Nora Louise Syran

Hello! Thanks for taking a moment to learn about me and my work.

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About Me
I'm Nora Louise Syran — an award-winning, international poet, playwright, lyricist, songwriter, translator, and educator. As a child of immigrants, I inherited a deep-rooted wanderlust, and have spent years living overseas, teaching, traveling, and creating. I'm proud to be a member of the Dramatists Guild, the SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques), and the Honor Roll. I studied under poet Brigit P. Kelly and mezzo-soprano Sylvia Stone at the University of Illinois, and I feel equally at home in the USA and France.

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Published & Awarded Works

• THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN FRANCE and OUR FAKE HISTORY — Next Stage Press

• ELLIS ISLAND AHEAD! — Eldridge Plays and Musicals

• THERE ARE NO CLOSETS IN MY CLASSROOM — produced by Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective and published in Smith & Kraus' WE/US: Monologues for Gender Minority Characters Anthology

• Ragnhild's speech from EINAR'S RAGNAROK — Smith & Kraus Best Women's Monologues 2023

• MADAME MEDUSA WOULD PREFER A CHARDONNAY — Venus Theatre Anthology: Frozen Women, Flowing Thoughts 

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For a full list of past and upcoming productions, check out my News Page

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Which is my favorite work?​

If I had to choose one, I'd have to say: EINAR'S RAGNAROK. It is a very personal play to me on many levels. As a first-generation Norwegian-American, my Nordic roots run deep — stories passed down through generations have shaped me. Inspired by the humor and tragedy and yet the hope in the norse myths I've heard all my life, I wrote this play for my son. In the play, Einar discovers the end of the world is sometimes the beginning. 

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The book (below) has been in our family for years and is a beautiful reminder to me of the power of stories. As a young girl, my mother used to press flowers in the treasured 19th-century copy of the Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson (it's so heavy!)

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​What’s Next?
You can find free perusal scripts right here on my website, with more on the way. Every unpublished play is available for perusal — just reach out, and I'll happily send it along. I love connecting with teachers and artistic directors and am always thrilled to see where my work finds a stage. Let’s collaborate — I can't wait to hear from you!

 

Important to Know
By downloading perusal scripts, you acknowledge that I, Nora Louise Syran, am the sole copyright owner of these plays. None may be produced or reproduced without my permission. Scripts marked for classroom use are strictly for educational purposes.

Please note: ELLIS ISLAND AHEAD!, THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN FRANCE, and OUR FAKE HISTORY are licensed by Eldridge Plays and Musicals and Next Stage Press. You'll find samples on their websites. Perusals are available upon request.

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​Thanks again for joining me on this epic adventure!

 

Warmly,
Nora Louise Syran