Ayumu “Poe” Saegusa began his career as a professional lighting designer in 2000 in Tokyo. He worked as a freelance designer also worked as an apprentice under master lighting designer Shin Inokuchi for two years.
He moved to New York City in 2005. After an internship at HERE Arts Center in Soho, he became resident lighting designer there. He served as lighting designer for Culture Mart (an annual festival of HERE’s resident artists) from 2006-2019, and designed lighting for 20 full productions (including Looking At You by Kristin Martin and The Black History Museum by Zoey Martinson) and countless works in progress and showcases there.
He has worked as a freelance lighting designer for the New York International Fringe Festival, Lincoln Center and international tours. His credits include Kameron Steel's Skriker (Williams College), Basil Twist's Rite of Spring (White Light Festival at Lincoln Center) and the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York's 2016-18 seasons at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater.
He also works as a production coordinator for clients including the Tokyo Metropolitan Theater Japan Society, NHK (Japan Broad Cast corporation), FCI, Shochiku and Katsura Sunshine, among others.
