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Aaron Lazar, a Broadway mainstay known for his performances in “The Light in the Piazza” and “Les Misérables,” has teamed up with over 60 of his fellow stage luminaries and other renowned singers to raise awareness for ALS—a condition the actor was diagnosed with in 2022.
On Aug. 23, Lazar, 48, will release his debut album, titled “Impossible Dream,” which showcases a spirited collection of cover songs, including Sting’s “Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot” and the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
“I wanted to find a way to stay above it,” he said. “We are doing something not just that helps me heal but to help other people live their impossible dreams.”
“Impossible Dream” will also include a special duet with the late Rebecca Luker. The actress and singer, who made her Broadway debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1988 musical “The Phantom of the Opera,” passed away in December 2020 at the age of 59 after being diagnosed with ALS a year earlier.
According to a post shared on Aug. 9 by the official Instagram account for the album, Lazar was able to bring the duet with Luker to life by using vocal files of the singer’s voice.
The lyrics begin: “To dream the impossible dream. To fight the unbeatable foe.” They end with: “Yes, and I’ll reach the unreachable star.”
Many of Lazar’s Broadway counterparts are also featured on the album’s finale, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kristin Chenoweth, Brian d’Arcy James, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Tony Yazbeck. Yazbeck has known Lazar since college.
“I am now so proud to be a small part of my wonderful friend’s new album. The day of the recording was overflowing love and vulnerabilty starting with the man himself. Aaron again inspired all of us that day and reminded us to stay present and to stay in gratitude mode always. Excited to hear the finished product!”
During an appearance on the “Carefully Taught: Teaching Musical Theatre with Matty and Kikau” podcast on Jan. 2, the singer shared that he had begun experiencing symptoms of ALS about 8 months before he was diagnosed in 2022.
The symptoms of ALS, such as muscle twitching, weakness, and atrophy, gradually worsen over time, resulting in paralysis, which can affect breathing and voluntary muscle movements like walking, talking, and chewing.
After receiving his diagnosis, the award-winning actor told Good Morning America that he now views each day as a gift.
“[ALS has] changed me because I have focused much more on how to just be in this moment of my life and enjoy this moment ‘cause the next one’s not guaranteed,” he said.
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