Patricia Yasutake best known for her roles in Beef and Star Trek: The Next Generation passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 4, 2024, surrounded by friends and family after a long brave battle with cancer.
Her career originated at East West Players, where she worked with the legendary Mako for six years onstage, on staff and on The Board performing over a dozen shows. Her theatre work spanned three decades and included, New Mexico Repertory Theatre, American Southwest Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Repertory Theatre, The Westwood Playhouse (now The Geffen Playhouse).
Film and Television audiences best know her for her critically acclaimed and fierce portrayal of Fumi on Netflix’s Beef and the beloved Nurse Alyssa Ogawa on Star Trek: The Next Generation., and was an Independent Spirit Award Nominee for Supporting actress in the film The Wash. Her major feature debut in Ron Howard’s comedy Gung Ho, where her work as Umeki, the relocated Japanese wife earnestly trying to Americanize, led to starring in its ABC sitcom sequel. She had countless guest stars on shows including: The Closer, Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, Flash Forward, The Unit, and Cold Case, and films like Drop Dead Gorgeous, Blind Spot and The Road to Galveston working with her acting idols, Joanne Woodard and Cicely Tyson.
As a theater director, she developed and staged world premieres at East West Players (Doughball), the Richmond Shepherd Theater (The Single Man), and Ensemble Studio Theater (Father, I Must Have Rice), along with a highly praised remount of Tea at the Odyssey Theater. She directed workshop presentations at the Mark Taper Forum, Arizona Theater Company, Los Angeles Theater Center, East West Players, Odyssey Theater, and Westwood Playhouse.
Patti Yasutake was a native of Los Angeles. Born and raised in Gardena and Inglewood, she graduated UCLA with Honors in Theater. She was preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Jean Yasutake and her sister, Irene Hirano Inouye. She is survived by siblings Linda Hayashi and Steven Yasutake a large extended family of nephews and nieces and a family of friends and colleagues including Kyle Fritz and Jonathan Del Arco.
Her manager Kyle Fritz shared that “Patti was my first client when I began over thirty years ago. We enjoyed every day we got to work together, and I will miss her spirit talent and tenacity but most of all her friendship.”
A memorial open to her colleagues and fans will be held at East West Players 120 N Judge Aiso Street LA 90012, at a date yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers the family requests that a contribution be made to East West Players at: eastwestplayers.org.
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I was sorry to hear of her passing. I can’t say I knew her personally (more of a friend of a friend thing), but I’ve seen lots of her work. She will be missed!