NTI Spring ‘21 Labs
Kenjiro participated in the 2021 National Theater Institute Spring Semester at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut. As part of the program, students participated in weekly “Labs”: educational presentations of plays and musicals from the theater canon, mentored by professionals from the theater industry. Students were assigned excerpts of these plays and given specific production roles from week-to-week. Kenjiro worked as an actor, director, and dramaturg at various points throughout the program, and served as assistant to the mentors for one lab.
Lab 1: Sonnets for an Old Century by José Rivera
from L to R: Alex Shelbourne, Alex Hamilton, and Caroline Bush in a scene from Sonnets.
Lab Mentor - Forrest McClendon
Kenjiro directed a site-specific excerpt from Sonnets for an Old Century inside the space on the O’Neill campus known as “Blue Gene’s Pub,” presented as a long-take film using the camera for direct-address.
with Caroline Bush, Alex Hamilton, and Alex Shelbourne
Lab 2: Love and Information by Caryl Churchill
Lab Mentor - Jessi Hill
Kenjiro served as dramaturg for this presentation of Churchill’s experimental play, and also performed in an excerpt from the play’s first section.
with Caitlin Arndt, Simran Bal, and Alex Shelbourne (director)
Kenjiro rehearses a scene with Caitlin Arndt, with Alex Shelbourne directing. In the background: Simran Bal on a video call.
Lab 3: Antigone or And Still She Must Rise Up by Madeline Sayet
from L to R: Kenjiro Lee, Alex Shelbourne, Caroline Bush, Grace Tomblin Marca, Sarah Gordin, and Alex Hamilton
Lab Mentor - Madeline Sayet
Kenjiro played Creon and puppeteered a soldier in the final section of Sayet’s adaptation of the Antigone tragedy.
with Caroline Bush, Sarah Gordin (director), Alex Hamilton, Grace Tomblin Marca, and Alex Shelbourne
Lab 4: Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen and the Plays of María Irene Fornés
Lab Mentor - Ken Prestininzi
Kenjiro did dramaturgy for the first half of Fornés’ play The Summer in Gossensass.
with Celeste Borletti (director), Keith Jones, Kaylee McNitt, Shea Sprague, and Rose Siegel
from L to R: Rose Siegel, Keith Jones, and Shea Sprague
Lab 5: A WALRUS IN THE BODY OF A CROCODILE by MJ Kaufman, 21 Chump Street by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and tick, tick… BOOM! by Jonathan Larson
from L to R: Sam Locke, Nathanial Lim, Kalala Kiwanuka-Koernle, Laura Padilla, and Celeste Borletti.
Lab Mentor - Tatyana-Marie Carlo
Kenjiro directed the entirety of 21 Chump Street, served as dramaturg, and also performed as narrator. Choreography and design elements were created in collaboration with the actors.
More information here.
with Celeste Borletti, Kalala Kiwanuka-Koernle, Nathanial Lim, Sam Locke, Laura Padilla
Lab 6: Lunch Bunch and House Plant by Adrian Einspanier
Lab Mentors - Adrian Einspanier and Caitlin Sullivan
Kenjiro served as assistant to the lab mentors. His duties included giving notes and observing rehearsal room processes.
from L to R: Kenjiro Lee, Adrian Einspanier, and Caitlin Sullivan
Lab 7: Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell
from L to R: Sarah Gordin, Kenjiro Lee, and Molly Stern
Lab Mentor - Jude Sandy
Kenjiro collaborated on the dramaturgy for this lab and played Hermes for the production numbers “Road to Hell,” “Way Down Hadestown,” “Road to Hell (reprise),” and “We Raise Our Cups.”
with Sarah Gordin, Alex Hamilton (director), and Molly Stern
Lab 8: Melancholy Play by Sarah Ruhl
Lab Mentor - Melissa Firlit
Kenjiro collaborated on dramaturgy for this lab and also performed the minor role of Julian in various excerpts under various directors.
Hazard a guess on which one’s me.