Julia Riew is a Korean-American musical theater composer-lyricist, librettist, and songwriter. A senior at Harvard University, she has composed over 15 original songs for her Korean Disney musical, which she campaigns for through the popular platform, Tiktok, which has garnered much attention in the short span of one month.
In this episode, Riew discusses the making of musicals and the significance of adaptation of old stories that allows her to bring her own personal experience to it. She also discusses her experiences as a 2.5 generation Asian-America, how they've shaped her stories and songs. She also discusses the importance of having Asian protagonists, not just secondary characters, as well as the conflicting sense of unbelonging that many POC communities face.
Julia’s recent works include Alice’s Wonderland, an original musical a collaboration with J Quinton Johnson (Hamilton on Broadway, In the Heights at the Kennedy Center) that was workshopped in a 29-hour developmental reading in New York City at AMAS Musical Theater and will be premiering in Kansas City at the Coterie Theater this summer. Her other works include the TYA show Jack and the Beanstalk: A Musical Adventure was commissioned for the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.)’s 2020 Family Musical, Thumbelina: A Little Musical (The A.R.T. 2019 Family Musical), and The East Side: A New Musical, which is currently being developed under a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at Nora Theater Company in Central Square.
At Harvard, Riew co-founded the Harvard College Asian Student Arts Project (ASAP), a club created to provide the resources and community for Asian student artists, and was the recipient of the 2020 Radcliffe Doris Cohen Levi Musical Theater Prize, as well as a John Harvard Scholar. She is currently a nominee for the 2022 Louis Sudler (Music Composition) Prize for the Arts.
Fiona Ma: Shaping California's Financial Landscape with Integrity and Inclusion - 4 X 15
Shattering Stereotypes, Advocating Diversity: Rizwan Manji Unleashed on Asian Pacific Voices - 4 X 14
Shaping Dreams, Inspiring Change - A Journey from South Korea to California's Thriving Tapestry- 4 X 13
Unleashing Southeast Asia's Rich Heritage through Tuk Tuk Box - 4 X 12
Fawn Veerasunthorn, Film Director and Animator - 4 X 11
A Voice in Action - Elevating Narratives with Powerful Presence and Versatility - 4 X 10
Bridging Cultures through Murals with Brushstrokes of Brilliance - 4 X 9
Diving into Tales and Capturing Dreams through Film and Underwater Photography - 4X8
Healing Hearts, Serving Communities, Inspiring Hope - 4 x 7
Dive into the Melodic World of Maki Mae - Where Virtuosity Meets Diversity in Every Note | 4x6
Unleash the Action - From Script to Scene, Crafting Impactful Stories | 4x5
Mastering Flavors, Defying Limits – A Culinary Journey Beyond Sight | 4x4
Illuminating Histories, Fostering Connections – One Mural at a Time | 4x3
Weaving Stories, Shaping Culture, Inspiring Change | 4x2
Rediscover, Reflect, and Reconnect: Season Premiere with Hosts Rasha, Sasha and Joanne 4x01
Amit and Vineesha Arora-Sarin: Dreamweavers: Crafting On & Off Screen Magic | 3x36
Maru Kim: Bridging Cultures, One Mic at a Time | 3x35
Illuminating humanity through laughter and narratives | 3x34
Geeranan Chuersanga: Connecting Global Thai Community through Art | 3x33
Envisioning Connectivity and Redefinition in the World of Public Relations | 3x32
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Dairyland Frights
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL