Nina Osso: Composer-Lyricist-Librettist (and full time college student)
Those interested in the future of the theater industry need to keep an eye on Nina Osso. At twenty-one, she is a composer, lyricist, and librettist of four original musicals (Not to mention a full time student at the Boston Conservatory).
Nina got her start in high school, where an assignment to write a 10 minute play quickly spiraled into a 73 page work set to music. With this project, she found her calling: “Musical theater was a natural fit for how I want to tell stories.” In this form, she found endless possibilities to explore storytelling and find her own voice.
Recently, her work was showcased at 54 Below in “The Song’s of Nina Osso” where pieces from several of her works, both new and completed, were performed. You can watch one of those songs right here!
Last year, a full production of her newest published work, American Siren, was staged in Boston. The play followed a dystopian American society, where the authoritarian government takes inspiration from Greek antiquity. Its exploration of queer identity, and what it means to be a young adult growing up in a volatile world, resonated deeply with audiences. Its success only serves as a sign of the exciting things to come.
Nina’s work centers on mythology, political discourse, and exploring queer identities. “Most of my work has aspects of magical realism. My work is 90% set in the world that we live in, and the other 10% is magical or mythological elements to explore truths about who we are.”
Whether it be the Sirens of greek mythology or fairytale retellings, her work uses these mystical devices to illuminate social issues in our own world. Her blending of the mundane and magical creates intriguing characters who you can’t help but root for, flawed as they are. Osso’s characters are compelling shades of morally gray, and explore just how much pressure it takes for someone to betray everything they once believed in. All set to ridiculously catchy tunes, of course.
Her artistic process is truly original, and yet so relatable. So, how does she get from an idea to a full length musical? “The real answer,” she says, “is that it’s disorganized, a little nuts, and doesn’t make any sense. A lot of 3am voice memos that I have to figure out in the morning.”
She usually begins with a story idea and writes from what she calls “dramatic moments''. These moments are the highly theatrical pillars of the story, or the heart of the emotional journey. These songs come first, out of order, and then are threaded together. The music and lyrics are written simultaneously, and from that point it’s up to Nina to make sense of it all. “It’s disorganized until it’s not, and suddenly, it’s done!”
And she never seems to slow down! She is currently writing two new full length musicals, which I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of. The first is based on the life and legacy of Hans Christen Anderson, and the exploration of identity through queer allegory in his writing. The show follows two plots simultaneously, one focused on Hans Christen Anderson, the other on his most famous creation, The Little Mermaid.
The second new work is called Sunday at Nonno’s. It tells the story of a family of Italian-immigrants, particularly a 19 year old game designer struggling to come to terms with her eating disorder amidst her family's culture. It explores feelings of isolation and food as a connection to family and heritage. If you want a taste of this story, check out these performances from her 54 Below show, where select songs from this work were featured.
Along with her work as a writer, Nina is also busy as a Moderator for Maestra, an online community for female and nonbinary composers, lyricists, musicians, and more. The two main goals of the organization are to create visibility and manage a support network for underrepresented people in the arts, while fostering mentorship between developing artists. Nina’s work as a Student Moderator in the Maestra Education Division focuses on those still working and learning within educational institutions. The goal of her work is to increase engagement between schools, as well as create communities within specific institutions themselves. We were also lucky enough to have Maestro’s founder, Georgia Stitt, on our podcast. You can listen to that episode here!
We are at a time where there is a lot of change and transformation happening in all aspects of the theater industry. There is a lot of uncertainty, but one thing to be certain of is that there are many incredible artists like Nina ready to share their work with the world. At SheSources we are thrilled to have the opportunity to highlight up-and-coming artists, who are already beginning to shape the future of the industry.
If you want to keep an eye on Nina’s future projects, check out her website and socials:
IG: @ninaosso
TikTok: @ninaosso
