Mimi Katano
交野 みみ
Bicultural/Bilingual Theatre Artist
Directing Portfolio (selected work)
Exotic Deadly or The MSG Play (2025)
Written by Keiko Green
Pork Filled Productions/SiS Productions
Keiko Green's semi-autobiographical, time-traveling adventure about a 14-year-old Japanese-American teenager navigating an identity crisis. Bicultural design and concept using visual effects of shadow puppetry to simulate manga, anime, and video game expressions, as well as a giant bento box as a set.
Photo by Adam Collet
As You Like It (2025)
Play by William Shakespeare
Music composed by Yuelan
Seattle Shakespeare Company: Wooden O
This 90-minute version of the play was part of a long-running summer Shakespeare in the Park. The production consisted of eleven diverse actors, original songs, and was staged to tour multiple parks in Washington.
Photo by Giao Nguyen
A Story of Sadako (2025)
Written by Mimi Katano
Youth Theatre Northwest
Based on the account of Sadako Sasaki, the most well-known victim of the Hiroshima Bombing, who developed Leukemia ten years after. She folded more than 1,300 origami cranes in the hope of a cure, before passing away at the age of 12. Performed by all Asian youth actors between the ages of twelve and eighteen, done in a Choral Reading style with narration and dialogue.
Photo by Trina Wright
Songs of the Moon:
Fantastical Folk Tales From Asia (2025)
Book by Maggie Lee
Music by Annastasia L. Workman
5th Avenue Theatre ETC Tour
Three Asian American folk tales, Sun and Moon (Korean), The Jade Rabbit (Vietnamese), or The Moon Lady (Chinese) through the lenses of Asian students. As they journey through each story, they realize the significant role folk tales and oral storytelling hold in bridging intergenerational connections, creating opportunities for social and emotional growth, and preserving cultural heritage.
Photo by Vivan Hsu
Vietgone (2024)
Written by Qui Nguyen
Music Direction by Yuelan
Pork Filled Production/SiS Productions
Set after the fall of Saigon in 1975, Vietgone is a love story of two Vietnamese refugees who find each other through conflict and adversity. The production included broad comedy, themes of Asian identity, and humanization of immigrants.
2024 Gregory Awards:
Outstanding Direction of the Year (nominee)
Outstanding Production of the Year (winner)
Photo by Giao Nguyen
Unrivaled (2024)
Written by Rosie Narasaki
Seattle Public Theatre/SiS Productions
A comedy based on the lives of Japan's 11th-century writers, Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon, with modern language and sensibility. Production included traditional Japanese movement and design elements, combined with J-Pop inspired sound design.
2024 Gregory Awards
Outstanding Direction of the Year (nominee)
Photo by Rick Wong
It's A Wonderful Life:
Theatre Anonymous (2023)
Based on the film by Frank Capra
Adaptation by Shawn Belyea and the 14/48 collective
14/48 Projects
Iconic American Christmas story told in Theatre Anonymous style, where 30 actors are rehearsed separately, sworn to secrecy, and meet for the first time on stage at the performance. This particular production was done with 15 languages, including Russian, Hindi, Japanese, and various dialects of Spanish.
Photo by Joe Iano
Yellow Fever (2022)
Written by Rick Shiomi
Centerstage Theatre
1970s noir set in Vancouver, BC's Japan Town. Infused with authentic Japanese culture of the immigrant and first generation Canadians.
Photo by Michelle Smith-Lewis
Brothers Paranormal (2018)
Written by Prince Gomolvilas
Pork Filled Productions
Seattle Premier
Created a horror play using manual stagecraft. Included extensive physical movement, and stage combat (choreographed by May Nguyen).
Photo by Roger Tang
14/48: The World's Quickest Theatre Festival
Produced by 14/48 Projects, 14/48 is a twice-a- year-festival where 14 plays are created, rehearsed, scored, designed, and performed in 48 hours.
August 2017
Make It by Michael Yichao
This Water is Clean by Chelsea DuVall
May 2017
Take Over International
January 2018
Your City's A Sucker by Scotto Moore
Beach Day by Julia Nardin
January 2020
House Call by Kelleen Conway Bianchard
Gamlet by Carol Louise Thompson
August 2022
Summer Break by Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako
Dance It All Out by Killeen Conway Blanchard
August 2023
Vibes Court by Sasha Bailey
The Missing Words by Jordan-Michael Whidbey
January 2025
Little Fella by Beth Raas-Bergquist
July 2025
1-2-3 by Michael Messenger
Special K by Alexei Sebastian Cifrese
Photo by Joe Iano