Selected Plays of Stan Lai

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. "The preeminent Chinese playwright and stage director of this generation." (China Daily) "The best Chinese language playwright and director in the world." (BBC) Lai's works include masterpieces of the modern Chinese language theatre such as Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land, The Village, and his epic 8-hour A Dream Like A Dream, all of which are in this collection.Lissa Tyler Renaud (M.A. Directing, Ph.D. Theatre History/Criticism, U.C. Berkeley, 1987) is known internationally as a master teacher, actor-scholar, invited speaker, writer, critic, and 2nd generation editor.

• Introduction to Volume 2, by Raymond ZhouMillennium TeahouseSand on a Distant StarBardo BluesThe VillageWriting in WaterOn the Contributors

“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. Deeply felt and formally complex, the plays in these volumes comprise a profound journey—one that is only possible through the combination of poetic insight with a deep knowledge of the theatre and its practice. Stan Lai's dual identity as a writer and director informs every drama with a nuanced relationship to the stage and its visual landscape. Through these works, I discovered how completely Stan Lai bridges the consciousness of East and West—resulting in remarkable compassion and beauty. These translations are a boon to the English-speaking world.”—Travis Preston, Dean, CalArts School of Theater, and Executive Artistic Director, CalArts Center for New Performance