About Yin
Yining Lin is a Cleveland-based Dramaturge and Theatre Educator. She specializes in AAPI Theatre, new play development, Theatre for Social Justice, and Chinese Theatre Adaptations.
Educator
2018 – Current
With a solid background in theatre education and a lot of teaching experience, I’ve developed a deep understanding of performance, teaching strategies, trauma-informed care, and social-emotional learning. I’ve had the opportunity to guest lecture at places like The College of Wooster, Kent State, Case Western Reserve/Cleveland Play House MFA Program, Cal State San Marcos, and Baldwin-Wallace, which has helped me connect with diverse student groups and adjust to different academic settings.
During my time at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, I sharpened my skills as a Teaching Assistant for Theatre 101 in addition to working under amazing professors like Dr. Markus Wessendorf and Dr. Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak. My early teaching experience at San Francisco State, assisting Dr. Larry Eilenberg in The Art of Comedy, gave me a strong foundation for my passion for theatre education.
Throughout my teaching journey, I’ve always prioritized trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning because I know how important they are for creating a supportive and inclusive classroom. By weaving these principles into my curriculum, I aim to create a safe space where students can express themselves, build resilience, and make meaningful connections.
As an academic, I’ve presented papers at conferences like the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, and the Association for Asian Performance. I’ve also published work and written book reviews, all reflecting my commitment to advancing theatre research and education.
I’m an active member of professional organizations like the Association of Asian Performance and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, and I serve on the board of the Asian and Pacific Islander Arts Council of Ohio. I’m deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts, and my approach is all about empowering people to explore, heal, and connect through the transformative power of theatre.
I’m passionate about theatre education and dramaturgy, and I like to combine academic depth with trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning in everything I do. My dramaturgy experience covers a range of productions, where I’ve dug deep into research to bring extra context that enriches both the performances and the audience’s experience.
At Manoa Valley Theatre in Honolulu and Studio Theatre Tierra Del Sol in Florida, I worked on The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh, diving into the story of Afong Moy and exploring U.S.-China relations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a Scholar in Residence at San Francisco Opera for Madame Butterfly, I wrote essays on things like American expansionism, yellowface in opera, and the role of women in the art form.
I’ve also had a long-standing collaboration with Cleveland Play House where I’ve focused on social issues through productions like The Very Lonely Dinosaur, focusing on violence in the community, and The Throwaways, which focused on the affects of incarceration on a community. I researched how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impact people and their communities. For other shows like The Great Leap by Lauren Yee and Liebling by Vichet Chum, I did a lot of historical research, creating actor packets and program articles to deepen the storytelling.
At the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa, I researched productions like Thread Hell, Uncle Vanya and Zombies, Oklahoma!, and Waiting for Godot, and my work got some recognition and nominations at the Kennedy Center Theatre Festival. I started building my dramaturgy chops early on, working at Divine Savior Holy Angels and The College of Wooster.
In all my projects, I make sure to include trauma-informed care and social-emotional learning. My goal is to make the process of theatre not just educational, but also healing and empowering for everyone involved. I aim to create a space where creativity and resilience can really flourish.
Freelance Dramaturge
Social Advocate
I have been a passionate advocate for my community, ranging from the scholars I serve to the AAPI community in Northeast Ohio.
I believe that everyone lives with trauma and I have worked and will continue to work to ensure that everyone has access to the resources they need in order to become happy, healthy, and safe. I use theatre as a tool for healing, to develop strategies for normalize and build conversations around trauma.
I also believe that theatre that is a tool to build confidence in one’s self and to develop pride in one’s culture, by bringing traditional culture to the forefront.