La Luna Productions

What La Luna Productions does

La Luna Productions is a nonprofit theater production company founded in 1994 by Kikue Tashiro and Penny Bergman, originally to develop SAKURA – THE BANDIT PRINCESS, an East-West fusion work starring Japanese American actress Kati Kuroda. The company creates original theatrical productions that fuse classical Japanese performance techniques, primarily Kabuki (a stylized Japanese classical dance-drama tradition), with Western theatrical forms, with most works structured as one-woman shows combining cross-dressing, mad scenes (convention-driven depictions of emotional or mental breakdown), Kabuki and modern dance, and Japanese-inspired music. Its core product portfolio centers on the "Legends of the Bandit Princess" trilogy—HANA – THE BANDIT PRINCESS, SAKURA – THE BANDIT PRINCESS (5 Stars at Edinburgh Fringe in 2001), and the planned HOSHI – THE BANDIT PRINCESS—and on GHOST LIGHT, a 2015 Equity Showcase (a non-Actors' Equity Association-contract professional production) fusion of Shakespeare's MACBETH with the Kabuki Yotsuya Ghost Tales, written by Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei. Productions have been presented at festivals (Edinburgh Fringe, Dallas International) and at universities including University of Hawai'i, University of Missouri–St. Louis, Muhlenberg College, and Chaminade University.

The underlying "technology" is artistic rather than digital: Kabuki-Western fusion dramaturgy developed through director Penny Bergman's training with Kabuki legend Nakamura Matagoro (a National Living Treasure of Japan) and playwright Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei's 31-year UCLA professorship in Japanese theater and 16 published plays. Operational technology is minimal, limited to a WordPress website and organic social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) for audience development and donor outreach.

La Luna's business model is a hybrid nonprofit stack: (1) one-time production revenue from festival, university, and regional theater runs; (2) tax-deductible donations plus Indiegogo crowdfunding campaigns tied to specific productions; and (3) academic and cultural grants (e.g., a $10,000 UCLA Academic Senate Council on Research grant plus Sasakawa Fund support for GHOST LIGHT in 2014). The company serves two segments: theater audiences interested in cross-cultural and women-led work, and educational institutions hosting academic productions. It is led by Producing Artistic Director Penny Bergman (EMMY winner for ALL MY CHILDREN; 26 years on the Directing Team; DGA, or Directors Guild of America, credits across ABC, NBC, BRAVO, Comedy Central) and resident playwright Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei (UCLA Professor Emerita, author of the 2005 book Unspeakable Acts: The Avant-Garde Theatre of Terayama Shūji and Postwar Japan).

Name

La Luna Productions

Legal name

La Luna Productions

Website

https://lalunaproductions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Luna Productions is a nonprofit theater company founded in 1994 that produces original works fusing classical Japanese Kabuki performance with Western theater, serving festival audiences, regional theaters, and universities through productions like SAKURA, HANA, and GHOST LIGHT.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theater Production / Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Theatre Services & Design (Scenic/Costume/Props/Stage Management) (MPAGABAO)

Keywords

• Theater production services
• Kabuki western fusion
• Live theatrical performances
• Feminist stage works
• Nonprofit performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayward, California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Theater Productions: Revenue from presenting theatrical productions at various venues including festivals, universities, and regional theaters
2. Donations and Crowdfunding: Tax-deductible contributions from supporters, with Indiegogo crowdfunding campaigns for specific productions
3. Grant Funding: Funding from academic institutions such as UCLA Academic Senate Council on Research ($10,000 grant)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

La Luna Productions is a nonprofit theater production company that creates and stages original theatrical works fusing classical Japanese Kabuki performance techniques with Western theater traditions. Its product portfolio centers on the "Legends of the Bandit Princess" trilogy (HANA, SAKURA, and the planned HOSHI) and GHOST LIGHT, with productions presented as Equity Showcase performances and one-woman shows at festivals, universities, and regional theaters in the U.S., U.K., and France.

Product overview

La Luna Productions is a theater production company founded in 1994, dedicated to creating new theater work by women featuring strong female protagonists through fusing classical Japanese performance techniques (primarily Kabuki) with Western theater. The company's core product portfolio includes three theatrical productions in the LEGENDS OF THE BANDIT PRINCESS trilogy: HANA – THE BANDIT PRINCESS (the prequel featuring Princess HANA), SAKURA – THE BANDIT PRINCESS (the second installment following Sakura), and the recently premiered GHOST LIGHT (a fusion of MACBETH and Kabuki ghost stories). A third play in the trilogy, HOSHI – THE BANDIT PRINCESS, is in development. All productions feature innovative fusion of Japanese and Western theatrical traditions, with most starring Kati Kuroda in one-woman show formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GHOST LIGHT A full-length play written by Carol Fisher Sorgenfrei, fusing elements of Shakespeare's MACBETH with the Kabuki YOTSUYA GHOST TALES. Premiered as an Equity Showcase production at the Barrow Group Theater in NYC in October 2015, aimed at theater audiences interested in cross-cultural East-West fusion works.
• HANA – THE BANDIT PRINCESS A one-woman show adapted from Kikue Tashiro's original script, starring Japanese American actress Kati Kuroda. The play tells the story of Princess HANA, abducted by bandit Fujiura, who assumes his role stealing from the rich to give to the poor, featuring cross-dressing, mad scenes, modern/Kabuki dance, and Japanese-inspired music. Aimed at theater audiences seeking cross-cultural works featuring strong female protagonists.
• SAKURA – THE BANDIT PRINCESS A one-woman show for actor Kati Kuroda and the second play in Kikue Tashiro's LEGENDS OF THE BANDIT PRINCESS trilogy. Features innovative theater forms fusing Japanese texts and stagecraft with Western theater, following SAKURA, daughter of HANA and Chief Bandit Fujiura, as she becomes a fierce young woman fighting for justice. Aimed at theater audiences interested in East-West fusion works.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 Stars rating at Edinburgh Fringe Festival for SAKURA - THE BANDIT PRINCESS
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, foundational, flagship and core.

• TheaterLab HoustonminorOthersRegional theater venue that hosted SAKURA and HANA productions, resulting in rave reviews.
• Holualoa Performing Arts CenterminorOthersVenue that presented productions as part of international venue tours.
• Circle Repertory CompanyfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal inception location for SAKURA - THE BANDIT PRINCESS, where the play was first developed at Circle Rep Lab and then continued on the Mainstage.
• Edinburgh Fringe FestivalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational festival where SAKURA was acclaimed with 5 stars and described as 'a classic of the American stage.'
• University of Hawai'icoreOthersUniversity venue that hosted productions; also where Penny Bergman's MFA thesis project was presented.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• SITI Company: Touring theater ensemble producing original, cross-cultural devised work blending Eastern and Western performance traditions. Comparable for its fusion-theater approach and festival circuit presence.

Others

• Spoleto Festival USA: Curated international performing arts festival where La Luna plans to submit work. Comparable as a target festival venue that books fusion-theater productions from small companies.

Direct peers

• East West Players: America's premier Asian American theater producing works that explore the East-West cultural experience. Comparable as a producing organization rooted in Asian-Western cultural fusion with touring and festival ambitions.
• National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO): Nonprofit dedicated to Asian American theatrical work, producing mainstage productions and readings. Comparable as a small-team, mission-driven Asian American theater producer with similar distribution channels.
• Ma-Yi Theater Company: NYC-based company developing and producing new and innovative plays by Asian American artists. Similar operating model as a nonprofit producing theater with grant funding and university/festival channels.
• Pan Asian Repertory Theatre: NYC-based nonprofit producing Asian and Asian-American theatrical works for live audiences. Directly comparable as a small-scale, mission-driven theater company focused on cross-cultural storytelling and female protagonists.

Broad incumbents

• New York Theatre Workshop: Off-Broadway theater known for developing new work through readings and showcase productions (including HANA reading). Comparable venue/development partner that operates at larger scale than La Luna.

Regional players

• TheaterWorks Hartford / Pangea World Theater: Other nonprofit producing organizations focused on diverse, cross-cultural theatrical productions. Comparable as small-scale mission-driven theater producers serving niche cultural audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/lalunaproductions
• Facebookfacebook.com/lalunaproductions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-luna-productions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Luna Productions