CAST

Lisa is a Tow Playwright-in-Residence, writer and director from Hilo, Hawaii and Reno, Nevada. Her play SUMO was produced by La Jolla Playhouse and Ma-Yi Theater Company in 2023, and will be receiving its New York premiere at The Public Theater with Ma-Yi next year. Her play Kairos is currently receiving a Rolling World Premiere in three cities with National New Play Network. Lisa has won an Edgerton Award, a Broadway World Award for Best New Play, and the PLAY LA Stage Raw/Humanitas Prize. They have been a finalist for the Relentless Award, the O’Neill Playwrights’ Conference (2x), the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, and a 2x finalist (one honorable mention) for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin, a piece she co-wrote with Chelsea Sutton, was nominated for 7 Ovation Awards including Best Production (winner of 5). Lisa’s work has also been developed/produced by The Geffen, The New Group, Actors Theatre of Louisville, East West Players, Circle X, SCF @ Son of Semele, Antaeus Theater Company, Playwrights’ Arena, UCSB Launch Pad Series, CalArts and Skylight Theatre. They have worked with Meow Wolf and have been awarded fellowships at MacDowell, Blue Mountain Center and Yaddo. She was awarded the 2021 Dorothy and Granville Hicks Residency at Yaddo, which honors one promising young writer a year. She received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Interactive Programming for a piece she co-wrote and co-directed with Matt Hill called Welcome to the Blumhouse Live.

Ralph B. Peña is an Obie Award-winning theater director and filmmaker based in New York City. He currently serves as the Producing Artistic Director for Ma-Yi Theater Company. His recent directorial projects include the Yale Repertory’s The Far Country, the world premiere of Lisa Sanaye Dring’s SUMO at La Jolla Playhouse and Ma-Yi, and Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady, which received multiple nominations including Drama Desk and Lortel Awards across several theaters such as The Public Theater, Indiana Rep, Long Wharf Theater, Barrington Stage, and more. His work extends to directing Michael Lew’s Tiger Style! at South Coast Repertory and Daniel K. Isaac’s ONCE UPON A (korean) TIME for Ma-Yi. Ralph also directed Hansol Jung’s Among The Dead and the award-winning The Wong Kids by Lloyd Suh, which won the Off Broadway Alliance Best Children’s Play. He wrote and directed the short film Vancouver, recognized at Cannes World Film Festival and received the 2023 UNIMA Citation of Excellence. Additionally, he created the documentary Twenty Years of Asian American Playwriting for PBS / ALL ARTS.

KRIS BONA he/they (Kannushi 2). Off-Broadway debut! National Tour credits include Spamilton (First National). Regional credits include 54 Below, Bat Out of Hell (Las Vegas), SUMO (La Jolla Playhouse), Disney’s Mulan (Tuacahn), Miss Saigon, Fun Home, Grease, and Mamma Mia. International credits include Disney Cruise Line. BFA, AMDA. Endless love and thanks to FSE, DA/BM, Mama, Papa, and Brett! @krisbonafide

RED CONCEPCIÓN (Fumio). Broadway credits include Chicago (Amos Hart). Touring/Regional credits include Miss Saigon (The Engineer; US National and UK/Ireland Tours), and Les Miserablés (Thenardiér, The Muny). TV credits include “Law & Order.” Before moving westward, Concepción’s body of work spanned over 15 years in his home country, the Philippines, including Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Adam/Felicia; Manila and Singapore), Equus (Alan Strang) Annie (Rooster), and more. @red_concepcion

AKIRA FUKUI (Understudy So/Kannushi 1). Public debut. Select NYC credits include A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (St. Ann’s Warehouse), As You Like It (Oliver), Queen Anne (SheNYC), It’s All About Lorrie (ATA), Chase: What Matters Most (Dixon Place). A very deep bow to everyone who made this dream a reality.

MICHAEL HISAMOTO he/him (So). Public debut. Regional credits include Hold These Truths, Yellow Face, Allegiance, A Christmas Carol, Stage Kiss, Orlando, Fast Company, SUMO, and Charlotte’s Web. Hisamoto is also a producer, director, and playwright. He serves on the board of the Seven Devils Playwright’s Conference and as faculty at Boston University. BFA: Boston University. MFA: Brown/Trinity Rep. michaelhisamoto.com

AHMAD KAMAL (Ren). Regional credits include Babbitt, Everybody, Richard III (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Gloria, Kiss (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company); Holiday (Arena Stage); 4,380 Nights (Signature Theatre); The Return (Mosaic Theatre Company); Selling Kabul (Northlight Theatre); and Baba and The Handless King (Amphibian Stage). Kamal received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Gloria. BFA, University of Virginia; MA, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. @king_o_egypt.

EARL T. KIM (Shinta) is an international actor, storyteller, and performance artist making his NYC theater debut with SUMO at The Public. In addition to theater, he is known for his roles in video games like Norio in Ghost of Tsushima and Takamori Saigo in Rise of the Ronin. Training: MFA (East 15), BFA (Naropa University). twitch.tv/earlofsammitch

HANK LIN (Understudy Mitsuo/Ren/Shinta/Kannushi 2). Film/TV credits include Late Night, “Law & Order: SVU,” “Fantasmas,” “The Crowded Room,” “Let the Right One In,” “Pose,” and “Bull.” Lin graduated from Brandeis University. Instagram: dastardly_chits

HAOWEN LUO 罗浩闻 (Understudy Akio/Fumio/Kannushi 3), an actor and producer from Qingdao, China, is thrilled to make his debut at The Public in SUMO as an understudy. A recent Occidental College graduate, Luo appeared in Antigone, The Receptionist, A Dream Play, and Scenes from Metamorphoses. Guided by his love for theater, he aims to bridge cultures through storytelling.

DAVID SHIH (Mitsuo) has performed at The Public in Awake and Sing!, The Tempest, and 365 Days/365 Plays. Broadway: Life of Pi. Off-Broadway credits include ONCE UPON A (korean) TIME, Gnit, Henry VI, KPOP, and Somebody’s Daughter. Regional credits include The Far Country, Kim’s Convenience, and The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin. Shih has appeared in Eighth Grade, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Saving Face, “Billions,” “Iron Fist,” and “The Path.”

SCOTT KEIJI TAKEDA (Akio). The Public and NYC debut. Regional credits include SUMO (World Premiere, La Jolla Playhouse), Pacific Overtures, Next to Normal, Valley of the Heart, and The Great Leap. Takeda has appeared in No No Girl, Carrie Pilby, MDMA, Evergreen, “Huge in France,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Made for Love.” Takeda thanks his family and friends for their endless love, support, and encouragement.

PACO TOLSON he/him (Kannushi 1) has developed work with Ma-Yi Theater for over 17 years including The Children of Vonderly, Rescue Me, and Soul Samurai. Tolson received Lortel nominations for Lead Performance (Fiasco’s Knight of the Burning Pestle) and Featured Actor (Vietgone at Manhattan Theatre Club). Film/TV credits include “Billions,” “Search Party,” “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “Prodigal Son,” and “The Good Fight.”

VIET VO (Kannushi 3). Public Debut! Originally from Hawaii. Of-Broadway credits include Romeo and Bernadette, and Fishing for Wives. Regional credits include three productions of Vietgone and Gold Mountain the Musical. TV/Film credits include Cupids (Tribeca Film Festival), “Law & Order: SVU,” “The Blacklist,” “Tales of the City,” “Manifest, and “Lost.” Huge Mahalo nui loa cast and crew. To my Parents and family, love you. 사랑해요, Binsu

SUMO will feature scenic design by Wilson Chin, costume design by Mariko Ohigashi, lighting design by Paul Whitaker, sound design and music composition by Fabian Obispo, hair and wig design by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado, projection design by Hana S. Kim, pros design by Thomas Jenkeleit, and taiko drum composition by Shih-Wei Carrasco Wu. James Yaegashi will be sumo consultant and co-fight director, and Chelsea Pace will be co-fight director. Amrita Ramanan will be the dramaturg. Alyssa K. Howard will serve as production stage manager and Taeuk Kang as stage manager.