Justin Huertas is an actor, musician, playwright, composer, and lyricist. Credit: Courtesy of Justin Huertas
Justin Huertas is an actor, musician, playwright, composer, and lyricist.Courtesy of Justin Huertas
Good morning. It’s Monday, May 4, and if you’re wondering what could possibly be “good” about this morning, the answer is: a brand new song by the omni-talented Justin Huertas.
It’s a love song for the socially distant.
“I just want to say I hope everyone’s staying safe and healthy and inside and socially distant. We’re doing a really good job. We’re kind of killing it here in Seattle. Our tendency to be anti-social is super paying off. So, go us,” Justin says.
“I hope you all are consuming art in any way that you can. I hope that you’re supporting artists in any way that you can. I have a song that I want to share with you. I literally just wrote it today, so I hope you like it. I hope it brings you joy, and if you have someone in your life—a loved one—who you miss that you’re not quarantined with, I hope you send this song to them and that they get some joy out of it too.”
His first musical Lizard Boy world-premiered at Seattle Rep in 2015, won several Gregory Awards, and holds the distinction of being the first Grindr musical Seattle audiences ever saw.
Howl’s Moving Castle, which he wrote the music and lyrics for, premiered at Book-It Repertory Theatre in 2017. His completely original and fantastical follow-up to Lizard Boy is The Last World Octopus Wrestling Champion, which premiered at ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery in the summer of 2019.
Thank you, Justin, for being so amazing, and writing a smart, emotional, hilarious song about this moment. How are you able to be so brilliant and so fast? It boggles the mind.
Thanks also for performing it.
People of the world: You know what we need on the other side of this? More musicals written by Justin Huertas. Kick him a few bucks, okay?
Good luck getting to the other side of today.
* * Previously in this series:
Charles Mudede’s message to the city on May 1.
Kathryn Rathke’s message to the city on April 30.
Anthony White’s message to the city on April 30.
Miss Texas 1988’s message to the city.
Matt Bishop’s message on April 27.
Cherdonna’s message to the city on April 26.
Shenandoah Davis’s message to the city on April 25.
Lorena González’s message to the city on April 24.
Clyde Petersen’s message to the city on April 23.
David Ritt’s message to the city on April 22.
Sara Porkalob’s message to the city on April 21.
Julia Sweeney’s message to the city on April 20.
Linda Derschang’s message to the city on April 19.
Molly Sides’s message to the city on April 18.
Nick Garrison’s message to the city on April 17.
Tomo Nakayama’s message to the city on April 16.
Rebecca M. Davis’s message to the city April 15.
Heather McHugh’s message to the city on April 14.
Brandon O’Neill’s message to the city on April 13.
Kate Wallich’s message to the city on April 12.
Rebecca Brown’s message to the city on April 11.
Lucien Postlewaite’s message to the city on April 10.
Betty Wetter’s message to the city on April 9.
Amanda Morgan’s message to the city on April 8.
Nancy Guppy’s message to the city on April 7.
Jonathan Biss’s message to the city on April 6.
Chris Jeffries’s message to the city on April 5.
Lesley Hazleton’s message to the city on April 4.
John Roderick’s message to the city on April 3.
Bill Carty’s message to the city on April 2.
Price Suddarth’s message to the city on April 1.
Kary Wayson’s message to the city on March 31.
Ellen Forney’s message to the city on March 30.
Major Scales’s message to the city on March 29.
E. J. Koh’s message to the city on March 28.
Ken Jennings’s message to the city on March 27.
Demarre McGill’s message to the city on March 26.
Lynn Shelton’s Message to the City on March 25th.
Timothy White Eagle’s message to the city on March 24.
