Born, raised, and educated in eastern Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Jon is also a graduate of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.A. in Theatre Arts (Directing and Design) with a minor in Religion (Asian Studies). Prior to moving to San Diego for his graduate studies, he lived abroad in Japan for seven years, during which time he worked primarily with Tokyo International Players (TIP) as a director, performer, and member of their Board of Governors. With TIP, he was able to partner with Shochiku Corporation and playwright Gary Perlman to create an original English-language kabuki adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Jon’s research interests include traditional and modern Japanese performance, Meisner-based acting techniques, and cross-cultural theatre. He is specifically interested in interculturalized and intraculturalized Japanese theatre and their relevance amongst international perspectives of performance.