Welcome
Hi! I’m Mel and I'm a writer. Feel free to browse the site to find out about me and my work. Don’t hesitate to contact me to learn more. Thanks for stopping by! This is what I’m up to at the moment:
What Mel is up to at the moment:
IN THE THEATRE:
Mel’s audio drama adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (with exclusive, expanded content!) drops on Dramafy.com on November 19, with a new episode available each week.
Mel created the story and wrote the book for LITTLE PIECE OF YOU — AN ATYPICAL MUSICAL, which will have a concert staging at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane October 31 - November 1.
GIN MUMMY was produced in an actual drawing room at Bridgewater College (VA) October 23 - 26.
PERSUASION went up at Snow College (UT) October 9 - 16.
LITTLE HAPPY SECRETS will be part of Middle Tennessee State University’s one act festival October 9 - 11.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE goes up at Henderson Civic Theatre (TX) in February 2025 and at CenterPoint Legacy Theatre (UT) in December 2025.
The Wayne Theatre (VA) will tour THE EDIBLE COMPLEX in March 2025.
IN THE PRESS:
“Two Utah County Premieres Receive Professional Debuts in London” — BroadwayWorld.com
“Conversation with Melissa Leilani Larson” — Local Stories at VoyageUtah.com
“Utah Playwright’s Work at Theatre Royal Drury Lane” — UtahTheatreBloggers.com
“Utah theater scene gets spotlight with musical debut in London” — KSL.com
“Kjersti Long's Little Piece of You Will Get London Concert” — Playbill.com
“An exciting twist to the annual Performing Arts Coalition show at The Rose: Six resident companies fully collaborate on forthcoming Pictures at an Exhibition: ReFramed.” — Les Roka, The Utah Review
Theater preview: Pictures at an Exhibition: ReFramed — Scott Renshaw, City Weekly
Mel is featured in a Salt Lake Tribune article by Palak Jayswal: “Shakespeare, Austen and a mummy: This Utah playwright set to open back-to-back-to-back shows.”
Mel’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE recently played in Waynesboro, VA: ‘Pride and Prejudice’ brings love, story of family to The Wayne Theatre stage.
Mel’s newest work in progress, A FORM OF FLATTERY, was recently named a finalist for the 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Mel is also included in a special cohort of 12 Honorable Mention playwrights described by Playwrights Foundation dramaturg Heather Helinksy as “exciting voices whose theatrical innovations and compelling stories excited our readers and are ready for a fast-track to production.”
RECENT REVIEWS:
“Snow College choosing to visit [Larson’s] classic adaptation of Persuasion is exciting, and worth the drive to San Pete County.” — Maren Scriven, Utah Theatre Bloggers
“For Pictures at an Exhibition: ReFramed, the Performing Arts Coalition of the Rose Wagner Center for Performing Arts passed the test of full collaboration with top honors, to the energetic roar of approval from a sold-out house at The Rose’s Jeanné Wagner Theatre.” — Les Roka, The Utah Review
“Audiences will love local playwright Larson’s adaptation [of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE]. She brings the characters to life and honors the best parts of Jane Austen’s legacy.” — Jane Smith, Front Row Reviewers
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person in possession of a ticket to this performance will find themselves thoroughly delighted.” — Scott Savage, Utah Theatre Bloggers
“Bitter Lemon is a prized chamber theater jewel.” — Les Roka, The Utah Review
“This understated two-person show [BITTER LEMON] is thought-provoking and visceral. Larson is a celebrated Utah playwright for a reason, and this show is no exception.” — Ashlei Havili Thomas, Front Row Reviewers
UTBA reviewer Tara Haas wrote: “The most innovative production that I saw this year was RELATIVE SPACE: AN ATYPICAL MUSICAL… the musical comes together as a deeply emotional and powerfully moving story about topics that I wish we would explore more on stage.”
UTBA reviewer Rachel Wagner highlighted PRIDE AND PREJUDICE as one of the best plays she saw all year (and she saw a lot): “It was a perfect adaptation. I enjoyed it so much that I saw it three times.”
OTHER RECENT HAPPENINGS:
Creekside Theatre Fest has commissioned Mel to adapt Gertrude Chandler Warner’s THE BOX-CAR CHILDREN for their 2025 season.
Mel was invited to contribute a 10-minute play, “Secrets,” to a collection of shorts for teens touching on issues of mental health and wellness called Pieces of Mind. The work was commissioned by Orlando Family Stage, the University of Central Florida, and YouthPLAYS, in partnership with Orange County Public Schools. The plays are available for perusal or licensing, either individually or as a set, through YouthPLAYS.com.
Mel wrote the script for PICTURES AT THE EXHIBITION: REFRAMED, an evening celebrating the six resident companies of the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. This one night only production sold out completely and was a huge success.
Mel’s short play “A Burning in the Bosom” won second place in Wayfare Magazine’s inaugural 10-minute play contest. Read it here.
The film of Mel’s original short screenplay “Patience,” screened in June as a finalist for the 2023 Cannes Indie Shorts. Produced as part of Utah Valley University's annual FEMME Project, the film was directed by Chantelle Squires and shot by Bianca Cline, and features performances by Gail Bean, Marie-Françoise Theodore and Dan Lin. The crew comprised femme-identifying UVU film students.
MESTIZA, OR MIXED was one of five plays selected to receive staged readings as part of the Lift Every Voice: New Play Festival at American Stage Theatre Company in St. Petersburg, Florida.
THE POST OFFICE was selected as a 2022 American Association for Theatre Education (AATE) Distinguished Play Award recipient! THE POST OFFICE is also available for licensing (both as a 55-minute play or as a 40-minute cut for competition) through YouthPLAYS and is being produced at schools across the country.
Mel’s book THIRD WHEEL, which comprises LITTLE HAPPY SECRETS and PILOT PROGRAM, has been included on a list of 100 significant works of Mormon Literature. The list was aggregated by a anonymous panel of LDS readers, librarians, and scholars. See the full list here.
Mel now has a Wikipedia Page (and no, she didn’t create it herself).