Emily Xu Hall

Emily Gardner Xu Hall is an actor, composer, lyricist, and playwright who writes feminist musicals and plays with music inclusive to people of colour.

Winner of the 2021 Dramatists Guild Foundation Stephen Schwartz Award for musical theatre. For her body of work writing book, music and lyrics she won the American Theatre Wing Jonathan Larson Grant in 2019, with a fully-funded workshop of a new musical at American Music Theatre Project. She was awarded the inaugural Lilly Award for Women in Theatre “Go Write a Musical” Award in 2018 with supervision from Broadway producer Stacey Mindich, and a residency at New York SongSpace.
As actor and multi-instrumentalist: NELL GWYNN (US premiere, Chicago Shakespeare Theater), STOCKHOLM (US premiere, Hudson Stageworks), SNOW QUEEN (world premiere, Triad Stage), LIGHT PRINCESS (world premiere, Arden Theatre Company, nominated for 8 and winner of 2 Barrymores). Readings/workshops at the Public Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, Signature, WP Theater, Ma-Yi, Red Bull, Page 73 and others. MFA, NYU Graduate Acting.
Composer/Lyricist/Librettist/Arrangements: CHERRY ORCHARD, CYMBELINE, MEI-DO (Ars Nova ANT Fest 2018), NASCENT PHASE (Bushwick Starr Reading Series).
Collaborations with playwrights as a Composer/Lyricist: NOMAD MOTEL (play by Carla Ching, Off-Broadway premiere, Atlantic Theater Company), BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL... (written and performed by Kareem M. Lucas, Public Theater Under the Radar Festival), RUTH (play by Dianne Nora, Goodman Theatre Playwrights’ Unit), THE CARDINAL (play by Cusi Cram, commission from Cornerstone Theatre Company).
Alum of New Dramatists Composer-Librettist Studio, CATWALK, Rising Circle INKtank Play Development, and member of the BMI workshop. BA Music and English, Wellesley College; MFA, NYU Graduate Acting. emilygardnerhall.com
Her songs have been performed at Joe's Pub, 54 Below, Dixon Place, IRT/New Ohio Theatre, Green Room 42, NYMF, Prospect Theatre Company, Musical Theatre Factory, Studio Tisch, and Rattlestick Playwrights’ Theatre in New Songs Now!
Member of the BMI Lehman Engel Workshop. Alum of the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, New Dramatists Composer-Librettist Studio, Catwalk residency, Rising Circle Rep's INKtank play development programme. BA Music and English, Wellesley College; MFA, NYU Graduate Acting Program.