In Memoriam: Professor Sara Ryung Clement

It is with deep sadness that the Department of Theatre Arts & Dance shares the devastating news of the passing of set and costume design Professor Sara Ryung Clement on June 13, 2026.

I reviewed Sara's TH5520.  While listening to the exchanges in class, I was fascinated by Sara’s poignant and precise critique of design projects offered to each student. This critique not only provided the students with the vocabulary of terms and conditions they should be using while discussing their work, but, and maybe more important, with the modes of seeing what their design could be.  Sara's masterful and expert handling of the discussion was a mark of her invaluable pedagogical skills and abilities. I was struck by the relationships, which she developed with this group of students, a relationship composed equally of respect, support, and honesty. Sara’s comments were constructive, always tending to elucidate for the student means by which s/he could effectively improve his/her performance in class.

Her unquestionable skills and the nuance with which she approached every student’s design project was what she brought to our students from work as a professional designer in the American Theatre.  She created costume design for the world premieres of Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House Part 2 and Lauren Yee’s Cambodian Rock Band (South Coast Repertory); and set design for Larissa FastHorse’s Fake It Until You Make It (Center Theatre Group/Arena Stage 2025).  Her unique style and professionalism provided her with the opportunity to work with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Boston Lyric Opera, Guthrie Theater, Portland Center Stage, Alley Theatre, Denver Center, Geffen Playhouse, Two River, Asolo Repertory, Folger Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Dallas Theatre Center, Seattle Repertory, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Alabama Shakespeare Festival--the list goes on....

Sara will be deeply missed....

Please join me in expressing our profound condolences to her husband, Greg Watanabe and her family.

Michal Kobialka

Professor and Chair

Department of Theatre Arts & Dance