Emma Y. Lai is a writer, new works director, and producer.

Current projects include:

• Lead Producing Lakecastle by Isabella Dawis, directed by Desdemona Chiang, a new investigative podcast.

• Writing the book for Locust, a new horror musical, with music and lyrics by Hannah Bakke. Locust was originally commissioned and developed by Trademark Theater, Tyler Michaels King, Artistic Director, in St. Paul, MN.

• Workshopping her play, The Rabbit on the Moon and Their Friends with Workshop Theater’s Intensive Cohort.

Recent projects include:

• Producing the National New Play Network’s 2025 Showcase for their National Conference of New Plays

• Directing the world premiere of When You Trap A Tigerby Katie Hae Leo, an adaption of the Newbery Award winning children’s novel by Tae Keller, at Theatre Mu/Stages Theatre Company (MN)

Other directing/associating credits include: devoured: notes on love and enmeshmentby Liqing Xu(The Southern Theatre/Playwrights’ Center), a workshop of Yellow Mirrorsby Liqing Xu (Playwrights’ Center), and assisting on Vietgone(Guthrie Theatre, dir. Mina Morita), A Christmas Carol(Guthrie Theatre, dir. Addie Gorlin-Han), and An American Tail(Childrens’ Theatre Company, dir. Taibi Magar).

She is a frequent Associate of Annie Tippe (COWBOY BOB at Alley Theatre (TX), Your Own Personal Exegesis at LCT3 at Lincoln Center, The Hombres at Two River Theatre) and Joe Chvala (Heavenwith Flying Foot Forum, Pippin at the University of Minnesota).

She was a Directing Intern with Childrens’ Theatre Company, Directing Fellow with Theatre Mu, Artistic Assistant at Two River Theater, and a member of Theatre Mu’s Emerging Playwrights Cohort, PlayPenn’s Playwrights Cohort, and Moxie Arts NY’s Incubator Cohort as a Producer.

She is the Artistic Director/Co-Founder of Picnic Basket Theatre, which focuses on new work development and the support of emerging artists.

Emma is currently attending Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama for a MFA in Dramatic Writing.