HARUNA LEE
397 President Street Apt 3 Brooklyn NY 11231 harunalee.com | harunalee@gmail.com
EDUCATION
2014 MFA Playwriting, Brooklyn College
2008 BFA Acting/Performance, New York University Tisch School of the Arts Experimental Theater
Wing
TEACHING
2025 – present Visiting Professor, Hunter College MFA Playwriting Program | Course: Playwriting I
2024 – present Lecturer, Yale MFA Playwriting Program | Course: Towards an Anti-racist Theater Practice in
Playwriting: Foundations of New Play Process | Course: New Play Lab | Course: Tutorials for
Carlotta Festival
2021 – 2023 Coordinator of Brooklyn College MFA Playwriting Program | Course: Playwriting Workshop |
Course: Tutorials
2020 – 2021 Mohr Visiting Artist Fellowship for Theater and Performance Studies, Stanford University |
Course: Main Stage Fall Production Beyond the Wound is a Portal | Course: multi-hyphenates //
liberating our artistic selves
2015 – 2020 Adjunct Instructor, Experimental Theater Wing, BFA Acting Program, NYU | Course: Self-Scripting
2018 – 2020 Adjunct Instructor, Tisch School of the Arts Summer High School Program, NYU | Course: Self-
Scripting
2017 – 2018 Adjunct Instructor, Playwrights Horizons Theater School, NYU | Course: Advanced Playwriting
2017 – 2019 Guest Director, International Performance Ensemble, PACE University | Course: Developing an
original Main Stage Production with ensemble over the course of two years, using devised
theater techniques and collaboration.
2014 – 2018 Adjunct Assistant Professor and Guest Director, York College CUNY | Courses: Playwriting from
the Performer’s Voice, Intro to Theatre Studies | Devising and Directing Fall Main Stage
Production
PUBLISHED PLAYS & WRITING
2025 “Belonging Comes in the Form of Home” Edited by Christine Mok, Connecticut: Yale Theater Magazine
2024 “Hallucination” for BLISS: A Collection of Commissioned Scenes and Monologues by TNB2S+ Artists for TNB2S+ Artists Edited by L Morgan Lee and George Strus, New York: Broadway Licensing
2023 “All the Ayas: Introduction to The Nosebleed” Edited by Thomas Sellars, Connecticut: Yale Theater Magazine
2020 Thirds In the anthology “Plays For Our Younger Selves” with Will Arbery, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Gracie Gardner, Jennifer Haley, Haruna Lee and Jen Silverman, Edited by Anika Massman, New York: Table Work Press
2019 Edited by Jess Barbagallo and Kate Kremer with Foreward by Aya Ogawa and essays by Diep Tran and Jesse Cameron Alick, New York: 53rd State Press
2018 Untitled In The 53rd State Occasional No. 2, Edited by Will Arbery and Kate Kremer, New York: 53rd State Press
SCRIPTED TELEVISION & FILM
2023 The Fix Scripted Television Series Apple TV+, Fuzzy Door | Role: Consultant
2022 plural (love) Short Film, WP Theater | Role: Writer & Producer, Performer
2022 Vantage Audio-Anthology Series, Audible & Gimlet Media | Role: Writer for Episode “FuckBoy”
2022 Pachinko Scripted Television Series, Apple TV+, Media Res & Blue Marble | Role: Story Editor
2021 The Flight Attendant Scripted Television Series, HBO Max & WBTV | Role: Staff Writer
THEATER COMPANY
2010 – 2020 An ensemble of 8 theater makers and designers who collaborate across artistic disciplines to create experimental plays and performances helmed by Haruna Lee since 2013. Hailed by the New York Times as “full of impulses and splendid, fractious energy.”
THEATER PRODUCTIONS & DEVELOPMENT
2027 49 DAYS World Premiere Production with NAATCO, New Georges, and La MaMa ETC, directed by Aya Ogawa, New York
2026 DADBOT by Haruna Lee, Mercury Store Residency, New York
2025 DADBOT by Haruna Lee, Berkeley Rep Ground Floor Residency, California
2025 49 DAYS by Haruna Lee, at The O’Neill Center National Playwrights Conference, Connecticut
2024 49 DAYS Reading New Dramatists Reading, directed by Aya Ogawa, New York
49 DAYS Workshop, Playwrights Horizons and Ma-Yi Theater Company, directed by Aya Ogawa New York
2023 49 DAYS Reading, Ma-Yi Theater Company, directed by Aya Ogawa New York
2021 The Watering Hole World Premiere at Signature Theatre at Pershing Square Signature Center, an immersive performance piece led by Lynn Nottage and Miranda Haymon | “Three Boats” installation by Haruna Lee and Vanessa German New York
2021 plural (love) by Haruna Lee and Jen Goma, WP Theater Residency, New York
2020 Suicide Forest Off-Broadway remount with Ma-Yi Theater Company directed by Aya Ogawa, New York
2019 Suicide Forest World Premiere in association with Ma-Yi Theater Company and supported by Japan Society, directed by Aya Ogawa at The Bushwick Starr, New York
2019 Memory Retrograde, Under the Radar Festival Incoming! Series in association with Ars Nova and harunalee theater co., directed by Andrew J. Scoville, New York
2019 plural (love) by Haruna Lee and Jen Goma, Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab Showing, New York
2019 Favonia’s Fruitless Fable by Satoko Ichihara, directed by Haruna Lee. Japanese Playwrights Project at CUNY Grad Center, New York
2018 Memory Retrograde, Ars Nova Makers Lab Residency Production, directed by Andrew J. Scoville, New York
2018 Suicide Forest Studio Visit with Haruna Lee & Aya Ogawa, Prelude Festival CUNY Grad Center, New York
2018 Suicide Forest Reading, NYU Dramatic Literature & Gallatin, directed by Aya Ogawa, New York
2017 Memory Retrograde, Brooklyn Arts Exchange Artist-in-Residence Production, directed by Andrew J. Scoville, New York
2017 Suicide Forest Reading, Ars Nova Makers Lab Residency, directed by Aya Ogawa, New York
2017 plural (love) by Haruna Lee and Jen Goma, New Georges Jam Showing, New York
2016 to the left of the pantry and under the sugar shack World Premiere at La MaMa ETC, created and produced by harunalee theater co., directed by Haruna Lee, New York
2016 Suicide Forest Reading, Bushwick Starr Reading Series, directed by Aya Ogawa, New York
2016 Memory Retrograde Reading, Brooklyn Arts Exchange Artist-in Residence, directed by Haruna Lee, New York
2014 War Lesbian World Premiere, Dixon Place Mondo Cane! Residency and cCmmission and harunalee theater co., directed by Jordan Fein, New York
2014 Memory Retrograde Excerpt Showing, Little Theater Dixon Place, directed by Haruna Lee, New York
2013 Memory Retrograde Excerpt Showing, Food for Thought Danspace, directed by Haruna Lee, New York
2013 Drunkfish Oceanrant Production, JACK, Built for Collapse, and harunalee theater co., directed by Sanaz Tennet, New York
2013 Drunkfish Oceanrant Excerpt Showing, Dixon Place HOT! Festival, directed by Sanaz Tennet, New York
2013 Plum de Force World Premiere, The Bushwick Starr Propeller Project Series, directed by Haruna Lee, New York
2012 War Lesbian Excerpt Showing, Prelude Festival CUNY Grad Center, directed by Haruna Lee, New York
2012 Drunkfish Oceanrant Excerpt Showing, Asian American Writers Workshop, directed by Haruna Lee, New York
2012 TROIKA Production, Target Margin Lab Series: The Last Futurist Lab, directed by Haruna Lee, New York
SELECTED PRESS & REVIEWS
2021 Brian James Polak, “The Subtext: Toward Liberation with Haruna Lee”, American Theatre.
2020 Helen Shaw, “The 10 Best Theater Moments of 2020”, Vulture New York Magazine.
2020 Cathy Park Hong, “A Season to Celebrate Asian-American Theater is Lost to the Pandemic”, New York Times.
2020 Helen Shaw, “That’s Really Mom Up There”, Vulture New York Magazine.
2019 Helen Shaw, “The Best Theater of 2019”, Vulture New York Magazine.
2019 Sarah Collins-Hughes, “A Family Divide Haunts Heart-Rending ‘Suicide Forest’”, New York Times Critic’s Pick.
2019 Alexis Soloski, “11 Plays and Musicals to Go to in N.Y.C. This Weekend”, New York Times.
2019 Vulture Editors, “15 Great Things to Do in New York”, Vulture.
2019 Diep Tran and José Solis, “Token Theatre Friends”, American Theatre Magazine.
2019 Caroline Cao, “Is American Assimilation a Dream or Nightmare?”, TDF.
2019 Kenji Fujishima, “Trying to Break Through Cultural and Language Barriers in Suicide Forest”, Theatermania.
2016 Katy Einerson, “Talking to the left of the pantry and under the sugar shack: an interview with Haruna Lee”, Culturebot.
2016 Tim Cusack, “The Best Theatre of 2015 Looks Forward to 2016”, Clyde Fitch Report.
2014 Eliza Bent, “War Lesbians in the Concrete Jungle”, TDF.
2014 Emily Gawlak, “War Lesbian”, StageBuddy.
2014 Alexis Soloski, “A Talk Show Host by Day, a Soul Eater by Night”, New York Times.
2014 Helen Shaw, “War Lesbian”, Time Out New York, LGBT Critic’s Pick.
2013 Olivia Jane Smith, “Plum de Force”, New York Theatre Review.
INVITED PRESENTATIONS & FACILITATION
2026 Lecture, Masterclass in Playwriting, Hunter College x Breaking the Binary.
2026 Lecture, Playwriting Workshop, University of Iowa MFA in Theater Arts & Playwriting.
2025 Panelist, “Artistic Identities: Investigating Culture and Community through Art-making”, University of Texas Austin Cohen New Works Festival.
2024 Panelist, “Pachinko”, Southern Methodist University.
2023 Lecture, “Non-Binary Dramaturgies”, David Geffen School of Drama Yale University.
2021 Panelist, “Feminist Theatre Panel”, James Madison University.
2020 Panelist, “The Work of Adrienne Kennedy: Inspiration & Influence”, Round House Theatre in association with McCarter Theatre Center.
2020 Visiting Artist Lecture, “TAPS First Friday Lecture”, Stanford University Theater and Performing Studies.
2020 Lead Facilitator, “Non-Black POC Dialogue on Dismantling White Supremacy” private event for individual artists.
2018 - 2020 Lead Facilitator & Co-Founder, “Asian American Women-Trans-Femme-Non Binary Performance Makers’ Potluck”, monthly community gatherings.
2019 Panelist, “Teaching and Learning Playwriting”, Mac Wellman Symposium at The Flea Theater.
2019 Workshop Leader & Facilitator, “Sharing Strategies, Building Strategies: Creative Leaders Imagining a Liberated Theater”, Fresh Ground Pepper Creative Leadership Lab.
2019 Panelist, “Pathetic: Staging Women’s Desires with Julia Jarcho and Minor Theater”, CUNY Grad Center.
2019 Panelist, “Suicide Culture & its Influences on Artists”, Japan Society.
2018 Panelist, “Suicide Forest: Studio Visit”, Prelude Festival 2019 CUNY Grad Center.
2018 Lead Facilitator, “Rooting into Healing & Liberation Work During a Time of Crisis”, All Asian Arts Alliance student coalition. New York University.
HONORS AND AWARDS
2026 Guggenheim Fellowship for DADBOT
2026 Creative Capital Award for DADBOT
2026 NYSCA Artist Grant for Commission with Hoi Polloi
2025 Berkeley Rep Ground Floor Residency for DADBOT
2025 The O’Neill National Playwrights Conference for 49 DAYS
2025 Susan Smith Blackburn Finalist, Special Commendation for 49 DAYS
2025 Yaddo Residency
2024 – 2026 Hermitage Fellow
2023 – 2030 New Dramatists Member
2021 Steinberg Playwriting Award
2021 Ollie Award, The Bret Adams & Paul Reisch Foundation
2021 Grants to Artists Award, Foundation for Contemporary Arts
2021 MacDowell Keith Haring Fellowship
2021 MacDowell Colony Fellowship
2020 Obie Award for Playwriting and Conception of Suicide Forest
2020 Stanford Mohr Visiting Artist Fellowship
2020 Peg Santvoord Foundation Grant
2018 Map Fund Grant for Suicide Forest
2018 NEA Grant for Suicide Forest
2018 NYSCA Grant for Suicide Forest
2017 The Lotos Foundation Prize for Directing
2017 – 2019 Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab Residency for plural (love)
2017 Space on Ryder Farm Residency
2016 – 2017 Ars Nova Makers Lab Residency for harunalee theater co.
2016 Indie Theater Fund Artist Pay Grant for harunalee theater co.
2017 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant for Memory Retrograde
2015 – 2017 The Brooklyn Arts Exchange Artist-in-Residency
2014 Dixon Place Mondo Cane! Artist Residency and Commission for War Lesbian
2015 – 2018 Mental Insight Foundation Grant for harunalee theater co.
2013 Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Grant for Drunkfish Oceanrant
2010 – 2012 New Dramatists Van Lier Fellowship for Playwriting
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVIES AND MEMBERSHIP
2025 – 2026 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Panelist
2023 – 2025 American Theatre Wing Obie Awards, Co-Chair
2021 – 2023 American Theatre Wing Obie Awards, Judge
2020 The Kilroys List
2020 – 2022 WP Theater Playwrights Lab
2019 Alumni, artEquity Facilitator Training
2017-2018 Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab
2017 – 2018 Member, The Public’s Devised Theater Working Group
2016 – 2017 Ars Nova Makers Lab Residency
2018 – Present Affiliated Artist, Ma-Yi Theater Company
2016 – Present Affiliated Artist, New Georges
2016 – 2017 Member, P73 Interstate 73 Writer’s Group
2015 – 2017 The Brooklyn Arts Exchange Artist-in-Residency
2012 Participant, Composer-Librettist Studio, New Dramatists, New York
SELECTED ACTING CREDITS
2024 Isabel, written by Reid Tang directed by Kedian Keohan. Role: Isabel, NAATCO & Abrons Arts Center.
2019 The Nosebleed, written and directed by Aya Ogawa. Role: Aya 1, Japan Society, October 2021; The Public’s Under the Radar Festival Incoming! Series.
2019 Pathetic, written and directed by Julia Jarcho. Role: Millicent/Venus, Minor Theater at Abrons Arts Center.
2019 Suicide Forest, directed by Aya Ogawa. Role: Azusa, The Bushwick Starr.
2018 Moby Dick, by Dave Malloy directed by Rachel Chavkin. Role: Stubb, The Public & Baryshnikov Arts Center Workshop.
2018 The Terrifying, written and directed by Julia Jarcho. Role: Vosha. Minor Theater at Abrons Arts Center.
2017 Little Match Girl Passion, by David Lang directed by Rachel Chavkin. Role: Sentinel, Met Breur.
2017 Permanent Caterpillar, written and directed by Normandy Raven Sherwood. Role: Charity, The Drunkard’s Wife at The Brick.
2016 The Offending Gesture by Mac Wellman directed by Meghan Finn. Role: Jackie, The Tank at The Connelly Theater.
2015 How to Get Into Buildings written by Trish Harnetiaux directed by Katie Brook. Role: Lucy, New Georges at The Brick.
2015 Futurity, by Cesar Alvarez directed by Sarah Benson, winner of Lortel Award. Role: Soldier, Soho Rep/Ars Nova at The Connelly Theater.
2015 Noir, by Kyle Jarrow and Duncan Sheik directed by Rachel Chavkin. Role: The Kid, NYSAF/Vassar Workshop.
2015 Great Lakes by Kate Benson directed by Lee Sunday Evans, Obie Winner. Role: Gumbo, New Georges/Women’s Project at City Center.
2014 War Lesbian by Haruna Lee directed by Jordan Fein. Role: Ellen, harunalee at Dixon Place.
2012 Comrades of Time by Andrea Geyer. Role: Performer, Whitney Biennial.
2010 – 2012 Mesujika/DOE by Trista Baldwin directed by Shirotama Hitsujiya. Role: DOE, Tokyo, San Francisco, Minneapolis Workshops.
2010 The Lily’s Revenge by Taylor Mac directed by Paul Zimet, et. al. Obie Winner. Role: Puppeteer, HERE Arts Center.
2009 Leah’s Train by Karen Hartman directed by Jean Randich. Role: Leah, NAATCO at TBG Theatre.
2008 Another World by Antony and the Johnsons. Role: Singer, EP Release Leonard Street Clock Tower.
2008 - 2023 Ralph Lee and the Mettawee River Theater Company Puppeteer/Performer, various shows, Salem, NY.