This Is Not A Dream
Nine playwrights present their work in this gorgeous collection of plays written during the mentorship project in 2023. Edited by Laura Cahill with an introduction by Theresa Rebeck. Published by Smith and Kraus, April 24th, 2025
Praise for the book…
“It was a pleasure and a privilege to be given a little window into the writers world. I know we will see your names in the future.”
““These authors all effortlessly mine the depths of their country’s soul, and their work is full of joy, despair, laughter, betrayal, but most importantly hope - seen through eyes too young to already know such heartbreak. These wise and uplifting plays collectively tell a truth that is unmistakable: the authors are the future and their spirits will not be broken.””
The Authors
“My play shows the fate of many migrating Ukrainians, especially the elderly. How hard it is for many to leave their home, get used to a new life, and the hardest thing is to make plans for the future.”
Luka Ivanov, The Old Couple
“After one of our meetings with Tom Purcell (Head Writer/Exec Producer of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert), I began reflecting on how people shape realities for each other. The idea that some create realities to protect those they love, while others do so to ruin lives, inspired me to write my play The Orchid.”
Karina Syrota, Author, The Orchid
“When I was working on my piece, I was most inspired by a trip to my home in the Carpathians. There I heard several stories, saw many different strange details and decided to combine them into one play.”
- Tanya Kostyniuk
I was inspired to write my piece when I was taking pictures with my friend and accidentally took a photo of a railroad track while photographing a bird. The policemen immediately appeared out of nowhere to check on us because it’s not okay to take pictures of strategic objects (not the bird). Contemplating the awkward accusation and silly defense somehow felt deep to me.
- Anna Brovarna, author, Proof of Love
“I study at UNCSA, in North Carolina, and it has been one big source of inspiration for me. Being an international student opened my eyes on how different the world is and how much we don’t know about countries “we’ve heard of in the news”. Every time I travel there is some sort of drama going on and to not get inspired by it would be rather silly.”
- Uliana Klimchuk, author, Superhero
One big thing that inspired my piece was a play called Women & Wallace by Jonathan Mark Sherman, which made me think of theatrical ways to reflect on my grief for my grandmother.”
- Asia Pshenychna, author, Candies, Wedding, Bones
My dad voluntarily enlisted in the army on the third day of the full scale invasion. His decision to risk his life for the future of our people describes perfectly the kind of person he is and, though my play is only partially biographical, he was the inspiration behind it.
- Taya Fedorenko, author, Perfect Material
