Pretty Beast at Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre

Growing up in a turbulent household in Japan, Kazu dreams of escape. Raised by a distant, irresponsible father and a mother living with schizophrenia, Kazu learned to use humor to heal her wounds and process her trauma. In school she was frequently considered the “class clown,” an identity at odds with Japanese societal norms for women and girls. Despite the odds, she discovers her voice and sense of purpose in comedy. Kazu delivers a one-two punch of wry observation, and raw physicality in this exuberant, rebellious ride.

Winner of “Best of Fest” at the Crazy Woke Asians Solo Fest, “Hottest Selling Show” at the Vancouver Fringe”, “Best of the San Francisco Fringe,” and had a SOLD OUT RUN in Toronto Fringe.

“Kazu Kusano...is a consummate storyteller,” —San Francisco Chronicle

"Hilarious and devastating...Pretty Beast signals a bold and important new voice in comedy and theatre." —The Georgia Straight

Kusano, now based in Los Angeles, has appeared on AGT’s Celebrity Audition and Channel Hopping on Comedy Central as a Japanese correspondent.

Pretty Beast takes on family mental illness, stigma, societal sexism, and what it means to discover your own superpowers, while there’s still enough time to use them for good.

In today’s political climate, Pretty Beast is more than just a performance—it’s a timely reminder of the power of humor and hope through an immigrant voice.

Written & performed by Kazu Kusano

Directed by Jane Morris (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Shameless)