Cynthia Gates Fujikawa began her career as an actress. She studied theatre and music at San Francisco State University, and received a Master of Fine Arts in acting at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. In 1995, she was a Resident Artist at New York's internationally acclaimed Mabou Mines, where her one-woman show, Old Man River, received its first workshop. In 1997, Old Man River had its world premiere on stage at the newly-restored New Victory Theater on historic 42nd Street. In 1998, Cyndy teamed up with Emmy award-winning director Allan Holzman and adapted Old Man River into a feature-length documentary feature. This film version was exhibited in cultural institutions and film festivals throughout the country, garnering much critical acclaim. Cyndy is a 1996/97 Van Lier Fellowship recipient in playwriting at the New York Theatre Workshop. Other honors include grants from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program and Pick of the Week in LA Weekly.
