellar.

Unknown Soldier In The News

THE WASHINGTON POST

A romantic mystery that spans a century

THEATERMANIA

Interview: Daniel Goldstein, Lora Lee Gayer, and Adam Chanler-Berat Give More Life to Unknown Soldier

DC THEATER ARTS

“the memory musical unfolds with the delicacy of an heirloom music box”

DC THEATER ARTS

Nehal Joshi on his hilarious vaudevillian romp in ‘Unknown Soldier’

BROADWAYWORLD

“Goldstein and Friedman perfectly capture the uncertain certainty of collective and personal memories, daring the audience to figure out the “right” answers to what happened"

A THEATRE-GOER'S THOUGHTS

“take some tissues when you see it for yourself”

TALKIN' BROADWAY

“Goldstein and Friedman have created a rapturous score that ranges from humorous to heartbreaking”

LIVING LOCAL DMV

Lora Lee Gayer, Daniel Goldstein & Peter Leigh-Nilsen perform “Milkshake” from the musical Unknown Soldier

LIVING LOCAL DMV

Arena Stage presents: Unknown Soldier

FAIRFAX COUNTY TIMES

Springfield youngster makes professional debut at Arena Stage

MARYLAND THEATRE GUIDE

‘A Quick 5’ with Ronald Joe Williams, Actor in ‘Unknown Soldier’ at Arena Stage

BROADWAYWORLD

UNKNOWN SOLIDER & More Lead Washington, DC's April 2024 Top Theatre Shows

BROADWAYWORLD

Video: In Rehearsal with Judy Kuhn for UNKNOWN SOLDIER

WASHINGTON BLADE

D.C.’s spring theater scene offers ‘Macbeth,’ ‘Peter Pan,’ Sedaris and more

WASHINGTON CITY PAPER

2024 Spring Arts Guide: Unknown Soldier, March 29 through May 5

BROADWAYWORLD

Photos/Video: Behind the Scenes of Arena Stage's UNKNOWN SOLDIER

THE WASHINGTON POST

The most promising theater to see in D.C. and N.Y. this spring

THEATERMANIA

Lora Lee Gayer, Adam Chanler-Berat, Judy Kuhn to Star in Unknown Soldier at Arena Stage

BROADWAYWORLD

Judy Kuhn, Kerstin Anderson, Perry Sherman & More to Star in UNKNOWN SOLDIER D.C. Premiere

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