Meet Fina Zhou | Creative Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fina Zhou and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fina, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Theater first struck me when I was 15, sitting in a West End theater, watching The Phantom of the Opera unfolded in front of me. That was the moment everything started. In high school and college, I participated in multiple productions and realized that my love for theater wasn’t just about the spectacle but the process. With those long rehearsals, the late-night production meetings, the collective energy of people working toward the same vision, I fell in love with the way theater builds communities and brings people together under a shared passion. That was my first instinct about working for theater: it wasn’t just about what is on stage, but the world created behind it.

While the pandemic pushed many people out of the industry, it actually became my gate to a creative career. In 2021, I took on a theater festival internship in Shanghai, witnessing how a performing arts festival comes to life. I saw how productions unfolded not just on stage, but across an entire city, transforming spaces and drawing audiences into something larger than themselves. That experience solidified my decision to pursue a career as a creative producer and curator of live experiences.

My journey continued when I co-founded a Chinese theater collective in the Madison, Wisconsin, producing ENDLESS POETRY, the first original Chinese musical in the region. Staging a fully Chinese-language show in a predominantly white theater community felt like a risk, but we sold out three runs and brought together a diverse audience who connected with the story in ways I hadn’t expected. That experience proved to me that art has the power to carve out space for underrepresented voices, even in places where they’re rarely heard.

One of my mentors once told me, “Producers are the people who make beautiful things happen.” Some see producers as business-minded organizers, but to me, producers are artists of connection. As a cross-cultural theater producer and storyteller, my creative work is rooted in my lifelong fascination with language, identity, and the spaces in between. Growing up in Beijing and later navigating a life in the U.S., I often found myself in moments where language felt both powerful and limiting – a bridge and a barrier. Theater became my way of making sense of that paradox, a space where stories could exist beyond linguistic constraints. Whether through theater, film, or podcasting, I believe storytelling has the power to reshape perspectives, create unexpected connections, and foster deeper cultural understanding. And that’s why I pursue a creative career, and I will continue to manage a life with it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Since moving to Los Angeles and studying MFA producing at CalArts, I have produced 10 projects across theater, dance, film, and live performance, collaborating with emerging and established artists to bring bold, interdisciplinary works to life. My producing credits include mainstage productions at CalArts, experimental dance performances, and thesis films, all exploring unique storytelling approaches. Beyond the performing arts, I co-founded FREE BAGELS, a Mandarin-language free-talk podcast on cultural identity, which has garnered over 35,000 listens and cultivated an engaged online community with over 2000 subscribers. These experiences have reinforced my passion for creating platforms that spark dialogue and build artistic communities.

Currently, I am the Assistant Director for RAJA EDEPUS, the centerpiece performance of the LA Gamelan Festival in June 2025. This festival is a celebration of cultural diversity, marking 50 years of Gamelan at CalArts by Nyoman Wenten and Nanik Wenten, and honoring the legacy of Balinese performance traditions. My role involves facilitating the directors’ artistic direction, production coordination, and grant development, ensuring the festival’s success by expanding its reach and accessibility. By integrating traditional gamelan with traditional Western Greek Tragedy performance elements, we aim to broaden audience engagement and highlight the evolving presence of gamelan in global arts conversations.

Looking ahead, my upcoming initiative, the Mother Tongue Theater Fest, is designed to amplify artists working across languages, using language not as a barrier but as a creative force. Through new play commissions, multilingual workshops, and international collaborations, I aim to establish a festival that redefines how language-fluid storytelling can engage audiences. By bringing together artists, scholars, and theater-makers who explore language and cultural heritage, I hope to create a lasting platform that champions the richness of multilingual storytelling in LA’s theater landscape.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Once my friends get out of LAX, I’ll drive them straight to Manhattan Beach, then heading down to Red Rock in Torrance for dinner. As a vintage enthusiast, I’d also take them to the weekend-exclusive flea markets in Melrose and Pasadena. They are perfect for treasure hunting. Also, Eaton Canyon Trail used to be my favorite hiking spot. I hope it recovers soon from the fire.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to Chloe Wu, Veronica Wu, and Charlotte Xu, my three friends who lived, worked, and grew alongside me during my most precious years. They ignited my passion and strengthened my belief in my career. And a huge thank you to all my peers and former members of Saying Theater, who shaped my early experiences in theater production.

I also want to express my deep appreciation for Baron Kelly, Jahana Azodi, Rui Xu, Mona Heinze, and Hui Zhu, mentors whose guidance has been both inspiring and thought-provoking throughout my creative journey. Last but not the least, I hold the deepest gratitude for my family, who have always supported my most ambitious pursuits.

And special shoutout to the best stage manager Ruiqi for nominating me for this interview!

Website: https://finazhou.com

Instagram: @finaz0407

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fina-zhou-b26808196/