Lyra N. is a New York-based Chinese playwright who explores the present by writing about the past, future, and imagined worlds. Her work blends realism with speculative elements, and often centers around questions of survival, identity, and societal norms. She holds an MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern, and was trained as a bookwriter at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Lyra is passionate about telling stories that engage audiences across cultures and generations. Her work has garnered recognition, including the Kennedy Center’s Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Award and nominations for the L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and NNPN’s Smith Prize for Political Theatre; finalist for the New Harmony Project...
Lyra N. is a New York-based Chinese playwright who explores the present by writing about the past, future, and imagined worlds. Her work blends realism with speculative elements, and often centers around questions of survival, identity, and societal norms. She holds an MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern, and was trained as a bookwriter at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Lyra is passionate about telling stories that engage audiences across cultures and generations. Her work has garnered recognition, including the Kennedy Center’s Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Award and nominations for the L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, and NNPN’s Smith Prize for Political Theatre; finalist for the New Harmony Project, Playwrights' Center Core Apprenticeship, ReImagine TYA competition, Rorshach Theatre Magic In Rough Spaces, semi-finalist for O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, Seven Devils Conference, and second rounder for Austin Film Festival. Her plays had been developed or showcased at Circle in the Square Theatre, the Kennedy Center, Cherry Lane Theatre, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, Round House Theatre, Spooky Action Theatre, Miranda Theatre, Adventure Theatre MTC, Avant Bard Theatre, Museum of Chinese American, Tradewind Arts Asian American Artists, Strand Theatre, The Living Room Players, Chicago BrokenBell Reads, Three Cats Productions, Nothing Without a Company, among others. As a recipient of Circle in the Square’s Emerging Writers Residency, Three Brothers Residency, Horticultural Fellowship, Miranda Theatre Playwrights Grant, Horticultural Playwrights Workshop Fellowship, and NY-Playground, she has collaborated with a diverse community of artists. She is currently under commission from Silk Road Rising Theatre, in partnership with Peacedale Global Arts.