←Recommendations of Paper Dream

I had a chance to see a staged reading of Paper Dream. It’s an important period of little-known history and Nalan captures it in all its complexities. The characters are richly drawn and their struggles are universal. This is a play that deserves a wide audience.

A beautiful play filled with complex roles for women. An epic tale told so intimately.

Set against the timedrop of '30s Angel Island, Paper Dream redefines the American Dream as something much more nuanced and difficult to achieve instead of the platitude we too frequently find. A beautiful and incredible story needed to be told across the country.

Lyra Nalan’s “Paper Dream” is an act of theatre magic. Vibrant and complex characters, a setting steeped in history, and a tragic inevitable story make this play such a necessary edition to the canon. Incredible opportunities for actors, directors, designers… all theatermakers!

A fantastic Gordian knot of a play – fully-realized characters with relatable motivations, which tragically, yet understandably, put them in direct conflict with another. Is the American dream for everyone who pursues it? Or is it a zero-sum game? Nalan's deft writing leaves the question open, challenging audiences to face the answers themselves. A feast for an ensemble cast.

Yang’s play offers a compassionate portrayal of the world of Angel Island in the 1930s, which resonates into our particular political moment. Its focus is the frustrated world of a group of courageous women who tried not only to save their lives but to improve it and their conditions as well. Intricately detailed and exhaustively researched, Paper Dream plays with that elusive idea of the American dream asking if it, too, is made of paper.

Lyra Yang handles this story with compassion and fortitude. Visually compelling, carefully curated, it moves like it has an engine- engaging, powerful, and purposeful. A director would and should fall in love with this script.

The mark of a good period piece is that it retains its relevance in our modern world. Paper Dream excels in this area. With beautifully developed characters, an engaging plot, and a well-researched historical and cultural context, this is definitely a story worth telling. History buffs and those with an interest in social justice will find this very worthwhile!

Paper Dream brings to life an overlooked part of American History. Not only does this play serve as a deeply resonating history lesson, but it also tells a beautiful story about family and sacrifice. Designers would have a lot of fun representing this show on stage. Highly recommend!