Ari Afsar

Ari Afsar (she/her) is a Bangladeshi-American singer, songwriter, and storyteller who believes in the power of art changing culture, and culture changing policy. Upcoming/Recent: World-premiere of I & YOU (book by Lauren Gunderson) at McCarter Theatre, co-production with Olney Theatre; THAT GIRL (book by Rehana Lew Mirza) at NMTC at Eugene O’Neill National Musical Theatre Conference; SILHOUETTES (book by Jordan Ealey) at BabelFest at Redhouse Arts Center. 2025 Harold Adamson Musical Theater Award presented by the ASCAP Foundation, 2024 BAC Artivism Fellow, 2024/2025 Dramatist Guild Fellow, and a 2019 recipient of the Georgia Bogardus Holof Lyricist Award. Afsar has her BA in Ethnomusicology from UCLA and her MPA specializing in Political Action & Advocacy from NYU. Afsar’s concept album, WE WON’T SLEEP, was distributed by Sony Masterworks in 2020. Her work has been featured at the La Jolla Playhouse (WOW Festival’s ALLEGORY), Pasadena Playhouse (TYA production of LYLE LYLE CROCODILE), Berkeley Rep (Groundfloor THAT GIRL), and NMTC at the O’Neill (JEANNETTE). As a performer, Afsar has opened for Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Gloria Steinem, and Hillary Clinton and made her sold-out Joe’s Pub Solo Show debut 2 days after the 2024 election featuring music across her discography to provide hope and healing. She starred in the top 10 Netflix movie Wedding Season, composed with Pasek & Paul for Shawn Mendez in Sony’s Lyle Lyle Crocodile, originated Eliza in Chicago's Hamilton, starred in the world premiere of Bhangin’ It at La Jolla Playhouse, awarded top 10 at Miss America as Miss California, and placed top 36 on “American Idol.”