Behind the Lines: A 9/11 Story
With FDNY Firefighter Bill Spade
Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 5pm
Running Time: Approximately 95 minutes, with no intermission.
Created by Dominick Farinacci & Jaymes Poling
Produced by Dominick Farinacci
Directed by Emmett Murphy
Executive Producers: Scott Balogh & Stacy Banks
Associate Producers: Al & Marty Sikes
Bill Spade & Jaymes Poling: Storytellers
Dominick Farinacci: Trumpet
Akua Allrich: Vocal
Jonathan Thomas: Piano
Edwin Livingston: Bass
Gabe Jones: Drums
Garrett Caine: Lighting design
Led by internationally acclaimed trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, Behind the Lines: A 9/11 Story is a live story, music, and theatre performance featuring FDNY firefighter Bill Spade — who responded to the World Trade Center attacks and was the sole survivor of Rescue Company 5 — and army combat veteran Jaymes Poling, who served in the war in Afghanistan that followed. Set against the tragedy of September 11 and its lasting aftermath, Spade and Poling share their extraordinary journeys, revealing a profound bond forged through courage, sacrifice, resilience, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Their stories are woven together with a deeply moving musical performance by Farinacci and a cast of renowned musicians, creating an unforgettable experience that brings audiences together in remembrance, reflection, and hope.
We are grateful to have the privilege of bringing Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story to the Irvine community, and we thank you for joining us this evening. I’d like to take a moment to share with you the origin story of this new show, which is the second production combat veteran Jaymes Poling and I created.
Eight years ago, while preparing to record Tom Waits’s “Soldier’s Things,” I wanted to better understand the experience of returning home from war. That curiosity led me to Jaymes, who shared his experiences of service, his transition home, and also his frustration with how veterans are often perceived. I wanted to help amplify Jaymes’s story by bringing his gift for writing together with my world of music.
We brought on a wonderful director Emmett Murphy to support the development of a new kind of performance that unites authentic first-person storytelling with music and theatre. This became known as Modern Warrior LIVE.
As we began seeing its impact on audiences across the country, we established a nonprofit under the same name to expand the work through educational programs and community experiences.
Now, eight years after Jaymes and I first met, we are honored to welcome Bill Spade to our team. Bill’s commitment to honoring those we lost, supporting first responders and their families, and sharing his experience with honesty and purpose speaks to the core of what we stand for.
As we begin this next chapter, we remain committed to empowering, connecting, and educating generations of Americans around the stories and lessons of service, sacrifice, resilience, and remembrance for years to come.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our veterans, first responders, and their families, and to the team at Irvine Barclay Theatre for welcoming this production.
Thank you for being here.
Sincerely,
Dominick Farinacci, Artistic and Managing Director, Modern Warrior LIVE
Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story is the latest production from Modern Warrior LIVE, a nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit established by Dominick Farinacci & Jaymes Poling that unites real stories, live music, and theatre to explore resilience and the unseen aftermath of life-changing experiences. MWL has become a trusted cultural partner for organizations and leaders focused on resilience, service, and reintegration, and works with a wide range of extraordinary individuals to elevate their stories and empower, educate, and activate communities.
MWL’s flagship production, Modern Warrior LIVE, has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and is deeply integrated within veteran and mental health communities. MWL programs and performances have received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, have been featured on NPR and Fox News, presented at Amazon headquarters, opened for Brené Brown, and earned praise from national leaders, including three U.S. Secretaries of Veterans Affairs and General James Mattis, who called the work a “necessary and worthy mission.”
Learn more and join our community at modernwarriorlive.org or scan the QR code below.
“…a trumpeter of abundant poise,” who “plays beautifully, with expressive control” and “brings true musicality.”
— The New York Times
Dominick Farinacci is among the most acclaimed trumpeters of his generation. Born and raised in Cleveland, he was just 17 when Wynton Marsalis selected him for a special PBS performance. While a student in Juilliard’s inaugural jazz studies class, he launched an international career as a recording artist and bandleader, releasing eight albums in Japan before gaining global recognition.
At Marsalis’ request, Farinacci led Jazz at Lincoln Center’s outpost in Doha, Qatar, from 2012 to 2016. His 2016 album Short Stories, produced with Tommy LiPuma, and the Cleveland Arts Prize he received in 2022 reflect his continuing influence. Yet for Farinacci, achievement serves artistry: In 2011, he composed “A Prayer for You” in response to his mother’s cancer diagnosis, later performing it in a TED Talk at The Kennedy Center about the power of music and mental well-being.
Farinacci is also a recipient of the Tri-C JazzFest Legend Award and was honored by Mayor Justin Bibb with a proclamation from the City of Cleveland in recognition of the impact he has had on the culture of Cleveland and beyond through his artistic work and advocacy.
Farinacci’s work also includes creating Modern Warrior productions with combat veteran Jaymes Poling, innovative story, music and theater experiences centered around personal stories of loss, endurance and how people carry life-changing experiences forward. His flagship production, Modern Warrior LIVE, has a touring history of more than 150 performances, has been featured on NPR and Fox News, and received acclaim from General James Mattis, the 26th U.S. Secretary of Defense, who called it a “necessary and worthy mission.”
As director of the Tri-C JazzFest Academy in Cleveland, Farinacci guides young artists with empathy and honesty, teaching both jazz history and the realities of the music business, with the goal of helping musicians find fulfillment, resilience and well-being through their art.
Featured on CBS Sunday Morning and the BBC, Bill Spade is a lifelong New Yorker and September 11th first responder. On September 11, 2001, he deployed to the World Trade Center with FDNY Rescue Company 5—alongside eleven members of his unit—and was the only survivor. In the years since, Bill has spoken candidly about life after 9/11, including survivor’s guilt, raising two young sons, and the counseling and support that helped him move forward.
Before 9/11, Bill devoted his life to public service—first as an NYPD officer, then as an FDNY firefighter. After joining the NYPD in 1984, he transitioned to the FDNY and spent the next decade responding to major emergencies across New York City.
Bill’s commitment to remembrance and education continues today. He has been a docent at the 9/11 Memorial Museum for more than 10 years, dedicated to ensuring September 11th is never forgotten.
Jaymes Poling brings to Behind the Lines: a 9/11 Story the firsthand perspective of a three-tour combat veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan. Confronting war memories, the loss of friends, and the isolation many veterans face after service, Jaymes discovered the power of storytelling, music, and public speaking to help move forward.
Enlisting at 17, he served eight years as an infantryman, machine gunner, and squad leader at Fort Bragg, including three years in combat in Afghanistan. Through Modern Warrior’s productions and speaking engagements, Jaymes has toured nationally to engage communities in schools, performing arts centers, and veteran and mental health conferences. He has also spoken with hundreds of active-duty soldiers overseas about mental health through the Troops First Foundation.
After meeting musician Dominick Farinacci, the two created Modern Warrior LIVE—an innovative story, music, and theatre experience centered on personal stories of loss, endurance, and how people carry life-changing experiences forward. Jaymes plays a crucial role across Modern Warrior productions and nonprofit operations, building partnerships that help veterans move from isolation toward connection and strength.
Raised in Warren, Ohio, Jaymes holds a finance degree from John Carroll University.
Emmett Murphy is a multidisciplinary director, designer and producer whose work spans theatre, opera, dance, concerts and commercial entertainment. His credits include Les Ballets Russes à Florence, the operas Lycidas and The Faultless Painter, collaborations with jazz trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, and productions connected with Cirque du Soleil®, The Beatles LOVE, and Clint Holmes.
He has created and directed 18 original cruise-line productions and produced Illusions in Shanghai. Murphy founded showHive and serves on the Directors Lab West Steering Committee. A member of SDC, AEA, AGVA and APAP, he divides his time between New York and Los Angeles, where he works in contemporary art.
Akua Allrich is a jazz vocalist, composer, educator, and cultural curator known for her electrifying stage presence and genre-blending sound. A native of Washington, D.C., she fuses jazz with soul, blues, and Pan-African rhythms—what she calls “Jazz+.” A celebrated force in the D.C. music scene, Allrich is acclaimed for her powerful, soul-stirring live performances that uplift and inspire.
A proud graduate of Howard University, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master’s in Social Work. With over two decades of experience in education, her work centers Black women’s voices and the cultural traditions of the global African diaspora.
Allrich has released several acclaimed albums, including A Peace of Mine, Uniquely Standard: Akua Allrich Live!, Soul Singer, Bonya, Akua Allrich & the tribe Live, and Universe, a collaborative project with Kris Funn as Idol Beings. With a vibrant voice and magnetic presence, she brings artistic excellence and deep cultural pride to every performance, inspiring listeners from all walks of life.
Deemed “stunningly good!” by The New York Times, Thomas, a graduate from The Juilliard School‘s Jazz department (MM ‘19) helmed by Wynton Marsalis, has performed with Jason Marsalis, Samara Joy, Curtis Lundy, Marquis Hill, Jazzmeia Horn, and Robin Mckelle among other leading voices in jazz today.
He is lauded as one of the most ardent and gifted rising forces in music. Thomas continues to make regular appearances at residencies at celebrated performance spaces such as NPR’s Tiny Desk, The Blue Note, Dizzy's Club, Smalls Jazz Club, in addition to annual appearances at a host of international jazz festivals.
Edwin Livingston is a Los Angeles-based bassist, composer and educator whose extensive career spans jazz, pop, Latin music and orchestral performance. He has performed and recorded with artists including Elvin Jones, the Marsalis family, The Headhunters, Natalie Cole, Seal, Queen Latifah, Melody Gardot, Yellowjackets and Bob Mintzer. Livingston has also appeared in films including Ray, Dreamgirls and Dolemite Is My Name. An accomplished educator, he serves on the faculties of USC Thornton School of Music and California Institute of the Arts.
Gabe Jones is a Cleveland-born drummer who began playing at age three and quickly developed through youth arts programs at the Rainey Institute. By age eight, he was already performing professionally in churches throughout Cleveland. A graduate of Cleveland School of the Arts, Jones now studies audio engineering at Cuyahoga Community College. He has shared the stage with acclaimed artists including Sean Jones, Curtis Taylor, Frank McComb, and Dominick Farinacci, touring nationally with Farinacci since he was 17 years old.
Garrett Caine is a veteran lighting and AV designer with over 30 years of experience and more than 100 major projects worldwide. His notable work includes Illusions in Shanghai, RED at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, 10 Commandments at the Kodak Theater, Hats! in Las Vegas, Disney productions in Tokyo and beyond, and shows at Luxor and Harrah’s venues. He has also designed lighting for major cruise lines including Princess, Carnival, and Disney Cruise Line.
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