Interstate
March 6 – March 29, 2020
By Kit Yan and Melissa Li | Directed by Jesca Prudencio
Interstate is a Queer Asian-American pop-rock musical about two trans people at different stages of their journeys, navigating love, family, masculinity, and finding community in the era of social media. It charts Dash, a transgender spoken word performer as he goes on a cross-country tour with Adrian, a lesbian singer-songwriter, as the activist band, Queer Malady, fueled by the allure of fame and a desire to connect with the Queer Asian community. The band’s fiercely political and deeply personal music touches Henry, a transgender teenage blogger living in middle America, who finds solace in their art as he struggles with his own identity and family.
Meet the Creative Team
Kit Yan (Co-Creator)
Kit Yan (he/she/they) is a Yellow American New York based artist, born in Enping, China, and raised in the Kingdom of Hawaii. Kit is a 2019 Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow, 2019 Lincoln Center Writer in residence, a 2019 MacDowell Colony Fellow, 2019-2020 Musical Theater Factory Makers Fellow, and 2019-2020 Playwright’s Center Many Voices Fellow. Their work has been produced by the American Repertory Theater, the Smithsonian, Musical Theater Factory, the New York Musical Festival, Diversionary Theater, and Dixon Place. They have been a resident with the Civilians, Mitten Lab, 5th Avenue Theater, and the Village Theater. In 2018 Kit founded Translab, an incubator for Transgender and Non-binary voices in the American Theater, along with MJ Kaufman and supported by WP Theater and the Public Theater.
Melissa Li (Co-Creator)
Melissa Li (she/her/hers) is a composer, lyricist, performer, and writer based in New York and Baltimore. She is a recipient of the Jonathan Larson Award, a Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow, a 2019 Lincoln Center Theater Writer-in-Residence, a 2019 Musical Theater Factory Maker, a 2019 MacDowell Colony Fellow, and a former Queer|Art|Mentorship Fellow. Musicals include Interstate (New York Musical Festival, Winner “Outstanding Lyrics”), Surviving the Nian (The Theater Offensive, IRNE Award Winner for “Best New Play” 2007), and 99% Stone (The Theater Offensive). Her works have received support from The 5th Avenue Theatre, The Village Theater, Musical Theater Factory, National Performance Network, New England Foundation for the Arts, Dixon Place, and others.
Jesca Prudencio (Director)
Jesca Prudencio (she/her/hers) is a director and choreographer focused on creating highly physical productions of new plays, musicals, and documentary theater nationally, and internationally. Directing credits include Will Snider’s How To Use a Knife (Mixed Blood), Calling (La MaMa ETC), Anna Moench’s Man of God (East West Players), PDA (La Jolla Playhouse’s WoW Festival) Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap (Steppenwolf) A&Q (Philippines), and FAN: stories from the brothels of Bangkok (Thailand). Her critically acclaimed productions of Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone and Anna Ziegler’s Actually at San Diego Repertory Theatre received multiple Craig Noel nominations including Outstanding Director. She is a recipient of The Old Vic’s T.S. Eliot US/UK Exchange Fellowship, The Drama League Fellowship, and the inaugural Julie Taymor World Theater Fellowship. Jesca is Artistic Director/Founder of People Of Interest, dedicated to creating community specific documentary theater works. She is currently Head of Directing at San Diego State University. BFA Drama: NYU Tisch, MFA Directing: UC San Diego.
Shannon TL Kearns (Assistant Director)
Shannon TL Kearns (he/him/his) is a transgender man who’s playwriting is obsessed with big questions told through small stories. He is committed to work by and for marginalized communities, using writing to create a new future for all of us. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Uprising Theatre Company in Minneapolis, MN. He is a Lambda Literary Fellow for 2019. He was awarded a spot in the HBMG Foundations’ Winter Playwright Retreat in 2018 and 2019. He has participated in Pillsbury House Theatre’s Chicago Avenue Project writing plays for and with children. He was a finalist for the Equity Library Theatre of Chicago’s Reading Series, the 2019 TransLab, and the American Stages 2019 New Play Festival. He also teaches storytelling and playwriting for youth and adults. Shannon’s plays include in a stand of dying trees, Line of Sight, Twisted Deaths, The Resistance of My Skin, and Who Has Eyes To See.
Kai Alexander Judd as Dash
Kai Alexander Judd (he/him/his) is honored to be making his Twin Cities debut with Interstate. Favorite credits: James and the Giant Peach (James), Into the Woods (Baker), Cats (Mungojerrie). He will be graduating from Viterbo University with a BFA in Music Theatre this coming May. Much love to his friends, his family, the Viterbo faculty, and his cat Chashi.
Rose Van Dyne as Adrian
Rose Van Dyne (she/her/hers) (Adrian) is an NYC-based actor and musician. Some previous theatre companies include the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Argyle Theatre, and Town Hall Arts Center. Rose also works as a music director; most recently “Second Line” by Carner and Gregor with the Pace New Musicals program. B.A. University of Northern Colorado. Represented by HCKR. Eternal love to 엄마 and Ace.
Sushma Saha as Henry
Sushma Saha (she/her/hers or they/them) (Henry): Off-Broadway: Interstate (New York Musical Festival 2018). Regional Theatre: The Wolves (Actors Theatre of Louisville). Other Theatre: The Naked Cross (Pride Plays 2019), Little Shop of Horrors (1st site-specific production at Bool’s Flower Shop in Ithaca, NY), Dance Nation (Ithaca New Voices Festival 2019). Additional credits: Saha is a current senior at Ithaca College pursuing a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. They won Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role at New York Musical Festival 2018.
Lily Tung Crystal as Mom
Lily Tung Crystal (she/her) is excited and grateful to be making her Twin Cities acting debut at Mixed Blood in Interstate. A native Californian, she is now the artistic director of Theater Mu. Acting credits include: Mrs. Shin/God #2/Niece (Good Person of Szechwan, Cal Shakes), Prosecutor Li (Chinglish, Portland Center Stage/Syracuse Stage), Bloody Mary (South Pacific, Mountain Play), Rachel Li/Rashida (Tough Titty, Magic Theatre), Amanda (Private Lives, Whirligig Theatre), Lulu (Cabaret, SF Playhouse), Mrs. Park (Jay Kuo’s Homeland, Magic Theatre; New World Stages), Korean #2 (Songs of the Dragons, Crowded Fire; BATCC nomination). Film: Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs. Lily is also a director who is a 3-time Theatre Bay Area Award finalist. She is a 2016 YBCA 100 honoree, named by Yerba Buena Center for the Arts as a “creative pioneer making the provocations that will shape the future of culture.” lilytungcrystal.com, theatermu.org
Brian Kim as Dad
Brian Kim: (he/him/his) MIXED BLOOD: debut; TWIN CITIES: The Korean Drama Addict’s Guide to Losing Your Virginity, Fast Fast Company (Theater Mu), Caught (Full Circle), Les Miserables, The Producers, 42nd Street, Joseph… Dreamcoat (Chanhassen Dinner Theater), Mulan Jr. (Children’s Theater Company), Charlotte’s Web (Old Log), Joseph… Dreamcoat (Ordway); REGIONAL: Carousel, Gold Mountain (National Asian Artists Project), The Emperor’s Nightingale (Pan Asian Rep), Dinner with Georgette (NYTW), Aubergine (San Diego Rep), Labour of Love (Olney); TV/FILM: Pokemon: Sun and Moon, Naughty Nuts, Mazinger Z: Infinity, EDF: Iron Rain, Modern Combat Versus, The Beach House, The Struggle; AWARDS: 2018 Best Actor/Director Asian American Film Lab
Zeniba Now as Carly
Zeniba Now (she/hers/her) is a musical storyteller and art scientist creating for the stage and film. Her work has been featured and produced by PBS, The Public Theater, Dramatist Magazine, and more. She has performed internationally, regionally and Off-Broadway as a vocalist and actress… and she has recently retired. To learn more about her art or millennial retirement visit www.zenibanow.com
Tom Reed as Pastor Fred
Tom Reed (he/him/his) is an actor, writer, and improviser based in Minneapolis, MN. In addition to nearly 20 shows on the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater’s mainstage, Reed’s acting credits include Autonomy: Karl, Gloria: Dean/Devin, Hooded: Hunter/Burns, Curious Incident: Ensemble, Next to Normal: Henry, Avenue Q: Princeton (Mixed Blood Theatre), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged): Daniel (Actor’s Theater) and several shows at HUGE Improv Theater. Writing credits include Greenway (Twin Cities Horror Festival), and a string of successful Minnesota Fringe Festival musical parodies – including Game of Toms, Stranger Things: Netflix and KILL and Parry Hotter – along with a gun culture satire, Gunplay! Reed can also be seen on screen in Netflix’s Lady Dynamite, award-winning short films, and commercials.
Meredith Casey as Madison
Meredith (she/her/hers) is thrilled to be making her Mixed Blood debut! Local Credits: Guthrie Theater (The American Clock) The Jungle (The Wolves – original and remount cast) Theater Mu (Peerless) Artistry (Tinker to Evers to Chance – regional premiere) Regional Credits: Theater at Monmouth (Sense & Sensibility) Shakespeare on the Sound (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, All’s Well That Ends Well) Hope Repertory (Hairspray, Oedipus, Go, Dog. Go! The Musical) Upcoming: Amadeus at Gremlin Theatre. Education: UMN/Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program. Meredith is also the author of ‘Spitting Glass’ a new poetry collection, you can find it at www.meredithcasey.com
Interstate Partners
Mixed Blood is proud to partner with these amazing groups and organizations.
Asian American Organizing Project (AAOP) is a non-partisan, not-for profit organization, created by young queer Asian people for young queer Asian people to build self-determination and autonomy through civic engagement, youth empowerment, and gender justice.
BOP also works in partnership with other groups and individuals in the Upper Midwest who are organizing events serving bisexual and other non-monosexual communities.
OutFront Minnesota’s mission is to create a state where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are free to be who they are, love who they love, and live without fear of violence, harassment or discrimination.
“We envision a state where LGBTQ individuals have equal opportunities, protection and rights. We are working toward the day when all Minnesotans have the freedom, power and confidence to make the best choices for their own lives.”
