In an era dominated by fast-moving headlines, social media feeds, and endless streams of information, it can be difficult for any single message to leave a lasting impression. Facts may inform, and statistics may persuade, but stories have a unique ability to stay with people long after the moment has passed.
For songwriter, actor, producer, voice artist, and playwright Lance Lewman, that enduring quality is what makes performance art one of society’s most powerful catalysts for reflection and change.
“A melody, a line of dialogue, a character’s journey… those moments become part of us,” Lewman says. “When people leave a theatre thinking differently than when they arrived, that’s where art has done something meaningful.”
Research has consistently shown that live performance can evoke powerful emotional and physiological responses, creating experiences that audiences often remember for years. Lewman has spent his career pursuing exactly that kind of impact.
After more than a decade working in New York theatre, alongside extensive television, film, and voice-over work, and serving as President of SAG-AFTRA’s Washington-Mid Atlantic Local, Lewman has witnessed both sides of the entertainment industry. He understands that while many productions successfully entertain audiences, only a handful truly influence how people see the world.
“I’ve experienced performances that genuinely changed how I thought about an issue,” he explains. “Those experiences stay with you, and that’s what I want to create for others.”
Today, that ambition is driving two original musicals that explore complex social issues through compelling personal stories.
His first project, Brilliance, examines the life of actress Francis Farmer, whose highly publicized institutionalization during the 1940s became symbolic of broader failures within the mental health system. While rooted in historical events, the production also reflects Lewman’s own experiences after watching his nephew struggle with untreated mental illness.
“There simply isn’t enough support for many people living with mental illness, especially those who end up isolated or homeless,” Lewman says. “That became one of the emotional foundations of Brilliance. It’s ultimately a reminder that we can do better.”
Rather than presenting history as something confined to the past, the musical encourages audiences to consider how questions surrounding mental healthcare, personal autonomy, and social responsibility remain deeply relevant today.
His second production, Queen of Happiness, shifts toward a more uplifting narrative while maintaining the same commitment to overlooked stories. The musical celebrates Florence Mills, one of the most celebrated Black entertainers of the 1920s whose remarkable legacy has gradually faded from mainstream public awareness.
“At the time of her passing, over 150,000 people gathered in New York to pay their respects,” Lewman notes. “She was one of the biggest stars of her generation, yet many people today have never heard her name.”
Through music and storytelling, Lewman hopes to reintroduce Mills to modern audiences while highlighting both the extraordinary joy she brought to the stage and the barriers she overcame throughout her career.
A central song within the production, The Way It Should Be, reflects themes of equality, dignity, and compassion that continue to resonate nearly a century later.
Although the two musicals explore very different emotional landscapes, Lewman sees them as complementary.
“One asks audiences to confront difficult realities,” he says. “The other celebrates hope and possibility. Together they reflect the full range of the human experience.”
That balance has become a defining characteristic of his creative philosophy.
Long before turning to musical theatre, Lewman and his wife, Kristan King, collaborated extensively in music production. Many of those earlier compositions eventually became the creative foundation for Brilliance. What followed was years of revision, workshops, staged readings, and continuous refinement.
“I’ve learned that creating meaningful theatre is a marathon, not a sprint,” Lewman says. “It requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to keep improving the work.”
More recently, Lewman has also expanded into premium ghostwriting, another discipline he believes shares surprising similarities with songwriting.
“In both cases, you’re creating something that didn’t exist before,” he explains. “You’re taking ideas, emotions, or experiences and shaping them into something that connects with another person.”
Whether writing music, producing theatre, recording voice-over performances, or helping others tell their stories, Lewman’s focus remains remarkably consistent: elevating voices that deserve to be heard and encouraging audiences to look beyond surface-level assumptions.
For him, storytelling is never simply about entertainment. It is about creating moments that encourage empathy, challenge established thinking, and open conversations that extend far beyond the stage.
“I’ve spent my entire career in entertainment,” Lewman reflects. “I’ve never found a better way to explore difficult conversations or inspire meaningful change. Art has the ability to reach people in ways very few other things can, and that’s what continues to inspire me.”
