The theater community is grieving the loss of Sara Ryung Clement, a celebrated scenic and costume designer whose work shaped some of the most memorable productions across American regional theater over nearly two decades.
Tributes have poured in from companies and collaborators who described her as both an exceptional artist and a deeply kind person.
Clement built a reputation as a rare dual threat in the design world, equally skilled at crafting elaborate sets and creating costumes that told a character’s story before a single line was spoken. Many in the industry knew her primarily as one or the other, often surprised to learn she excelled at both crafts with the same level of mastery.
A graduate of Yale, Clement’s career spanned major institutions including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, East West Players, Theater Mu, and the Alley Theatre.
At the Oregon Shakespeare Festival alone, she contributed to 17 projects beginning with “Vietgone” in 2016, a production for which she handled both scenic and costume design.
Her final work there was the scenic design for “Henry IV,” completed just weeks before her passing despite a serious health issue she was managing at the time.
A Career Defined by Range and Detail
At South Coast Repertory, where her relationship spanned more than 20 productions from 2007 to 2025, Clement’s designs ranged from whimsical worlds for young audiences to the dramatic costumes of “M. Butterfly” and the striking plum dress worn in “A Doll’s House, Part 2.” She also spent a decade designing for the company’s teen and summer training programs.
East West Players in Los Angeles credited her with shaping shows including “Steel Magnolias,” “Washer/Dryer,” and “Kentucky,” while also highlighting her costume work on “Cambodian Rock Band” and the pandemic-era virtual production “Today Is My Birthday” with Theater Mu.
Colleagues at Mu noted that her contributions to that filmed production, created remotely across multiple states during a difficult period for live theater, reflected her ability to bring care and brilliance into any working environment, virtual or otherwise.
Friends and collaborators recalled her as more than a gifted designer. She was also remembered as an accomplished marathon runner who completed more than 30 races, including the New York and Boston marathons, and as a professor who mentored younger artists.
Remembered for Generosity and Warmth
Across the many tributes, a common thread emerged: Clement was as admired for her character as for her craft.
Colleagues described her as humble, grounded, and endlessly generous with her time, whether mentoring students, answering questions for audio description patrons, or supporting fellow designers on set.
Lily Tung Crystal of East West Players called working with her “a true gift,” adding that she always wanted Clement in the room for any project. Others echoed similar sentiments, calling her one of the kindest and most professional people they had worked alongside in the industry.
Clement is survived by her partner, actor Greg Watanabe, who has long been associated with Theater Mu. Several of the productions she was actively working on at the time of her death are expected to be completed by other designers and collaborators who hope to honor her vision.
As tributes continue to circulate among theater companies nationwide, the consistent message from those who knew her is that Sara Ryung Clement leaves behind not just a body of remarkable design work, but a legacy of warmth that touched everyone fortunate enough to cross her path.
