Karen Kandel is an actor with more than 30 years of experience, mostly in nontraditional theater. Currently an artistic associate with Mabou Mines, she began acting for Elizabeth Swados and has worked with directors such as JoAnne Akalaitis, Anne Bogart, Lee Breuer, Peter Sellars, and Anna Devere Smith. Since 2000 she has been exploring writing and visual, creating multimedia installations and working with such esteemed artists as Ruth Maleczech and Basil Twist. She has studied extensively in Japan, where she learned traditional art forms that have influenced her work as a writer.