ROBERT LYONS.
an acclaimed playwright and ran the award winning Ohio Theatre for 30+ years.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY.
Robert Lyons is a playwright who writes dark, satirical comedies, literary adaptations, and experimental performance texts. He has had more than twenty-five NYC premieres, most recently, Class Dismissed (“Exuberantly unhinged!”- New York Times) at La Mama in spring 2025. My Onliness (“A welcome gust of weird!” - New York Times) was invited to the prestigious Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Romania in summer 2025. His performance text,Yovo, has been performed in NYC, Poland, Cuba, and South Korea. Robert’s work has been developed in residencies at Mercury Store, Space at Ryder Farm, NACL, HERE Artist Residency Program, Orchard Project, Playwright’s Center of Minneapolis, MASS MoCA, Bogliasco Foundation, and MacDowell Colony. His work has been featured in American Theatre Magazine, and a collection of his plays, “My Onliness and Others”, was published by Mercer Street Books. He was also Artistic Director of the legendary Ohio/New Ohio Theatre (NYC) for 30+ years.
ARTIST INTERVIEW.
Stay tuned for the interview, to be released on July 6.
What do I want the fabric of my life to be? If it’s playing with other people as though it’s the most serious, important thing in the world, that’s a pretty good way to spend your time.
A WELCOME GUST
OF WEIRD
THE NEW YORK TIMES
GALLERY.
Discover photos and videos from Robert's work.
CREDITS: MY ONLINESS, written by Robert Lyons / directed by Daniel Irizarry, One-Eighth Theater & Soho Think Tank, New Ohio Theatre (NYC) 2023. Zilvinas Jonusas, Amelia Hensley, Drew Fleming, Kamala Sankaram, Rhys Tivey, Cynthia LaCruz, Dickie Hearts, photo: Suzanne Fiore; CLASS DISMISSED, written by Robert Lyons / directed by Daniel Irizarry, One-Eighth Theater & Soho Think Tank, Yaraní del Valle Piñero & Charles Munn La Mama 2025, photos: Suzanne Fiore; DEATH OF THE LIBERAL CLASS, written by Robert Lyons / directed by Jerry Heymann. New Ohio Theatre 2017. Jeanette Dilone, Steven Ratazzi, photo: Lyons; IDIOT, text by Robert Lyons / directed by Kristin Marting, HERE Art Center 2016. Lauren Cipoletti, Daniel Kublick, photo: Carl Skutch; NO MEAT NO IRONY, written & directed by Robert Lyons. Ohio Theatre (NYC) 2003. Jeremy Brisiel, Celia Schaefer, photos: Carl Skutch; YOVO, written by Robert Lyons / directed by Daniel Irizarry, One-Eighth Theater, New Ohio Theatre (NYC) 2019. Daniel Irizarry, photo: William Rushton; NOSTRADAMUS PREDICTS THE DEATH OF SOHO, written & directed by Robert Lyons, New Ohio Theatre (NYC) 2011. Annie Scott, Clayton Dean Smith, photos: Carl Skutch; VATER KNOWS BEST, written & directed by Robert Lyons, New Ohio Theatre (NYC) 2001. Joe Mckenna, Maggie Weber, photo: Carl Skutch; PR MAN, written & directed by Robert Lyons, Ohio Theatre (NYC) 2001. Chris Henry Coffey, Martin Epstein, Michael Berry, Susan Rutledge,Thomas Shaw. photo: Julian Rad.