253: SUMO, the Off-Broadway play

What is it like to be an actor in "SUMO" at The Public Theatre in NY? Interviews with actors Ahmad Kamal and Earl T. Kim. The Off-Broadway play "SUMO" opened at The Public in 2025. The story: "six men practice, eat, love, play, and ultimately fight. Step into the sacred world of sumo wrestling, with the New York premiere of Lisa Sanaye Dring’s mesmerizing new drama, SUMO. Akio arrives as an angry, ambitious 18-year-old with a lot to learn. Expecting validation, dominance, and fame, and desperate to move up the ranks, he slams headlong into his fellow wrestlers. With sponsorship money at stake, their bodies on the line, and their futures at risk, the wrestlers struggle to carve themselves—and one another—into the men they dream of being. SUMO is a thrilling new play set in an elite and rarely explored world." www.publictheater.org

We wondered how these artists prepared for a play about sumo wrestling. How did they train? How did they stay safe in every performance? And what did they learn in the process? This is fascinating insight into what's behind the scenes of sumo on stage.

Follow Ahmad Kamal @king_o_egypt
Follow Earl T. Kim twitch.tv/earlofsammitch
The Public https://publictheater.org/productions/season/2425/sumo/

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