\\ Musical //
by Claire Tran & Teresa Lotz
Akira & the Merpeople
Musical
About//
Akira & the Merpeople takes place in a world where merpeople are trapped in human bodies. At night, the liberated merpeople call out to these humans to come back to their true selves. Akira is a rebellious teenager, with a punk band, who believes she is supposed to be a merperson. Her mother, Huệ, a Vietnamese refugee who came as a "boat person," is keeping Akira from the ocean, out of her own fear.
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CREATIVE TEAM
On a rooftop with prosecco, Claire told Teresa about her mermaid musical idea. It was one of the first shows that would bring together Claire's resistance community organizing world, expressed through riot grrl punk rock, and dreams of liberation represented through the joyful club music of the liberated merzone. Teresa’s response was “merpeople and punk rock music - okay!”
Thus began the journey of
AKIRA & THE MERPEOPLE.
music//
Teresa Lotz
Teresa's work includes Red Emma & the Mad Monk (NY Times Critic’s Pick 2019, Ars Nova ANT Fest 2017, dir. Katie Lindsay) written by Alexis Roblan, She Calls Me Firefly (World Premiere: Soho Playhouse 2018, dir. Ludovica Villar-Hauser), A Surrealist Sort of View (Prospect Theater Company’s WORLD VIEWS 2017, dir. Dev Bondarin) with book-writer/lyricist Sarah Rebell, Mommy’s Little Princess (The Barbour Award Finalist 2018, dir. Daniella Caggiano), ThreeTimesFast (book and music) with bookwriter/lyricist Naomi Matlow(Florida New Musical Theater Festival 2019, The Script at Stage 74 2017, dir. Michael Bello 2017, New York Film Academy, Winter New Works Series 2016, dir. Robert Longbottom), The Awakening (music) with bookwriter/lyricist Sarah Rebell (Musical Theatre Factory Developmental Series at Playwright’s Horizons, 2016 dir. Celine Rosenthal). Teresa is a member of New Perspectives Theatre Company Women's Work Lab(2012-2017), Dramatist’s Guild, and ASCAP, Musical Theatre Writing, M.F.A. New York University.
lyrics & book //
Claire Tran
Claire is the winner of the Fresh Voices Screenwriting Award, the Diversity & Inclusion award, and a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference. Musicals include Grandma Kim vs. America, co-written with composer Jiyoung Kim, Oh Soy, with composer Landon Braverman, and You Will Die Alone with composer Shane Parks. Claire’s songs have been performed at the National Alliance for Musical Theater, 54 Below, and the Musical Theater Factory. Member of the Dramatist Guild & the Playwrights Center. MFA NYU Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program.
LIVE PERFORMANCE
Events//
A NEW WAVE GATHERING
At Joe's Pub
June 3rd, 9:30 PM
Tickets: http://bit.ly/NewWaveTix
Our song, I'm Not the One that You Want from Akira & the Merpeople will be featured in Musical Theatre Factory's concert, A New Wave Gathering.
An evening of work written and performed by women and trans musical theatre artists. Starting in 2016, MTF launched a new lineup of Representation Roundtables. Facilitated by Maybe Burke, Janelle Lawrence, and Molly Marinik, this Roundtable provides a forum for female, trans, and gender queer musical theatre creators where they can present their work for feedback as well as discuss issues facing representation within the musical theatre community.
LISTEN
music//
