The Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists Pays Tribute to Sara Ryung Clement, Acclaimed Costume and Scenic Designer February 11, 1977 - June 13, 2026

New York, NY —August 10, 2026

We join all who continue to be heartbroken over the tremendous loss of Sara Ryung Clement who passed after her battle with cancer. From the Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists (CAATA), we send our deepest condolences while expressing our deepest love and gratitude to Sara’s family and partner, Greg Watanable, for sharing Sarah with us so generously over the span of her career. She gave of her gifts generously, so tirelessly to every production, to each artist she collaborated with– to our entire field. 

From coast to coast and throughout the Midwest, this distinguished artist, Sara Ryung Clement worked with countless AAPI/NH/MENA/SWANA artists of the American Theatre field and contributed masterfully created costume and scenic designs to bring to life our marginalized histories, our stories, our passions.

We learned that having shown great love and talent for the arts from a young age, Sara graduated Princeton in English literature and Drama. It was at Princeton, where she studied creative writing and while an audience member at McCarter Theatre Center, she realized theatrical design could be a profession. Between working as a production intern at McCarter while earning her MFA at Yale School of Art in 2005, Sarah also studied in South Korea for a year on a Fulbright Fellowship.

Sara shared, “As a Korean adoptee, I examine how memory, legacy, and identity are shaped and reshaped by family secrets and the long echo of trauma.” 

With her gifts for research and examination, Sara was widely celebrated for her work throughout the American theater, bringing to life world premieres and regional productions including her work with members of CAATA. Her work with East West Players, Theater Mu, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, Perseverance Theatre and more, uplifted and opened the doors for many of our playwrights, directors, fellow designers, actors, dramaturgs, choreographers, and production/technical crews. 

Sara came along as CAATA members were uplifting legacy and newer Asian American Theatres. While withstanding systemic racism and oppressions to establish themselves with artistic and managing directors of the non-BIPOC theatres, Sara and fellow AAPI/NH/MENA/SWANA artists all worked to exchange support and lift up each others’ visibility in order to make a living and build a career. 

A driving force in this movement, Sara broke down barriers with her undeniable talent and creative processes to work with the Yale Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, Seattle Rep, Off-Broadway and many more theatres who were striving to be anti-racist and equitable in their operations and practices. Many of us colleagues also knew Sara to readily share her learnings and to mentor younger artists and recommend her students to us directors and Artistic Directors. Known for their nationally ranked programs, Sara served as a faculty member at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, the Loyola Marymount University, and as a lecturer at University of California, Irvine. Most recently, Sara was an esteemed faculty member at the University of Minnesota’s Theatre Arts and Dance Department.

“I got to know the brilliance of Sara Ryung Clement at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, East West Players, and at Perseverance Theatre as a guest director for Jeanne Sakata’s play, Hold These Truths. It was truly an honor to work with Sara who expertly designed the costumes that supported Greg Watanabe in this solo piece to masterfully transform into the many characters that gave powerful voice and justice to Gordon Hirabayashi’s story. I will also never forget that Sara was so conscious of being on the sacred homelands of the Alaska Native Tlingit Peoples. I was very moved that Sara honored their values and beautiful home,” shared Leslie Ishii, CAATA’s Board President.

To those of us who had the great pleasure of working with Sara Ryung Clement and those who are learning more about Sara now, in honor of this beautiful and loving artist, who found a home and explored identity in our theatres, please be aware of Korean Adoptees in your communities, learn and potentially contribute as they see fit. Also, please continue to work towards excellence and professionalism as Sara always did despite the systemic oppressions she navigated and create a kinder and more humane theatre culture by practicing being anti-racist, inclusive, and equitable. We also invite you to honor the Indigenous sacred homelands upon where you are set and please continue to build a world that is welcoming to all as Sara always modeled for us.

We at CAATA are honored to uplift Sara Ryung Clement, this acclaimed designer and world-builder, a beloved artist, friend, colleague, educator, family member, sibling, daughter, and partner. Please know Sara will not be forgotten and her field-changing work and spirit will live on in countless memories of absolute joy and deep collaboration in and around productions and in our theatre archives that document her vast and vital contributions to our field.  

To send flowers, plant a tree and/or make a donation: https://www.starksonfamily.com/obituaries/sara-clement

Funeral Services

Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026

Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Reflections and memories shared at 4:00 PM)

Location: McNamara Alumni Center, 200 SE Oak St, Minneapolis, MN