Class Dismissed: Interview with Playwright Robert Lyons
“Class Dismissed” is a play enjoying its world premiere at the famed downtown New York theater La MaMa. Directed by actor Daniel Irizarry — who also stars in the piece — “Class Dismissed” centers on college students who imagine a future of possibility. The audience will be invited on stage to participate to eat bread, drink rum, write on the set with chalk, and swap books. In fact, audience members are encouraged to bring books to swap at the show. Live music and dance is also part of the show which was written by playwright Robert Lyons and features original compositions by Rhys Tivey. Excitingly, the show has also been live-streamed to Turkey and South Korea in a collaboration with CultureHub (NYC), Seoul Institute of The Arts (SK) and Bilkent University (TR).
Playwright Robert Lyons recently discussed his experiences working on “Class Dismissed” via an exclusive interview.
Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you get interested in theater and how did experimental and interpretative theater particularly capture your imagination?
Robert Lyons (RL): I got interested in theatre after college when I saw a short play in a bar (warming-up act for a blues band). My first exposure to experimental theatre was at the Painted Bride in Philly. Then I moved to NYC (via London) and discovered “downtown” theatre. I was hooked.
MM: What made you want to write “Class Dismissed”?
RL: I was experimenting with dense poetic text. Which I decided should be spoken by two grad students. I knew Daniel Irizarry would be in the show and wrote his professor character. Then added the Other Lit Professor as a counterpoint. So it was kind of assembled.
MM: This show is very interactive, so how challenging was it to write audience participation into it?
RL: I don’t write that into the show. Director Daniel Irizarry brings that to the table. Though I occasionally toss in some ideas!
MM: How long did it take to come up with all of the components for this show?
RL: We performed a workshop as the last show at New Ohio in 2023. Further developed it at Mercury Store, NACL, and BAM. So less than two years.
MM: What is your favorite part of the show and why?
RL: The performers. They are all so talented. And Rhys Tivey’s music is spectacular!
MM: What memorable feedback have you gotten about this performance so far?
RL: Audiences who like this show — LOVE this show! Which is most of them. They are wildly enthusiastic during our “recess” and after the show they like to stick around and talk to me about it.
MM: You will broadcast this performance internationally, so do you feel like that will become a normalized practice with the technology that we have now?
RL: It does not replace being in the room with us (which is a core DNA of the show), but it does allow us to go global and collaborate with international artists (who lived streamed in performances as guest artists). And that was amazing!
MM: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
RL: We are heading to Sibiu International Theatre Festival this June with MY ONLINESS, another collaboration with Daniel Irizarry. I guess I want the highlight of my career to be the next thing I work on!
MM: What are your ultimate goals for the future and is there anything else that you would like to mention?
RL: I love the process of making theatre and hope to do it for the rest of my life.
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For more info on the show — which runs until May 4–visit Class Dismissed — Apr 18-May 4