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Amelia Fei is a performer and writer based in NYC. After seeing Phantom of The Opera at 11, Fei knew she had a career in theater in store for her. She got her start Off-Broadway playing an alien villain in a sci-fi play. Now, Fei is the first Taiwanese actor and one of the first openly autistic actors to originate a principal role on Broadway through How To Dance In Ohio. Her advice to young artists? “Set strict boundaries between your work and personal times. Your soul needs to be nourished before you can make art.” Read on to learn more about Amelia Fei and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Name: Amelia Fei
Heritage: Taiwan
Hometown: Kaohsiung
Current City: New York City
What are some of your favorite credits/projects: How to Dance in Ohio on Broadway, Avenue Q, and The King And I.
Any advice for young people getting into the arts?
Set strict boundaries between your work and personal times. Your soul needs to be nourished before you can make art.
How did you get your start?
My first gig was at an Off-Broadway theater playing an alien villain in a sci-fi play, and that's still one of the coolest projects I've ever done.
Do you have any favorite moments in your career that you'd like to share?
When we were doing the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, all the actors from different Broadway shows would high five and cheer for one another before and after they performed.
What have you found is the biggest challenge in your career?
Giving yourself grace or not taking things personally when you don't book gigs you really love.
What are some interesting facts about yourself?
I'm the first actor from Taiwan to originate a principal role on Broadway.
Do you have any organizations or non profits you work with you’d like to highlight?
Autistic Theatremakers Alliance (ATA).
Do you have any mentors?
Lily Ling (MD of How to Dance in Ohio and the current MD in Hell's Kitchen).
Did you always want to be in the arts or did you have another path before you got here?
I have a BA in Foreign Languages and Literature but I always knew I wanted to be in musical theatre.
When did you know you wanted to have a career in the arts?
When I was 11 and saw Phantom of the Opera for the first time. It rocked my world. I didn't know something so magical would be possible, and I didn't know how efficient and beautiful it is for people to communicate through songs.
Is where you are now where you thought you’d be?
Not at all. Growing up in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, we had almost no musical theatre, and people had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned musicals. And the only reason I moved here in 2015 was so I could have a community to share my passion with and be able to perform. I never even entertained the idea of me being on Broadway.
Did you have any interesting “odd jobs” you worked at between gigs to pay the bills?
I was a tour guide, a bra specialist at Victoria's Secret, an audition monitor at the Actor's Equity, and a scare actor at theme parks… None of them are odd, but they are all very different.
Do you have any side projects you’d like to highlight?
I narrate audiobooks and I make DnD dice for friends and fans.
If you come from parents who aren’t in the arts, what parts of them do you see in yourself that have helped you succeed in the business?
My parents are both software engineers so their brains are very logical and they thrive in problem solving. It helps me a lot when it comes to organizing my day or making long term plans as it is crucial for freelancers like us.
If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?
Learn everything you can! Try everything. Be adventurous as you never know which skills or life experience could come in handy. Also, be nicer to yourself. Forgive yourself more.
What skills did you find to be the most helpful in your career?
Adapting in new environments and with new people.
What is your greatest accomplishment?
Originating a principal role on Broadway as one of the first openly autistic actors portraying an autistic character. I think it’s extra meaningful being an Asian woman, as you rarely see people like us in the mainstream media, not to mention disability, such as autism, are often being hidden and not talked about in the AAPI community. I’ve received many lovely messages from people letting me know how much they felt seen and how grateful they were for my work and I feel so honored and humbled by all of this.
What do you love most about what you do?
To live through different lives by telling different stories and making connections both on and off stage. To me, that’s the most satisfying thing about being human.
How do you deal with performance anxiety?
Reminding myself that every performer feels this way and even if I do make a mistake, it’s always less severe than what I make of it in my head. Also knowing if I fall, my cast mates have got my back.
How do you prepare for a role you consider difficult personally (such as villains or antagonists), whether it hits too close to home or goes greatly against your personal beliefs?
I usually highlight or write down the traits that stand out to me or don't make sense to me during the first read through. I’ll try to find the reason behind the motivations of why people behave a certain way or make the decisions they make, and usually that does the trick. Nobody is the villain in their own stories, so there’s always a way in their mind to justify everything. And if all things failed, I’ll have a table work session with the director and the team.
If you’ve crossed the table from performing to being on a creative team, what made you take the leap, and how did it change your way of thinking?
I’m currently in the phase of transitioning from performing into writing, and I think it’s because as a creative individual, there are always stories I want to tell and it makes me look at actors, auditions, and the industry as a whole very differently. Everything is a puzzle piece of this huge painting we are trying to create together. Everything is crucial and nothing is personal.
How do you think your creative process has changed over time?
I think I always wanted to do things the “correct” way when I was younger but I gradually learned that art is such a subjective experience, and there’s no way to do it “correctly” because such a thing doesn’t exist. Sometimes the good student in me will still creep out trying to take over, but I let go a lot more to allow myself to be present, and let the theatre god take over.
To find out more on Amelia Fei, please visit her at:
Website: ameliafei.com
Social Media: @amelia_bedeliafei
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