Leslie Ishii

Leslie Ishii (Artistic Director, Perseverance Theatre), a Yonsei, fourth generation Japanese American, debuted as an actor in Northwest Asian American Theater’s Breaking The Silence that raised legal defense funds for, WWII US Concentration Camp Resister, Gordon Hirabayashi and his Supreme Court Case. This standing room-only event featured the first play to publicly share the history and stories of Japanese American Concentration Camp survivors, resisters, and their descendants. Since then, Leslie has felt called to support storytelling that is the healing justice of Black/Indigenous/People of Color (BIPOC) artists and the collective liberation of all. 

As a director, activist, and community builder, Leslie is grateful to have worked with legacy BIPOC theatres; El Teatro Campesino, East West Players, Penumbra Theatre, Theatre Mu, and Native Voices. These artistic opportunities have informed her passion for directing and theatre-making while advocating for justice, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in every initiative, space and creative process with which she curates and engages. 

SERVICE

Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists; National New Play Network; Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, E/D/I/A Committee; Anchorage Arts Alliance; Professional Non-Profit Theater Coalition; National Theatre Conference Member; artEquity; Tsuru For Solidarity. 

AWARDS 

United States Artist Fellowship, 2023; SDC Zelda Fichandler Director Award Finalist 2022; Teachers Making A Difference; New England Foundation for the Arts, Capacity Building Grant; Doris Duke Foundation National Theatre Grant; James P. Shannon Leadership Institute; Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival Integrity Award; SDC 2016, 2017 National Standout Recognition for championing equity/inclusion. 

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