Podcast appearances and mentions of Melissa Leilani Larson

Melissa Leilani Larson (she/her) is a mixed-race Filipino playwright based in Salt Lake City. Her adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE sold out its entire run at the Hale Center Theater Orem earlier this year; it will appear at the Texas Shakespeare Festival in July and at a number of theatres across the country next season, and will be published by StagePartners. Mel wrote the book for the new musical RELATIVE SPACE, featuring songs by rising music star Kjersti Long. Other recent productions include THE POST OFFICE and THE ORPHANAGE at Liahona Prep; MESTIZA, OR MIXED at Plan-B Theatre; GIN MUMMY at Mesa Community College; PERSUASION at Utah Valley University; SWEETHEART, COME at Tabor College; LITTLE HAPPY SECRETS at InHouse Theatre; BITTER LEMON at Adobe Theatre. Other plays include PILOT PROGRAM, MOUNTAIN LAW, LADY IN WAITING, and MARTRS' CROSSING. Mel's film work includes: JANE AND EMMA and FREETOWN and the shorts “Patience” and “Iscariot.” Accolades include: 2022 AATE Distinguished Play award, the IRAM Best New Play award, two Salt Lake City Weekly Arty awards, four AML drama awards and the Mayhew award. Mel is a Bay Area Playwrights Festival finalist (2023 Honorable Mention), a Portland Center Stage finalist, and an O'Neill semi-finalist. She is a member of the Plan-B Theatre Lab, Honor Roll!, and the Dramatists Guild. MFA, Iowa Playwrights Workshop. melissaleilanilarson.com 

0:30 Keep Your Filthy Paws… 2:15 Happiest Mission on Earth 4:10 Reach Out and Touch Someone… 4:40 Let's Buy Florida 8:30 @BYUParody 10:24 Saints Volume 3 12:07 Melissa Leilani Larson and Saints Volumes 15:00 Washington DC Temple Dedication 16:50 Elder... The post The Official @BYUParody Ep. 576 The Cultural Hall appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressly forbids polygamy and has done so for more than a century. But plural marriage remains a part of its theology, enshrined in its scripture and practiced, at least through so-called sealings, in its temples. Add to that the renewed chatter about legalizing polygamy in the U.S. and the question becomes: What if the church reinstituted plural marriage? Melissa Leilani Larson, who wrote the screenplays for the movies “Jane and Emma” and “Freetown,” explored that notion in her play “Pilot Program.” She discusses that play, her views about polygamy and its place in the Utah-based faith’s past, present and future in this week’s “Mormon Land.”

Behind every great man stands a great woman … who stood up to him! The Bible often gives its female characters short shrift. But playwright Eric Samuelsen brings them vividly to life in his play “The Plan.” Stephen Carter and Melissa Leilani Larson discuss this astonishingly feminist piece of LDS theater. Listen to this episode …

Behind every great man stands a great woman … who stood up to him! The Bible often gives its female characters short shrift. But playwright Eric Samuelsen brings them vividly to life in his play “The Plan.” Stephen Carter and Melissa Leilani Larson discuss this astonishingly feminist piece of LDS theater. Listen to this episode …

Behind every great man stands a great woman … who stood up to him! The Bible often gives its female characters short shrift. But playwright Eric Samuelsen brings them vividly to life in his play “The Plan.” Stephen Carter and Melissa Leilani Larson discuss this astonishingly feminist piece of LDS theater. Listen to this episode …

Behind every great man stands a great woman … who stood up to him! The Bible often gives its female characters short shrift. But playwright Eric Samuelsen brings them vividly to life in his play “The Plan.” Stephen Carter and Melissa Leilani Larson discuss this astonishingly feminist piece of LDS theater.

The 2019 Association for Mormon Letters conference was excellent. Our hosts use some of the panels as a means to discuss Mormon literature in general, focusing on the work of Carol Lynn Pearson, and on the new church history book, Saints. Authors mentioned: Brandon Sanderson, Orson Scott Card, and DJ Butler.  Favorite books by them: Mistborn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistborn Ender’s Game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender%27s_Game Witchy Eye: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753675-witchy-eye Carol Lynn Pearson: books mentioned: Beginnings, the Ghost of Eternal Polygamy, and Goodbye, I love you. The poem, A Motherless House: http://www.amotherhere.com/coll/pearson1.php The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy will be discussed on a future episode: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Eternal-Polygamy-Haunting-Hearts/dp/0997458208 The Saint’s panel was comprised of authors Scott Hales, James Goldberg, Melissa Leilani Larson, and Angela Hallstrom.  Some of their work: The Garden of Enid: http://thegardenofenid.tumblr.com/ The Five Books of Jesus: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Books-Jesus-James-Goldberg/dp/1479271306 Jane and Emma: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8581198 Bound on Earth: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2793921-bound-on-earth

Filmed in Utah and Illinois, "Jane and Emma" focuses on the distinct lives of two women in the 1840s brought together by faith. Listen as story writer Zandra Vranes, screenwriter Melissa Leilani Larson, and FM100.3's Rebecca Cressman discuss how this fictional story of two iconic historical figures, Jane Manning and Emma Smith, reveals the complexities of friendship, faith, and prejudice. 

Glenn and Tom sit down (once again…) with Melissa Leilani Larson to discuss the movie Jane and Emma, showing in select theaters in Utah Oct 12-14, 2018.  Go see it if you can! Lindsay Hanson Park also provides a review of the film, and Glenn includes two bonus easter eggs: 1) an interview with Mel […]

Jane and Emma is a new film based on the historical relationship of Jane Manning—one of the few black converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during its infancy—and Emma Smith, who presided over the Church’s women’s organization, the Relief Society, and who was married to the prophet Joseph Smith. It’s an emotional film […] The post The making of Jane and Emma, with Chantelle Squires and Melissa Leilani Larson [MIPodcast #84] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Jane and Emma is a new film based on the historical relationship of Jane Manning—one of the few black converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during its infancy—and Emma Smith, who presided over the Church's women's organization, the Relief Society, and who was married to the prophet Joseph Smith. It's an emotional film that delves into some of the most sensitive issues in Latter-day Saint history, including racial tension, polygamy, and the death of Joseph Smith. In this special episode we're joined by the director of Jane and Emma, Chantelle Squires, and Melissa Leilani Larson who wrote the screenplay. Learn about the challenges and rewards of film-making, the intricacies of creating historical fiction, and more. Trailer About the Guests Chantelle Squires is producer and director of Jane and Emma. Among other things she also produced and directed “Reserved To Fight,” a feature length documentary that aired nationally on PBS. She won an Emmy for her work on the third season of “The Generations Project” with BYUtv. Melissa Leilani Larson wrote the screenplay for Jane and Emma. She's written and produced a number of plays including “Little Happy Secrets” and “Pilot Program,” some of which appear in the book Third Wheel from BCC Press. Larson also wrote the screenplay for Freetown, winner of the Ghana Movie Award for Best Screenplay and the Utah Film Award for Best Picture. The post The making of Jane and Emma, with Chantelle Squires and Melissa Leilani Larson [MIPodcast #84] appeared first on Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU.

Emma Smith stands alone as the most famous woman in Mormon history. The wife of church founder Joseph Smith is mentioned in histories, journals, even LDS scripture. Less known is her enduring and endearing friendship with the early church’s most noted black woman, Jane Manning James. A forthcoming film, titled “Jane and Emma,” documents and dramatizes that friendship. The movie’s director, Chantelle Squires, and its screenwriter, Melissa Leilani Larson, discuss the film, its title characters and their hopes for what it might do for race relations within — and without — the LDS Church.

Join Lindsay as she talks with two LDS Mormon artists about how they have used polygamy as a medium in their art. Links mentioned in this podcast: Leslie Olpin’s Etsy Shop Writ & Vision Bookshop where Leslie’s art is being hosted Writ & Vision Facebook Page Melissa Leilani Larson’s site Info about Melissa Leilani Larson’s […]

In this episode, Mormon Artist podcast host Katherine Morris interviews Melissa Leilani Larson on her screenplay for Freetown, a film about Liberian Mormon missionaries escaping the country during civil war; her upcoming play Pilot Program, a hypothetical about a contemporary Mormon couple who are asked to participate in polygamy; and advice she has for aspiring Mormon playwrights and screenwriters.

Tom and Glenn are joined by Melissa Leilani Larson, the playwright of the play “Little Happy Secrets”. We talk to Melissa about her controversial play and some of her thoughts surrounding it. Links: “Little Happy Secrets” – The Audio Play: http://tinyurl.com/bj95hr Fundraising effort to get “Little Happy Secrets” in Salt Lake City: http://tinyurl.com/2cgfgw5 Melissa's Blog: http://melissaleilanilarson.wordpress.com/ Little Happy Secrets on Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/2d86uqd --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mormonexpression/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mormonexpression/support