Interview with Playwright Beth Hyland

In Issue 17.2 our drama feature is a short play by Beth Hyland, “All-One! The Dr. Bronner’s Play,” which features an ensemble cast performing all the uses of Dr. Bronner’s soap, as described on its one-of-a-kind label, while also looking back at the life of Dr. Bronner himself. In this meditation on capitalism and grief, Hyland makes room for the actors to become cocreators of the play: though we reproduce sample monologues in our pages, in performances of the play the actors write their own lines for particular moments.

Our drama editor, Brant Russell, spoke with Hyland over Zoom. Here are some excerpts from their conversation:

To read the play in Issue 17.2, visit our online store, where print copies are $9, and digital editions only $5.