American Yu
By Terence Patrick Hughes
About the Work
American Yu follows a newly arrived Chinese dissident who takes a position teaching American Literature at a small liberal arts college in Minnesota. On his first days in town, a campus address by the Governor erupts into a minor riot — an event that snowballs into a tangle of accusations, political grandstanding, and institutional panic.
The fallout sharpens the lines between free speech and power, pitting a troubled student against the Governor’s office, the college administration, and the outspoken new professor caught in the middle. The play probes the absurdities of American democracy, the fragility of campus politics, and the uneasy alliances formed when ideology collides with lived experience.
It’s a sharp, unsettling examination of identity, authority, and what happens when the myth of “freedom” hits the messy ground of real life.
Production / Publication History
Published on: New Play Exchange
Main Page: https://newplayexchange.org/get-started
Script Page: https://newplayexchange.org/script/1998673/american-yu
Excerpt
A Chinese dissident arrives at a small Minnesota college to begin teaching American Literature, when a campus speech by the state’s Governor is interrupted by a minor riot. The backlash that ensues against a troubled student pits politicians against the school’s administration as well as the new, outspoken professor. A play about politics, race, and other absurd conditions of democracy.
Critical Notes
A stark, incisive exploration of free speech, identity, and the uneasy theater of American democracy.
— Reader Response, New Play Exchange
Related Works
If you enjoyed American Yu, you may also like:
Their Great Magic
[Adult Play #3 — insert title when ready]
Inquiries
For rights or production requests: admin@terencepatrickhughes.com
Image Credit
Image generated with AI, created to reflect the political and academic tension central to American Yu.