Selected Plays Of Stan Lai Now Available In English
The books, which are available as a complete set or as three individual volumes, are a unique collection of twelve plays translated by the playwright himself.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Feb. 24, 2022
Stan Lai (Lai Shengchuan) is one of the most celebrated theatre practitioners working in the Chinese-speaking world. His work over three decades has pioneered the course of modern Chinese language theatre in Taiwan, China, and other Chinese-speaking regions.
On February 24th, the Selected Plays of Stan Lai will be published! The books, which are available as a complete set or as three individual volumes, are a unique collection of twelve plays translated by the playwright himself. They feature works from across Stan Lai's career, providing an exceptional selection of a diverse range of performances that were previously unavailable to English readers. As explained by Travis Preston, Executive Artistic Director of the CalArts Center for New Performance, "The publishing of Stan Lai's Selected Plays in English is a major event! These plays describe a phenomenal artistic trajectory, outlining the work of a major international literary and theatre figure."
Lai's works include masterpieces of the modern Chinese language theatre. "Many of his plays are household names, known for their inventiveness, depth, and imagination," wrote Emily Wilcox, Program Director of Chinese Studies at William & Mary, "this collection is essential reading for everyone interested in contemporary theatre today."
The three volumes feature plays from Stan Lai's formative period in the 1980s through the recent 2019 play Ago. First, Volume 1 collects Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land, Look Who's Crosstalking Tonight, The Island and the Other Shore, I Me She Him, and Ménage à 13. Then, Volume 2 includes Millennium Teahouse, Sand on a Distant Star, Bardo Blues, The Village, and Writing in Water. Finally, Volume 3 contains the epic eight-hour A Dream Like a Dream and Ago.
The collection was edited by Lissa Tyler Renaud, who is known internationally as a master teacher, actor-scholar, invited speaker, writer, critic, and 2nd generation editor.
The books are available from the University of Michigan Press at https://www.press.umich.edu/12133824/selected_plays_of_stan_lai
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