Haruna Lee

Last updated
Haruna Lee
Born Hong Kong
Notable awards Obie Award
Website
www.harunalee.com/home

Haruna Lee, formerly Kristine Haruna Lee, is a Taiwanese Japanese American theatre maker and writer.

Contents

Early life and education

Lee was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Japan. [1] They moved from Japan to the United States when they were eight. They did an undergraduate degree at NYU. [2]

Career

Inspired by a myth about Sedna, Lee wrote War Lesbian. The musical, composed by Katie Hathaway, who Lee met at New Dramatists, [3] premiered at Dixon Place in 2014, co-presented by Lee's company, harunalee. [4] [5] Lee appeared in the show playing Ellen DeGeneres. [6] In 2016, Lee performed Communing with You with their mother, Aoi Lee. The 30-minute Butoh piece was performed at Brooklyn Arts Exchange. [7] Lee played Jackie in The Offending Gesture at the Connelly Theater in 2016. [8] They played Meryl Streep as Francesca from The Bridges of Madison County in STREEPSHOW! in 2017. [9]

Lee's play, Suicide Forest, premiered in 2019 with Ma-Yi Theater Company and directed by Aya Ogawa. [10] Lee played the schoolgirl, Azusa, in this production. [11] [12] Lee's mother, Aoi, also appeared in the show, which Ma-Yi remounted in 2020. [13]

In 2023, Lee was invited to join the New Dramatists' resident playwright company until 2030. [14]

Personal life

Lee is half Japanese and half Taiwanese. [15]

Plays

Filmography

Television

YearTelevision showCredited asNotesRef.
Writer
2020 The Flight Attendant Yes
2022 Pachinko YesSeason 2

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2020 Obie Awards PlaywrightingSuicide ForestWon [19]
2021Steinberg Playwright Awardsn/an/aWon [20]

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References

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  2. Polak, Brian James (2021-12-21). "The Subtext: Toward Liberation With Haruna Lee". AMERICAN THEATRE. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  3. Almasy, Jessica (2014-12-19). "Kristine Haruna Lee's WAR LESBIAN: the type of theatre that'll get lodged in yr throat". Culturebot. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  4. "Review: War Lesbian". StageBuddy.com. 2014-12-16. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  5. Shaw, Helen (2014-12-11). "War Lesbian". Time Out New York. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  6. Kerry, Rachel (2014-12-15). "A Journey Down A Crazy Queer Rabbit Hole: Rachel Kerry on War Lesbian Presented by Harunalee and Dixon Place". New York Theatre Review. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  7. Cuba, Julianne (2016-11-15). "Body language: Mother-daughter dance closes language barrier • Brooklyn Paper". www.brooklynpaper.com. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
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  9. Solis, Jose (2017-06-08). "Daniel Dabdoub on Creating all the Meryl Looks in 'STREEPSHOW!'". StageBuddy.com. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
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  14. "Seven Playwrights Granted New Dramatists Residencies". AMERICAN THEATRE. 2023-08-02. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  15. Barbagallo, Jess (2016-11-01). ""A current gaining more wave:" 25 Years of Artist Development at Brooklyn Arts Exchange". The Brooklyn Rail. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  16. 1 2 Christopherson, Jody (2019-02-01). "An Interview With Playwright Kristine Haruna Lee". New York Theatre Reivew. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  17. Einerson, Katy (2016-02-09). "Talking to the left of the pantry and under the sugar shack: an interview with Kristine Haruna Lee". Culturebot. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  18. Smith, Olivia Jane (2013-09-10). "Olivia Jane Smith on Plum de Force, written and directed by Kristine Haruna Lee at the Bushwick Starr". New York Theatre Review. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  19. McPhee, Ryan (2020-07-14). "Heroes of the Fourth Turning, A Strange Loop Among 2020 Obie Award Winners". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  20. "2021 Steinberg Playwright Awardees Announced". AMERICAN THEATRE. 2021-12-14. Archived from the original on 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-04-03.