A Chicago native, Lehrman has been involved in playwriting throughout her undergraduate years and is now writing a creative thesis in the English concentration. Recently she directed a play for last weekend’s ShortShot and produced last year’s production of Meat in the Adams Pool Theatre.

What have you been up to since ShortShot?

I’m actually doing two things at the moment. I’m writing my thesis, which is a play. My thesis adviser is Brighde Mullins; I’ve had a class with her before. She’s very constructive in the way that she critiques. And then I’m also acting in a show. I’m singing for the first time in about eight years. It’s called A New Brain, and it goes up in December, also in the Ex. But mainly, the thesis.

How is Harvard as a community for writers?

I think for creative writing in general, it’s fairly good. For playwriting it’s a little more difficult because there are fewer classes. I’ve found from doing these festivals, there is a community out there. I definitely think there is a really strong theater community here, which helps writers, because when I wanted to do this festival, there were plenty of actors who wanted to be a part.

If you weren’t at Harvard, where would you be?

I would be in New York, helping to dramaturg shows and trying to write as much as I can.

What do you wish you had written?

I wish I had written A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius [by Dave Eggers], but as for a play—anything written by Caryl Churchill.

So, is she your favorite playwright?

At the moment, at least. I switch around a lot. I really have a whole list—David Mamet, John Guare, Tony Kushner.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Enthusiastic, determined and nuts!

Where do you imagine yourself in ten years?

Hopefully living in a cool city, making theater, in some way or another.

What moment would you like to relive from the past year?

The moment when I found out I got a creative thesis. I had been looking to do this for so long and I knew it would be something to motivate me to write a big piece of theater.

What has been your most fulfilling class or experience at Harvard?

The combination of Gideon Lester and Brighde Mullins’s playwriting classes, because Gideon taught about strict form and dramatic structure and Brighde helped bring out the creative ideas.

What would you consider to be your biggest quirk?

I really hate lines. I get very upset with the people standing in them sometimes. Waiting in lines, the philosophy of lines, it’s very annoying. I also wear a very big, paint-covered sweatshirt when I write.