Meet Melody Butiu

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melody Butiu. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Melody, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I grew up in a musical family. My parents, my sister, my extended family either sang or played instruments, and music was a big part of our household. My mom told me I was singing as soon as I could speak. When I tried out for the elementary school play, I was cast as a soloist, but was told early on that I was not a good speaker, that I stumbled over the lines, and that I should stay away from speaking parts. So as the years went by, I gravitated to choir. When I reached high school, I saw a production of Sweeney Todd that blew my mind, and I had a growing interest in musical theatre. As I started taking drama classes, I found a renewed interest in acting, but still got cast primarily in the school musicals and not the plays.

By the time I started college, I knew I wanted to study theatre, but did not have a clear picture of what a life as an actor would look like for me. When I was a freshman at UC San Diego, I watched a performance by HereAndNow, an Asian American theatre company, with a cast of college students from all over Southern California. I was so inspired by their storytelling, so thrilled to see actors that looked like me, that I auditioned and joined the company the following summer. I spent two years rehearsing, traveling, and performing original work on weekend trips to universities around the country.

During one performance at an Asian American Student conference at Duke University, I told a deeply personal story about my mother, who lost her battle to cancer when I was 17 years old. The next day, after we conducted a workshop of theatre games with students, one young man came up to me and said, “My mom died two weeks ago, and I almost didn’t come to this conference. When you told your story, I felt like you were speaking to me, and it meant so much.” This was one of those touchstone moments when I realized the power we have as artists, to tell the truth and help people feel less alone. I remember thinking, “This is what I’m supposed to do.”

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My name is Melody Butiu. I hail from Manhattan Beach, CA, and have been working professionally in film, musicals, plays, and television for over 20 years. I have performed in theaters all over the US, and in countries as far as Singapore and Thailand. I love telling all kinds of stories, but am especially drawn to sharing stories of the Filipino experience. Growing up, I know how special it was for me to see a performer who looked like me, and to be inspired by their craft. Seeing artists like Lea Salonga, Tia Carrere, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Nia Peeples was so thrilling. But I also noticed that these actors often played characters of different cultural backgrounds. Roles for Filipino characters were rarely seen.

I have been so lucky to play a variety of roles, but have also had incredible opportunities to tell the stories of the Filipino diaspora, stories about history back in the Philippines, as well as stories of Filipinos in the US. I’ve even gotten the chance to work with some of the very artists who inspired me as a child. Some recent projects include the film, Easter Sunday, starring comedian Jo Koy, which was the first major studio film centering around a Filipino American family, as well as the four-time Tony nominated musical, Here Lies Love, written by David Byrne (of the Talking Heads) and Fatboy Slim, which featured the first Filipino story and all-Filipino cast on Broadway. I also play Sofia Flores in the new musical, The Queen of Versailles, written by Lindsey Ferrentino with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and starring Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham. This new show, which is coming to Broadway in the 2025/2026 season, is based on the documentary of the same title, by filmmaker Lauren Greenfield. My character is based on two real people, both Filipino nannies, who are part of the household staff, and featured in the documentary. My hope is that in creating these Filipino characters, with joy and specificity, audiences will connect with their stories and see the universality of what we have in common.

Other current projects include returning to South Coast Repertory Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol. This is my fifth year doing the production, but my first year playing the role of Mrs. Cratchit. Running November 30th-December 24th 2024. I am also in an upcoming episode of FBI on CBS and Paramount+. Check local listings.

You can follow my adventures on Instagram: @themelodybutiu, and learn more at melodybutiu.com!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Embracing who I am as an artist, as a human with my own unique lived experiences, is a quality I have had to cultivate over the years. Being an actor is such a contradiction, in that we are encouraged to carry ourselves with so much confidence, to develop a thick skin, to embrace the inevitable ups and downs of this business, and yet we must also allow ourselves to be extremely vulnerable, open hearted, and let go once we put our art out into the world. When we watch other people’s work, we can be so inspired that we think the answer to our own success is to be like “them.” We think the answers are outside of ourselves. We can fall into the trap of working so hard trying to figure out what directors, producers, and audiences want from us, what they might want to see from us, that we lose our sense of self and forget to lead with our own unique perspectives. We might think, “If only I were the right type, the right shape, the right amount of sexy and charming, had the perfect team with the best connections, if I had endless resources for the right clothes, hair, makeup, and personal trainer, THEN I would have the career I’ve been waiting for.” But there is no right answer to who you should be other than yourself. Sift through all the external noise to figure out who you are and what you want to say.

A career as a performer is built on all the successes, failures, connections, missed opportunities, single-day jobs with a couple of lines, leading roles you never dreamed of tackling, scenes that end up on the cutting room floor, thunderous applause, raves and mixed and sometimes frustrating reviews, opening nights, closing notices, endless auditions, gig after gig, and then months with no work. It is built on triumphs, big and small wins, and just as many, if not more, disappointments. There are times where you think, “Is this really what I want to be doing?” and others where you know, “This is where I belong.” Sometimes it feels like your value lies in external validation, but what matters most is how you show up for yourself and others, and as you continue to move through the world with curiosity and a willingness to grow, as you surround ourselves with people you respect and admire and want to play with, you’ll find yourself years later, looking back at a life filled with incredible experiences and accomplishments. You’ll see that the art you used to create for little or no money, but with a whole lot of love, passion, and determination, has evolved into a life of unimagined achievements. Throughout all of it, try not to lose your sense of self, who and what are important to you, and create community with people who keep you grounded and who appreciate all the things you have to offer.

Remember to live your life fully. Don’t just wait for the next audition, the next interview. Gathering with family, connecting with friends, traveling, experiencing the world, seeking out art that inspires you, watching theatre, diving into films, listening to music, moving your body, having deep conversations, being silly in public, checking out a new class, getting involved in your community, becoming invested in the world around you, trying something new, running towards things that scare you…all of these experiences fill your life and inform your art.

Celebrate other people’s successes. This work can feel isolating, especially in the age of self-tapes, and we can get caught up in our own work, or lack thereof. It can also feel competitive, like many are fighting for a few pieces of the pie. But I’m a firm believer in, “What is meant for us will not pass us.” The jobs and opportunities that are meant for us will find us. So see your friends in their shows, amplify their wins, and lift up their accomplishments. Having that found family of support, celebration, and inspiration can help you feel more connected and buoyed by what’s possible.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed, I try to go back to the basics of getting still, quieting my mind, and connecting to my purpose. I try to maintain a practice of mediation, twice a day, in the morning and afternoon, for 15 minutes each. Journaling in the morning helps me to focus on what I’m grateful for and I want to accomplish each day, and writing down a few lines at night helps me to reflect on what I experienced, anything I might have done differently, and work through the anxieties and worries that might be on my mind. Moving my body and lifting weights has been a fun way to challenge myself and get stronger. I’ve also really enjoyed walking every day, listening to music, and getting fresh air and sunshine. Some days I’m more consistent with my practices than others, but I know when I feel bombarded with thoughts of uncertainty or insecurity, or just the overwhelm of tasks that need to get done, it’s usually because I’ve slipped in my habits, so taking some time to pause helps me get centered. I also have a couple of fun decks of affirmation cards. They are a great way to remind myself of my own inner strength and all around bad-assery.

All this to say, if it’s an especially emotional, overwhelming, frustrating, or heartbreaking day, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a little cry or a scream, and trusting that you will move through it. The only way out is through!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://melodybutiu.com
• Instagram: @themelodybutiu

Image Credits

Black and white image at mic, photo with Kristin Chenoweth in pink: Drew Elhamalawy
Editorial photos (white shirt, green dress, floral dress): Ben Cope
Photo on set for Easter Sunday (in cast chair): Ken Cheng
Photo from Here Lies Love, Broadway (with Arielle Jacobs, singing to audience): Angelo Soriano