This season LISA DRING's play SUMO was co-produced by La Jolla Playhouse and Ma-Yi Theater Company and Hungry Ghost was produced by Skylight Theatre. She has recently worked on multiple projects with Meow Wolf and was a member of The Geffen Writers' Room. Lisa's work has been developed/produced by The New Group, Actors Theatre of Louisville, East West Players, Circle X, SCF @ Son of Semele, Playwrights’ Arena, Rogue Artists Ensemble, UCSB Launch Pad Series, CalArts, The Motor Company, Theatre of NOTE and Skylight Theatre. Lisa was a member of writers groups at East West Players, Boston Court, Circle X, Chalk Rep and The Vagrancy and has been awarded fellowships at MacDowell, Blue Mountain Center and Yaddo. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California. She was awarded the 2021 Dorothy and Granville Hicks Residency at Yaddo, which honors one promising young writer a year. Lisa is working on commissions for Antaeus Theatre and Rogue Artists Ensemble.

How did the idea for SUMO originally come to you? What are themes and ideas that the piece explores, and what do you hope the audience takes away from it?

This play was inspired by my seeing a honbasho (sumo tournament) in Japan years ago. It explores so many things-- but the core reasons I wrote it was that I wanted to learn how to love men, and I wanted to make a space where Asian men could exist without having to prove their masculinity against racism or cultural sterotypes. I wanted them to be strong and powerful and horrible and beautiful and everything else, without having to deal with the question of what their identity means in relation to whiteness. I hope each audience member takes away something different, but my hope is that whatever they do walk away with, that it echoes inside them for a long time.

When did you first get involved with your director Ralph B. Peña and Ma-Yi Theater Company?

Ralph was brought on as the director for the DNA New Works Series, and after that workshop was over Ma-Yi came on as a co-producer for the project.

Since development with La Jolla's DNA New Work Series in 2021, how has SUMO changed? Has the process revealed to you anything unexpected, either about yourself as a writer and storyteller, or about the characters you created?

Oh my god it's changed so much! So many rewrites! And also-- in many ways it feels the same. I've been lucky to have collaborators and producers who are helping me hone the vision to be more of what it wants to be. To put it another way, the rewrites all feel geared toward the original story I've been trying to tell, and I feel like we keep getting closer and closer to that.

I am a different person than when I started this piece, and in many ways the writing of it has completely transformed me. I am less wary of causality and action-based plots. I think I understand myself more as a writer and an audience member, and I am able to communicate what I want the audience to receive more clearly. I hope my relationship with the audience has become more honest, respectful and compassionate.

The characters continue to show me so much-- having people embody your text is really quite the trip. Seeing how the language moves inside of the actors is a privilege and an education, and teaches me more than I could possibly put into words.

I'm so curious about your work with Double Eye Studios and the Virtual Repertory Theatre. When did you start exploring immersive storytelling in XR spaces? How do you think a theatre background translates into creating narratives for high tech environments?

I've always had an interest in boldly theatrical work, which is why immersive theatre called to me. And I perform and have training as a puppeteer, which is how Double Eye found me-- it's interesting that the most Luddite-esque time in my life, my summer with Bread & Puppet Theatre, has opened the most technical doors for me, which is the world of VR. And my work with Rogue Artists Ensemble and Meow Wolf has really helped me open my mind to what theatre and immersive storytelling can be.

If you are thinking about audiences existing outside of proscenium space, and thinking about their corporeal as well as narrative engagement, then I think you're on the right track to making work in XR.

What are you working on next? Where can we see your next project for tv or film, now that the strike is over? What would you like to work on next?

I have a play called Kairos going up at Know Theatre of Cincinnati next year and a rolling world premiere with Rogue Artists Ensemble in two locations-- one in LA and the other across the country. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say where yet but the play is called Happy Fall: A Queer Stunt Spectacular.

I want to write and direct the film adaptation of a play I'm working on and I'd love to start working more in TV. I love drama that's a little magical, or sci fi that is actually just a really good character drama.

What other shows, performances or events are you looking forward to seeing soon? Anything your friends or peers are working on, that you'd recommend we check out?

I want to see the Cabaret that's coming from London to NY. I'm seeing Measure Still for Measure next week at Boston Court and can't wait. My friend Ben Rodriguez made a film called America's Next Top Immigrant that I'm dying to watch, as well as Marissa Diaz's short Fancy Florez's Summer Staycation. Oh and I'm seeing christopher oscar peña's awe/struck up in Portland, I can't wait!

Lisa Sanaye Dring