An “Interview” with Playwright Lyra Nalan

Welcome to another “interview” with the playwrights featured in the PlayGround’s 29th Festival of New Works! Unlike traditional playwright interviews, we asked our writers to reply to our questions with either a single word, an image, an obvious lie, or a rhyming couplet (or whatever they wanted if they weren’t in the mood). And if you’re looking for tickets to the festival, you can find them here.

So here’s our “interview” with playwright Lyra Nalan whose play Yi-An Bu Yi An (Madam Ease is not at Ease) will receive a staged reading on May 12 at Potrero Stage, directed by Michelle Talgarow.

2. What is a song that represents your play?
Rise

3. What is a piece of art that represents your play?

4. What do you do creatively other than writing?
Draw

5. Give a teaser for your play.
A poetess weds with hope in heart,
But finds the world would tear her art apart.

6. Give us an out-of-context spoiler for your play.
Drunk

7. What was the seed of your play?
Letters

8. What artists (theatre or non-theatre) inspire you or your play?
Li Qingzhao

10. Describe where you were when you wrote this play.
Basement

Lyra Nalan (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based Chinese playwright. Her plays include Paper Dream (Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Award Winner), Chuan & Mom (Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Nominee), The Peachlanders (Horticultural Playwright’s Fellowship), Road Less Travelled (commissioned by Silk Road Cultural Center), Dream Reunion (Pan Asian Rep NuWorks 2023), and Blue Moon (Circle in the Square Emerging Writers Residency). She holds an MFA from Northwestern University and trained as a librettist at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Lyra has been a PlayGround member since 2023 and is honored to be part of the New Works Reading Series! lyranalan.com.

ABOUT THE PLAY: In 1133 AD, a widowed poetess defies tradition for love—only to discover that the true battle isn’t for honor, but survival. Inspired by the true story of Chinese poetess Li Qingzhao (李清照), Yi An Bu Yi An asks: What remains when a woman’s truth threatens the world built to contain her? More…