Behind the Play: The World and Works of Nick Rongjun Yu

The dramaturgy of Nick Rongjun Yu, the most prolific playwright in China, has been omitted from English-language anthologies and is overlooked by many Beijingcentric scholars, but his plays written during the past decade have been staged more than those of any other living Chinese playwright. He is deputy general manager of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre (SDAC) and also its long-time director of publicity, marketing, and programming. As a writer, he plays a unique game with government censors; as an administrator at SDAC, he has instituted reforms and successful commercial strategies; and his efforts at expanding pan-Asian and international collaboration have transformed the Shanghai theatre scene. This essay gives a brief overview of his career and an introduction to his play Behind the Lie, translated for this special issue of Theatre Journal.