Interviews
September 2024 — Mel was interviewed as part of an ongoing series of inspiring local stories at VoyageUtah.com.
April 2024 — Mel joined Plan-B artistic director Jerry Rapier to discuss BITTER LEMON on KRCL’s Radioactive (right around the 13 minute mark).
April 2024 — “Enemy fiction: Melissa Leilani Larson’s Bitter Lemon set for Plan-B Theatre’s (sort of) world premiere this week” at The Utah Review.
March 2024 — Mel was a guest on the podcast “Midlife Cry, Sis" discussing the vulnerability of being an artist.
January 2023 — “Playwright Melissa Leilani Larson Tells All for Pride & Prejudice” at Utah Theatre Bloggers
June 2022 — “Identity Matters” at Salt Lake City Weekly.
June 2022 — " ‘Mestiza, or Mixed’ Explores Mixed-Race Identity” at Salt Lake Magazine.
December 2020 — Together with director Lavina Jadhwani, Mel spoke to the Chicago Reader about the New Year’s production of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.
April 2020 — Mel talks to The Blocks SLC about “Little Karl” and Plan-B Theatre’s inaugural Radio Slam.
November 2019 — Mel talks about PILOT PROGRAM and LDS polygamy on the Salt Lake Tribune’s Mormon Land podcast.
November 2019 — Mel discussed adapting Kelly Barnhill’s bestselling novel THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON for the Utah Valley University Theatre Department with the UVU Review.
September 2019 — Mel was interviewed as a featured BYU Theatre & Media Arts Alum.
April 2019 — Mel did an interview with the LDS news and culture site Third Hour discussing the recent Blu-ray release of JANE AND EMMA.
March 2019 — Mel was interviewed by the UVU Review about the upcoming DVD release of JANE AND EMMA.
October 2018 — Mel was interviewed about being a screenwriter for the website AspiringMormonWomen.org.
October 2018 — Nine years after her first appearance on the Mormon Expressions podcast, Mel got the chance to revisit Glenn and Tom on their current podcast Infants on Thrones to celebrate the opening weekend of JANE AND EMMA.
October 2018 — Mel and director Chantelle Squires talked about JANE AND EMMA on the Maxwell Institute podcast.
August 2018 — Mel joined director Chantelle Squires and producers Madeline Jorgensen and Jenn Lee Smith to discuss JANE AND EMMA on the Mormon News Report podcast.
August 2018 — Together with director Chantelle Squires, Mel talked about JANE AND EMMA on the Salt Lake Tribune's podcast Mormon Land.
October 2017 — Mel had a fun chat with Wm Morris at A Motley Vision, talking about THIRD WHEEL, Jane Austen and, of course, food.
August 2017 — Mel was the sixth ever guest on the brand new Mormon News Report podcast; she discussed THIRD WHEEL, THE EDIBLE COMPLEX, her love for all things Wonder Woman, and gave a sneak peek into her current screenplay project, JANE AND EMMA.
March/April/May 2017 — Mel was invited to be the featured writer for the 2017 spring quarter at the LDS women’s journal Segullah. Read her interview, and check out excerpts from LITTLE HAPPY SECRETS, PILOT PROGRAM, and SWEETHEART COME.
September 2016 — Mel did an interview with Megan Crivello of the Utah Theatre Bloggers discussing THE EDIBLE COMPLEX.
April 2015 — Mel, director Jerry Rapier, and cast members April Fossen, Mark Fossen, and Susanna Florence Risser met with Doug Fabrizio on KUER’s RadioWest to discuss PILOT PROGRAM.
April 2015 — Mel was the featured guest in Episode 170 of The Cultural Hall podcast.
April 2015 — Mel was interviewed by LDS.net about her play PILOT PROGRAM.
April 2015 — Together with director Garrett Batty, Mel recently did an interview discussing FREETOWN with BYU’s newspaper, The Universe.
April 2015 — Mel chatted with Megan Crivello of the Utah Theatre Bloggers about Pilot Program.
October 2014 — Mel was the guest on the inaugural episode of the Mormon Artist podcast. She and host Katherine Morris discussed FREETOWN and PILOT PROGRAM.
September 2014 — Mel was interviewed about her work and current projects this weekend for the Rational Faiths podcast. You can hear the interview here.
July 2014 — Mel directed the classic musical INTO THE WOODS at the Echo Theatre in Provo July 18 – August 23, 2014. A dress rehearsal was the subject of a photo essay in The Daily Herald; Mel was also interviewed about the show by the Herald here.
March 2014 — Mel was a guest on BYU Radio’s Morning Show March 26th to chat for a few minutes about PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Listen to the episode here; starts at around 39:00 minutes in. UPDATE: Mel’s segment on the Morning Show was featured as “the Best of the Week” on the following Saturday.
February 2014 — Mel was recently interviewed by BYU dramaturg Anne Flinders for the Theatre & Media Arts department’s dramaturgy blog “4th Wall” regarding the adaptation process PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.
November 2013 — Mel was interviewed by Ben Crowder for the online magazine Mormon Artist.