Melissa Leilani Larson

Biography

Melissa Leilani Larson is a Filipino American playwright and screenwriter based in Salt Lake City. Her work has been produced across the U.S. and on four continents, with a focus on women's stories, cultural identity, and faith. Notable plays include Pride and Prejudice, Mestiza, or Mixed, Sweetheart Come, and The Post Office. Her adaptation of Pride and Prejudice has been staged nationwide and is available through Stage Partners. Mestiza, or Mixed premiered at Plan-B Theatre Company and was featured in American Stage’s Lift Every Voice festival. Her film credits include Jane and Emma and Freetown, the latter winning the Ghana Movie Award for Best Screenplay. Larson holds an MFA from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop and a BA in English from Brigham Young University. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. Her honors include the Smith-Pettit Foundation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Mormon Letters, the Mayhew Playwriting Award, and multiple Association for Mormon Letters Drama awards. Larson continues to create works that explore complex relationships and underrepresented voices.