*Emma Y. Lai (book) & Hannah Bakke (music & lyrics), creators of LOCUST*

If there’s one thing you can say about our team at Trademark, it’s that we are big fans of artistic collaborations.

We’re passionate about putting together teams of like-minded artists to bring new works to life. So, when a vibrant collaboration comes to us, ready-made with a new piece to pitch? Well, we get a little excited.

That was certainly the case when Emma Y. Lai and Hannah Bakke submitted their pitch for LOCUST to Season Nine’s IN THE WORKS showcase.

These two already had a proven track record of making magical theater together, and were eager to discover what they could create with time, and support.

But creative partnerships are like learning a new language. You have to discover how the other person creates, and what your unique shared process is.

Keep reading to learn how Lai and Bakke found their rhythm, and what to expect at June 8th’s showcase!

LOCUST & The Power of Change

*THE GARDEN at Children’s Theater Company, written by Hannah Bakke & directed by Emma. Y. Lai*

It seems only fitting that a new musical focused on change and transformation has made its way to the IN THE WORKS stage.

After all, our workshop process is designed to let artists take bold swings, and find the heart of the story that they want to tell. And that sometimes means making drastic changes and edits on short timelines.

Lai & Bakke experienced that firsthand when, mere weeks before rehearsal started, they decided to throw out their original concept and start with a new format.

In the revamped version of LOCUST, seven strangers meet in an abandoned town on their way to their different destinations as a dust storm approaches. Inspired by the actual physiological and behavioral transformation that grasshoppers undergo in times of food scarcity, LOCUST is a folk musical about how people, homes, and destinations can change and transform.

With a book by Lai, and music and lyrics by Bakke, the piece has evolved as much as it’s characters do. But how do all the pieces come together? We asked them to share their process and inspiration with us.

Q&A With Emma Y. Lai and Hannah Bakke

Q: Where did the inspiration for LOCUST come from?

E: LOCUST is inspired by the real scientific fact that grasshoppers physiologically and behaviorally transform into Locusts when the grasshopper population is forced to concentrate in small areas due to drought. They become gregarious, cannibalize one another, and form destructive swarms.

H: I originally went down the grasshopper-to-locust rabbit hole in 2023 when my cousin told me that if I put a bunch of grasshoppers in a jar they would become locusts. 2 years later, when Emma and I decided we wanted to try our hand at writing something together, I go “so my cousin told me this weird bug fact...”

E: We were inspired by the idea that all humans, like benign grasshoppers, are capable of transforming into Locusts and how we often push down “Locust” feelings on the inside.

H: There’s something really sad and scary and sticky and fascinating about how they aren’t separate species. How a benign creature can become something hungry and devastating when the chips are down. We wanted to dive into the humanity of that.

E: This particular draft is also largely inspired by Dave Malloy’s work, specifically Octet. We just love seeing a collection of strangers change one another.

Q: Both of you have worked on a variety of solo projects. How did your artistic collaboration start, and what has that dynamic looked like?

E: We first worked together on developing a production of Hannah’s new musical, THE GARDEN, at Children' s Theatre Company-

H: -Which Emma brilliantly directed.

E: We discovered we have very similar processes and philosophies on writing, so from that came LOCUST! We deeply value experimenting and love taking spontaneous ideas and running with them. We leave podcast length voice memos to one another about characters, themes, andideas and if a new path branches off from it, we follow it knowing we can always backtrack later! We’ve written songs, scenes, and characters, cut them from the story, and then found them making a comeback in our third and fourth drafts. So the best way to describe our working dynamic is that we let the wind take us to our next place...

Q: Tell us a bit about your creative process and what development of this piece has looked like for you, so far?

E: LOCUST began as a horror musical, so we were finding the creepiest, darkest imagery we could pull from our minds related to Locusts. Our first draft was in the science fiction realm, then shifted into the supernatural realm, and then suddenly we were in a cult that made people put bugs in their mouths.

For the In the Works Showcase, we’re trying on something a little different–strangers gathered and singing around a campfire. This was a really exciting moment for us in the new works process because we sat down and reevaluated our show and asked “What makes this a show that only Emma and Hannah would write?”

H: For me that was leaning into the campfire aesthetic. They invoke warmth and safety...but also ghost stories. There is a quiet, unsettling eeriness to watching the flames dance while a stranger tells a story you aren’t quite sure is true. I also play in a folk band with my family (including the cousin that told me the grasshopper fact!) and so I’m always looking for ways to incorporate acoustic guitar, harmonica, and mandolin into my work - instruments feel right at home around a campfire.

E: For me it was diving into a quirky group of strangers influencing each other’s journeys and directions. I love the wholesomeness of watching people make each other better and that’s at the core of the story despite the eeriness.

H: I also was like “I want it to be WEIRD”

E: ...so now there’s also a talking parrot and a giant grasshopper playing guitar.

Q: What are you hoping to get out of Trademark's workshop process?

E: We’re hoping to really have a great time experimenting with the music Hannah has created this past year, see what happens if we play with different characters singing different songs–

H: And in general are just stoked to be working with such a stellar cast and director! It’s a little scary to put something up on its feet, but I am always delighted to discover how lyrics and musical moments impact the other artists in the room. I’m also really excited to hear from the audience. A question that we’ve been asked before is “can a locust turn back into a grasshopper?” The answer to that is a little complicated, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. But there’s something in that question that tugs at our humanity, like “if I have become something hungry and ‘bad’, can I go back to what I was before?” or even “can I be redeemed?”

I’m looking forward to hearing all the delicious thoughts and questions and musings that the audience has to offer.

Q: What are the things happening in the Twin Cities art scene that inspire you the most right now?

H+E: COME FROM AWAY at the Guthrie!

E: We both LOVE this musical! Also GHOST QUARTET and THREE HOUSES upcoming at Theatre Elision in the fall.

Q: What do you wish more people understood about the new works process and the value of supporting it?

E: We wish people understood the infinite directions a show can go. Finding the direction of this show would not have been possible without [Artistic Director] Tyler’s support over the course of the year.

H: He’s gently guided us through all the iterations of this script, and is always asking questions that help deepen the work.

E: By supporting new work, you’re really supporting the voices of new artists and perspectives. New work is created from the heart of writers and artists and through uplifting new work, you’re getting a chance to see a slice of the world that someone has been thinking about for a long time.

Q: Fill in the blank! Audiences will enjoy LOCUST if they like....

H: Folk music. Dave Malloy.

E: Theatre that’s a little weird.

Q: Where else can audiences see you and your work?

E: You can find LOCUST-specific info at @locustmusical on Instagram. - you can also follow my work at @emmaylai and emmaylai.com.

H: And can follow my work at @bannah_hakke and hannahbakke.com. You can also check out the concept album for my other folk musical, The Garden, on Apple Music, Spotify, etc. And if you feel like you want even more folk music in your life and don’t mind a drive, I’m playing with my family in Chippewa Falls, WI on June 13th at Dixon’s Autumn Harvest. More info at danvillefolk.com.

Emma Y. Lai & Hannah Bakke on Transformation, Collaboration, & LOCUST