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Stage Biz
... A riveting, deep exploration of the myriad facets of men, channeled through the lens of culture, tradition and athleticism, told through personal stories of richly fleshed-out fictional characters. ... SUMO could just as easily be a TV series as a theatrical play... … SUMO is funny, too. It’s a joyous, sometimes raucously so, night at the theatre, as thrilling as a sports match, deep as a drama, funny as a comedy, tender as a romance, and insightful as a history. This is all thanks to the collective that makes it seamless and supercharged, from the incredible ensemble to the terrific creative and production team, especially the soul-probing writing of Lisa Sanaye Dring, the astounding fight direction of James Yaegashi and the masterful direction of Ralph B. Peña who stitches it all together—highly recommended! New York Theatre Guide -Dring’s writing offers a fascinating, tender, and complicated glimpse into sumo culture in Japan, with nods to its traditional place in society and the reverence it inspires. -Theatregoers drawn to underdog stories will love young, scrappy, and hungry Akio and the rest of the rikishi as they wrestle, literally and figuratively, with their own place in the hallowed sport of sumo. The Front Row Center -Dring’s exploration in SUMO is both reverent of the sport’s history and paying homage to its spirituality, while infusing a modern narrative and perspective; looking at the sport through the lens of very modern characters. -While SUMO is a piece about wrestling and tradition, the play encompasses so much more about humanity, spirituality, and sacrifice. Sumo, as a sport, is mired in honor and strength, and Dring’s play dares to ask us where our true strengths lie and what we value most: winning or community? Can there be space for both strength and compassion? I would argue that Dring is telling us that winning the battle against yourself, that in finding community and losing ego, that that is where she (Sumo) truly lives. Stage and Cinema -Sumo is quite the achievement—both an education in an ancient tradition and a deeply moving human story. Through its exceptional cast, striking visuals, and thought-provoking themes, it cements itself as an original, praiseworthy theatrical event. -It is a rare treat to be immersed in a world so unfamiliar to many theatergoers. Sumo not only educates audiences about Japan’s national sport and its deep-rooted Shinto rituals but also delivers a profound and emotionally charged narrative. The Daily Beast -The excellent play folds into its structure sumo’s rules and traditions, such as its place within the Shinto religion. So much besides who wins and loses is revealed as their bodies lock up. Times Square Chronicles -In Lisa Sanaye Dring’s moving and visually stunning play SUMO, the stage transforms into a sacred world rarely explored in Western theatre. -What makes SUMO particularly compelling is its exploration of masculinity, identity, and vulnerability within the context of a hyper-masculine tradition. While the physical demands of sumo are portrayed with striking realism, it is the emotional stakes that elevate the play into something transcendent. -For those seeking a deeply moving theatrical experience, SUMO delivers a story that lingers long after the final bow. It is a powerful reminder that true strength is not only found in power and dominance — but also in vulnerability, love, and the courage to embrace one’s truth. Vulture -Some of Dring’s finest work happens in her exploration of the love between [Fumio (Red Concepción), a middle-ranking wrestler at the heya, and Ren (an imposing Ahmad Kamal), the hardest worker in the stable] — secretly romantic in nature — and of the wider, platonic yet intensely physical love shared by all the rikishi. As an implicit celebration of big bodies and of varying, deeply feeling masculinities, Sumo is at its most beautiful.   I did this residency as an actor a decade ago and now I am writing a show with this company that I love.
Apply here: https://www.oneyearlease.org/international-residency |
