SAKACHEZ®

Empowering the next generation of BIPOC musical theater artists with transformative training and
mentorship. Lifting theater artists of color, highlighting AAPI and Latine stories.

Sakachez® has two main components – Education and New Work Development
• Education – Dance, vocal, acting, audition training along with community building and
mentorship for the specific needs of emerging BIPOC performing artists navigating the musical
theater industry.
• New Work Development – Creating and producing new work highlighting AAPI and Latine
voices led by creatives and producers of color.

About Sakachez® Co-Founders/Co-Directors, Lainie Sakakura & Alex Sanchez
Lainie Sakakura is a Japanese American, NYC based director-choreographer-writer whose mother
immigrated from Japan when offered a featured singer position at a San Francisco nightclub. Her father
spent 3 years in the Japanese American internment camps before losing his mother at a very young age to
camp conditions and lack of medical care. Sakakura’s character, integrity, and perseverance comes from
her family history and everyday carries a responsibility to honor and support her community. Her diverse
training comes from two worlds- San Francisco Ballet and vaudeville performer-teacher, Coralene Kerr
that shared her knowledge of musicals and the great Black tappers she danced with. This led to a NY
career that included Ballet Hispanico, Met Opera, 6 Broadway original casts, working with Gwen Verdon
on 70 Bob Fosse dance reconstructions, Radio City Rockettes, receiving the 2002 Joseph Jefferson Award
and 2015 Joe A. Callaway Award for outstanding choreography. Sakakura is currently developing Corner
of Bitter and Sweet, the musical adaptation of New York Times Bestseller, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter
and Sweet by Jamie Ford. Book by Lainie Sakakura, Music & Lyrics by Paul Fujimoto. LSakakura.com
Alex Sanchez is a Puerto Rican, NYC based director-choreographer-educator whose parents migrated
from Puerto Rico to Chicago to work in the factories. His father, Primitivo was also a musician and his
Spanish bolero group ‘El Trio Juventud’ would eventually go on to record over 20 albums. Sanchez
didn’t see much of his father growing up, but he did inherit his love of music that would launch his 39-
year professional career in dance, acting and musical theater. From Ballet Chicago to 10 Broadway shows
to choreography and directing, Sanchez was the Broadway musical stager for Paradise Square and
choreographed over 45 regional productions, most recently director-choreographer for On Your Feet at
Papermill Playhouse. 30 years teaching experience including chair of the Oakland School of The Arts
theater department. Recipient of the 2015 Joe A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Choreography and
2022 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Choreography. 2016 Dance Magazine 25 to Watch. AlexSanc.com
Learn more at Sakachez.com or contact Sakachez@gmail.com