M.J. Beasi is a YA author, a voice teacher, and the founder/director of a teen opera workshop in western Massachusetts. Born and raised in Michigan, M.J. moved to Pittsburgh to study vocal performance at Carnegie-Mellon University, then on to New York to make a career in music and theater. On tour, M.J. was known for scouting out each new city as a potential future home, but it was love that finally lured M.J. to New England and a new career blaspheming Handel with a bunch of queer teens. As a librettist/adapter, M.J. has written IL SOGNO D’ARIANNA, an English-language narrative adapted from the madrigals of Claudio Monteverdi, an expanded adaptation of Henry Purcell’s DIDO AND AENEAS, and a queer adaptation of Handel’s RINALDO.

When not writing, or nerding out over Baroque opera, M.J. can be found reading, gaming, obliviously lost in their own inner world, streaming on Twitch at the crack of dawn, or binging cartoons with their spouse and cat. Some of the many keys to M.J.’s heart include rambling takes on musical theater, Vernors ginger ale, oatmeal scotchies, and queer disasters in any setting.

Photo by Paul Beasi