Leslie Ishii
Leslie Ishii CAATA Board Member and Veteran Actor/Director
After an extensive search, Perseverance Theatre is pleased to announce the hiring of Leslie Ishii for the role of Artistic Director. Ishii has been serving as Interim Artistic Director since July, and has already energized the theatre with her initiative, ideas, and community-minded approach to leadership.
“Leslie Ishii has been outstanding to work with these past months,” said Perseverance Theatre Board President Joe Bedard. “Her vision as a creative leader and her passion for equity and justice will be an amazing voice in Alaska theatre and community.”
Ishii has an extensive artistic record, including stage director and actor with appearances on Broadway (Shogun), regional theatre (Manahatta, Hold These Truths) film (Fame, Species) and television (Jane the Virgin, Lost, Days of Our Lives, Beverly Hills 90210). As a member of the Actor’s Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Ishii has established herself across the nation as an artistic leader, including a 10-year relationship with Perseverance Theatre.
“I’m excited to continue working with the amazing team at Perseverance Theatre,” said Ishii. “We’ll be focused on listening and learning from the Alaska community, and striving toward art that is exceptional, equitable, and thoughtful.”
Her years of organizational experience include serving as co-chair, organizer, and board member for the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ fifth and sixth national ConFest; founder and co-director for the National Cultural Navigation Theatre Project for the sustainability of theatres and artists of color; co-facilitator of the launch of the Theatre Communication Group’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Institute; and core faculty for artEquity.
Ishii will join Managing Director Frank Delaney to lead the direction of the theatre as it enters its 41st season. She is currently directing the theatre’s production of Devilfish by Vera Starbard, which opened in Anchorage Oct. 25 and runs through Nov. 3. More information about the theatre and the production can be found at www.ptalaska.org.
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