A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A VAMPIRE
ALI LOUIS BOURZGUI: CALM BY DAY; A MULLET-ROCKING VAMPIRE BY NIGHT
P h o t o s a n d E s s a y b y N i c k B u r c h a r d
IF YOU HAVE HAD THE THRILLING EXPERIENCE of seeing the four-time Tony ® Award-winning Broadway musical The Lost Boys, you may be surprised to know that the high-flying, blood-spitting vampire known as David( portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland in the hit 1980s film of the same name) is actually played by Ali Louis Bourzgui— a friendly actor and songwriter raised in Pittsfield. Ali and I met in 2012, performing in Berkshire Theatre Group’ s production of Oliver! at The Colonial Theatre, and we have been good pals ever since. Ten years after Oliver!, I had the honor of directing Ali as the heartbroken ghost, Esper, in my short film, The Ghost Light. Since then, Ali has become a Broadway favorite. Following acclaimed runs in The Who’ s Tommy and Hadestown, he won the 2026 Tony ® Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for The Lost Boys.
In August, I spent my birthday with Ali in the city, taking photos of him in his natural element. We went about his daily routine, starting in Ali’ s apartment, where he has mulled over finding a proper place to put his new Tony ® Award.“ I don’ t want the award to intimidate me or anyone who comes to the house. I’ m blown away and grateful to have won, but the actual displaying of it is tough for me,” Ali shared with me. I found the Tony ® nestled on the windowsill next to a tower of cacti and Ali’ s record player.
Ali Louis Bourzgui watering his cacti with his Tony ® in the windowsill; Nick Burchard, far left, directing Ali, second from far right, in The Ghost Light, 2023. Top, Ali having fun spinning his award. Opposite, Ali in The Lost Boys.( Production photo by Matthew Murphy, courtesy of Polk & Co.)
14 // BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE Fall 2026