LEXI WEAKLEY

BOOK, MUSIC, LYRICS

Since I first began writing musicals at age 14, I knew that one day I needed to tell my family’s true story. I am convinced that now, more than ever, is the time to share this layered family journey. I was named after my grandfather, Don, and have always felt deeply connected to him. Don was a navy pilot, a TWA captain, a beloved son, husband, and father, and a Jewish man. As I grew up and traced my family’s history, I came to believe that this deep and tragically moving saga would be relatable and important for audiences who would find themselves within the characters.

This show weaves together two very different, but equally meaningful and relevant stories. First, Autopilot recounts the commercial airline industry, not just the glamour, but the unimaginable safety risks during the time when simulators were not used regularly for training commercial pilots. Not unlike today, it is a headline aviation incident with speculation of whether it could have been avoided. The other plot is the story of a family who struggles to authentically face emotions in the wake of tragedy. As these plots literally collide, I wanted to depict the truth about the compounding generational impact when families bury grief, rather than process it.

So, what does the word “autopilot” mean? It is about the choice each of us has in pivotal moments whether to face the truth or numbly move forward. How and why do we make choices to process? How does our past impact how we cope? In a time of rising antisemitism, this story also addresses a type of “autopilot” where latent prejudice, specifically underlying antisemitism, still drives complacency and a lack of accountability or agency to cause change.

I am immensely excited to bring this story to audiences everywhere to inspire conversations and reflection about the choices we make in our own lives. I hope that patrons will feel inspired to take control of their own plane and make the choice to face their truth.

-Lexi Weakley