Kwame Kewi-Armah and Brian Yorkey, who co-wrote the book for the musical The Visitor, started their writing process with music. For their stage adaptation of Tom McCarthy’s 2007 film—which looks at the friendship between a widowed college professor and a young couple navigating post-9/11 immigration—Kewi-Armah asked himself “What are the songs saying? And how does the book support the magic that is music?” The Visitor’s world premiere takes place at the Public Theatre. Tom Kitt composed the music, Yorkey wrote the lyrics, and the Tony-winner Daniel Sullivan directs. —J.D.