What We Do
Janine McGuire & Arri Lawton Simon are an award-winning musical theatre writing and producing team based in New York City.
With a shared passion for creating musicals that tackle urgent, relevant themes, their work resonates with audiences hungry for fresh, honest storytelling in the theatrical canon.
Musicals that matter
About McGuire & Simon
Janine McGuire and Arri Lawton Simon, an award-winning musical theatre writing and producing team based in New York City, are dedicated to creating musicals that explore urgent, relevant themes, offering fresh, honest storytelling that resonates with today's audiences.
They met in 2012 at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, the premier training ground for emerging musical theatre writers, where numerous historic collaborations have been forged. Paired up on the first assignment of the first year of the program, they have since created a body of work with “a deep and reflective sensitivity to the tradition of American musical theatre and at the same time a forward-looking energy and determination to present their own voice” (Rick Freyer, Co-Moderator, BMI Workshop).
Committed to impeccable craftsmanship, the team consistently delivers memorable melodies and explores adventurous subject matter.
Their work has been developed and supported by some of the most prestigious institutions in theatre, including: Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellowship, Goodspeed Musicals, New York Theatre Barn, and Rhinebeck Writers Retreat.
They have contributed original songs to The Rainbow Lullaby album on Broadway Records, The Broadway Star Project, and The Lotte Lenya Songbook and produced sold-out concerts at 54 Below, Green Room 42, and more.
Their Musicals
The Bubble
A bold and poignant love story between two men who fall in love across the Israeli-Palestinian divide, adapted from the groundbreaking film by Eytan Fox & Gal Uchovsky
Express
An original ensemble-driven musical that unfolds entirely within the New York City subway across several eras of American history through the lens of one New York family
Kibby The Space Dog
A “Theatre For Young Audiences” musical about a spirited labradoodle who learns about acceptance and diversity after being ostracized for wearing a cone on his head, based on the children’s book by Andrea Cassell
Open House: A “Chosen Family” Holiday
A contemporary musical that follows a diverse group of friends in New York City as they navigate love, loss, and the true meaning of family during a whirlwind holiday season
Visit the Projects tab for details.
Style and Mission
McGuire & Simon pride themselves on authentically evoking different styles, settings, and time periods while maintaining their unique voice. Collaboratively writing music, lyrics, and book, they focus on excellent craft, with the story at the heart of their process.
Their work often centers on disparate communities pursuing peace or consensus, inspired by their experiences as members of historically marginalized communities. They tell stories that highlight shared humanity, addressing themes of love, hope, and resilience, embedded in specific cultural and historical contexts. Themes of identity and personal growth permeate their work, focusing on personal connections and the quest for self-understanding.
Described as “urgent,” “vibrant,” and “fresh,” their music and lyrics “fuse character, situation, and melody in ways that are rich, real, and moving”, aiming to be both emotionally complex and accessible. They strive to write lyrics that are character-driven and specific, married with music that is melodically and harmonically rich.
As writers and producers, they envision a Broadway unafraid of brave, high-quality storytelling that is representative of and accessible to diverse audiences.
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A partnership of New York Theatre Barn and Fire Island Pines Arts Project, a residency on Fire Island for "original culture shifting musicals in development."
The Bubble, June 2023, mentored by Jerry Mitchell
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A program to distribute one-time $5,000 grants to over 3,000 artists to help sustain their practice and engage the public across New York City’s five borough.
McGuire & Simon used these funds to produce a public outdoor concert of new musical theatre work from a diverse group of artists in October 2021.
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A year-long NYC-based intensive for professional dramatists
The Bubble, 2017-18, led by Michael Korie and Laurence O'Keefe, mentored by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty, Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, Chad Beguelin & Matthew Sklar, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, and more
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A one-week residency with dramaturgical support at Connecticut's historic Goodspeed Musicals.
The Bubble, Aug 2018
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A two-week residency offering established and emerging writers the opportunity to write, share work, and receive feedback from dramaturgs and peers
The Bubble, Feb 2019
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In 2021, McGuire & Simon's song "I Could Get Used To This" was selected for inclusion in the Lotte Lenya Competition Songbook, an initiative to showcase fresh, undiscovered repertoire that will be successful in the post-1968 musical theater category of the Lotte Lenya Competition, the KWF's flagship program.
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A summer residency to develop and mount a workshop production of a new musical with the staff and students of NYFA's BFA Musical Theatre program
Express, July 2017
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An inclusive home for original culture shifting musicals during incubation
The Bubble
New Works Series industry presentation, Sept 2018
Fiscal Sponsor, 2018-present
Virtual New Works Series, Apr 2020
Barn on Fire, June 2023 -
A residency and concert in Phoenix, Arizona, as part of the Festival of New American Theatre, which amplifies new voices and expands the canon of American theatre
Composer/Lyricist Cabaret, February 2019
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Song selected for performance in 2021 REIGNITE concert by Prospect Theatre at Symphony Space, NYC
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A weeklong writing residency for the development of new musicals in the heart of the Hudson Valley
The Bubble, July 2019
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A virtual, devised project to provide students in the Musical Theatre program songwriting mentorship, co-creating original songs responding to the Covid pandemic, led by Markus Potter
Fall 2020
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A two-week residency to further develop and stage a workshop production featuring BFA students in the Musical Theatre program, led by Amy Baker Schwiethale and Emily Orr
Express, Jan 2024
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Inclusion in the NEO (New-Emerging-Outstanding) Series, including a showcase concert and 29-hour reading
The Bubble, 2019-2020
Industry Recognition
Education and Outreach
Janine and Arri believe in the power of music to educate and inspire. They lead workshops on songwriting, collaboration, performance, and producing at various educational levels, from middle school to university, and in corporate and nonprofit professional settings.
They both serve on the BMI Workshop Steering Committee and are active members and guest moderators of the BMI Advanced Composer-Lyricist Workshop and Librettists Workshop.
Each year, they produce a salon of new holiday music to benefit a worthy cause, reflecting their commitment to giving back to the community.
Meet the Team
Janine McGuire
Originally from Bergen County, New Jersey, Janine earned her B.A. in Music from Barnard College, Columbia University, where she founded NOMADS, a club for new student-led theatrical works. She has worked at Disney Theatrical Group and produced independent theatre in NYC. Janine is a mentor for Maestra, which provides visibility and community to women and nonbinary people in musical theatre, and a dramaturgical and producing consultant on a variety of projects. In 2023, she received the Jerry Harrington Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Musical Theatre for Libretto.
Arri Lawton Simon
Hailing from Wichita, Kansas, Arri began studying music, dance and theatre at a young age, going on to earn his B.M. in Composition/Vocal Performance from Indiana University. Beyond musicals, he composes for film, dance, and opera. As a singer, actor, and pianist Arri has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and recently originated a role in Bill T. Jones' Watch Night. He maintains an active private voice studio in NYC. He received the Jerry Harrington Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Musical Theatre for Composition in 2014.
PROJECTS
The Bubble
Adapted from the groundbreaking film by Eytan Fox and Gal Uchovsky, the musical follows Noam, an Israeli soldier and musician, and Ashraf, a closeted Palestinian, who meet at a border checkpoint and fall in love during the Second Intifada. Supported by their chosen family, the pair construct a utopian “bubble” in Tel Aviv, and risk their lives to be together when the bubble bursts. This explosive new musical pulses with energy, urgency, and unyielding hope for peace, capturing the struggle and resilience of love in a divided world.
The Bubble has been developed at Barn on Fire, BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove, New York Theatre Barn, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, The York Theatre Company and has received honors from The National Alliance of Musical Theatre, The O’Neill National Musical Theatre Conference, and The Relentless Award.
Express
Express is a transportive new musical that unfolds entirely within the bustling confines of the New York City subway on a real-time subway ride. Set against the backdrop of pivotal moments from World War II through the turn of the 21st century, the show traces the journeys of three generations of an American family navigating personal and cultural change.
Originally conceived as a triptych of site-specific musicals staged inside historic subway cars at the New York Transit Museum, the piece has been re-imaged as a unified 75-minute one-act which can be staged in any non-proscenium space. The original score, inspired by the eras spanned in the show, takes the audience on a musical journey from Golden-Era Broadway to '60s folk and gospel to early hip-hop and millennial pop.
This ensemble-driven piece explores themes of family, identity, and the transformative power of everyday moments. With a big heart at its core, Express invites audiences to immerse themselves in the heart of New York City's subway system and reflect on resilience, connection, and the shared experiences that shape our lives.
Kibby The Space Dog
Based on a children’s book by Andrea Cassell about her real-life dog, Kibby The Space Dog is a Theatre For Young Audiences musical about a spirited labradoodle named Kibby.
Kibby is the happiest dog in the neighborhood, until the day he learns he must wear a cone on his head. Ostracized by the other animals in town, Kibby journeys to a dreamworld where other dogs wear cones like space helmets. He returns home with a message of acceptance and inclusion to share with his friends and neighbors.
Commissioned and premiered by Wichita Children’s Theatre & Dance Center, this 35-minute minute musical features a book by Kyle Vespestad and Kelly Wonsetler, and an energetic, R&B-inflected score by McGuire & Simon.
Open House
Open House is a heartfelt, edgy, and adventurous contemporary musical that follows a diverse group of 30-something friends navigating the highs and lows of life, love, and chosen family during the holiday season in a cozy countryside home.
This latest McGuire & Simon musical evolved from their shared love of holiday music, coupled with the desire to tell modern, resonant stories that reflect the experiences of our community.
A “Chosen Family” Holiday
Cabaret & Pop Songs
McGuire & Simon have an extensive history composing songs for concerts, cabaret, and special events. Here are a few favorites from their catalogue, with demos.
“I Love You More” - commissioned by JessAnn Smith and performed frequently in concert, here by Krystina Alabado
“The Dream” - commissioned by Ryan Bauer-Walsh for The Rainbow Lullaby, the first-of-its-kind lullaby album for LGBTQIA+ families, performed by L Morgan Lee for Broadway Records
“Scotch & Cigars” - commissioned by Anne Calderón in honor of her father Robert Litchfield and his best friend
MEDIA
In addition to the audio & photos associated with each of our shows in the Projects section, here are some of our favorite videos.
Find more on our YouTube channel.
Press & Publications
A Little New Music: Spotlight Series, video interview
Broadway Bullet, podcast interview
BroadwayWorld Photo Flash, photos from Dramatists Guild Foundation presentation at Playwrights Horizons
The Dramatist print magazine, Jan/Feb 2010, excerpt from The Bubble
In Between The Lines on Musical Theatre Radio, podcast interview
In the (Home) Office from Goodspeed Musicals, video interview
Matin Talks, podcast interview with Janine
Musical Theatre Today, annual print periodical, Volumes 1 & 2
The Wichita Eagle, newspaper feature on Arri
from Express
Solo, any gender
Range: Ab3-Eb5
Video Link