Art In This Present Moment
From Lab to Stage: Kenji Shoemaker's Unique Path in Theater
There’s a unique art and science to prop and stage design. These skills helped former scientist Kenji Shoemaker switch careers, showcasing his talents behind the curtains.
The theater has allowed Kenji the opportunity to produce diverse stories from beginning to end impacting the way lights, sound, design and special effects bring them to life. Recently at the Children’s Theatre Company, he served as a stage manager for “Drawing Lessons,” a story about a midwestern, mixed Asian student in the 90’s, one he personally related to and wouldn’t have expected to see on stage.
With support from Art in This Present Moment, Kenji will be able to take time away from his work to get some much-needed rest.
In the future, he hopes to continue working with the Children’s Theatre Company and Theater Mu, which have supported him during his journey in the theater arts. Kenji also looks forward to sharing his talents with other theater institutions that focus on youth and bringing forth unique and diverse stories that allow youth to see themselves.
“There’s been more space given to playwrights and companies looking to create new work that centers around diverse audiences or audiences of different experiences creating stories that really are representative of communities that are performing them.”
Kenji Shoemaker
About the Organization
Theater Mu celebrates and empowers Asian American artists through theater by providing them with opportunities to share their voice, culture and heritage. It is one of the largest Asian American theater companies in the United States and is the largest in the Midwest.
Art In This Present Moment
This project is part of Art in This Present Moment, an initiative of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. We provided grants to three Minnesota-based nonprofit organizations to fund work by BIPOC artists who are changing and challenging dominant narratives through their craft.
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