#2.4 Living Joyously with Melissa Li & Kit Yan

Thesis on Joan

In Thesis on Joan’s first duo interview, musical theatre writing team Melissa Li (she/her) and Kit Yan (they/she/he) check in with hosts about the recent rise in anti-Asian violence, how they’ve grown as creative partners over a decade, and what our responsibility is to our elders even when they’re part of the problem. Kit and Melissa also discuss how they healed their friendship through writing the musical Interstate, met the community they now write for while touring to 32 states, and what to do when casting directors tell you they can’t find someone for a role. Get your athletic wear ready for their next musical, Miss Step, with an entirely trans lead cast telling the story of the boring and remarkable life of a trans person, the importance of queer joy, and living our best lives.

Hosts Harrow and Meghan discuss nonbinary erasure and ciswashing of Jagged Little Pill and their thoughts on the Ars Nova Vision Residency of The Women, created by L Morgan Lee and Raja Feather Kelly.

Content Warning: 18:18 - 19:10 Mention of sexual assault, rape, death

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Broadway’s Jagged Little Journey Toward Nonbinary Inclusion by Christian Lewis

Show Discussion:

• Ars Nova Vision Residency of The Women
• Created by L Morgan Lee & Raja Feather Kelly
• Featuring works by Kirsten Childs, Dane Figueroa Edidi, Donnetta Lavinia Grays, Christine Toy Johnson, Bianca Leigh, Carmen LoBue, & Nia Witherspoon
• Directed by Raja Feather Kelly
• Featuring Dane Figueroa Edidi, Kim Exum, Jordan Ho, Lacretta, L Morgan Lee, Ronald Peet, Aneesh Sheth

Action of the Ep:

• March on Broadway: @randomblackgirllll, @50milerunforjusticeprotest, @papimagic
• March on Broadway Demands

Melissa Li and Kit Yan:

• Melissa Li: Website | Instagram | Twitter
• Kit Yan: Website | Instagram | Twitter
• Interstate website

Queer Culture Rec:

• Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

Queer Gives:

• East West Players - Donate here
• No Place For Hate • EWP responds to rising anti-Asian violence

Thesis on Joan:

• Follow Thesis on Joan on Instagram & Twitter
• Leave us a voicemail at [phone]
• Email us at thesisonjoan at gmail dot com

A full transcript of this episode can be found here.

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