# Theater Mu

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'''Theater Mu''', (Formerly Mu Performing Arts), located in [Saint Paul, Minnesota](/source/Saint_Paul%2C_Minnesota), is an [Asian American](/source/Asian_American) arts organization in the [Midwest](/source/Midwest), the second largest in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Theater Mu - GuideStar Profile|url=https://www.guidestar.org/profile/41-1727881|access-date=2021-10-06|website=www.guidestar.org}}</ref> According to Mu's website, the company name "Mu" is "the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese character Mu for the shaman-artist-warrior who connects the heavens and the earth through the tree of life."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mission|url=https://www.theatermu.org/mission|access-date=2021-10-27|website=Theater Mu|language=en-US}}</ref>

Theater Mu was founded in 1992 by [playwright](/source/playwright), director,{{clarify|date=November 2019}} and [taiko](/source/taiko) artist [Rick Shiomi](/source/Rick_Shiomi), along with Dong-il Lee, Diane Espaldon, and Martha Johnson. Six years later, the organization changed its name to Mu Performing Arts after starting a taiko drumming program known as Mu Daiko.

Shiomi served as [Artistic Director](/source/Artistic_Director) for 21 years, stepping down in 2013. Randy Reyes took over as Artistic Director, and was subsequently fired by the Mu Board in 2018. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/12/07/theater-mu-artistic-director-fired-after-complaints-about-his-conduct | title=Theater Mu artistic director fired after complaints about his conduct }}</ref> Organizational changes occurred in 2017 as Mu Daiko transitioned to become a separate [non-profit](/source/non-profit) arts organization, TaikoArts Midwest, and Mu reverted to its original name of Theater Mu. After Reyes was let go, the position was assumed by [Lily Tung Crystal](/source/Lily_Tung_Crystal) in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Theater Mu Announces Lily Tung Crystal as New Artistic Director|url=https://www.theatermu.org/lily-tung-crystal|access-date=2021-10-06|website=Theater Mu|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tribune |first=Rohan Preston Star |title=Theater Mu hires leadership coach, ex-journalist to 'reunite' company |url=https://www.startribune.com/theater-mu-hires-leadership-coach-ex-journalist-to-reunite-company/510971042/ |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=Star Tribune}}</ref> In 2025, Tung Crystal began a new position with [East West Players](/source/East_West_Players) in California, and Fran de Leon assumed the role of Artistic Director.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Regan |first=Sheila |date=2025-06-06 |title=Theater Mu’s new artistic director brings diverse skill set to the role |url=https://www.minnpost.com/artscape/2025/06/theater-mus-new-artistic-director-is-bringing-a-diverse-set-of-skills-to-minneapolis/ |access-date=2025-07-26 |website=MinnPost |language=en-US}}</ref> 

Since its inception in 1993, Theater Mu's New Eyes Festival has been an annual tradition featuring staged readings of new works, and continues to the theater's longest running program. Mu's productions have included world premieres of new works by [Leah Nanako Winkler](/source/Leah_Nanako_Winkler) and local playwright [May Lee-Yang](/source/May_Lee-Yang), re-imagined productions of [Shakespeare](/source/Shakespeare) and Sondheim musicals, and collaborations with other theaters such as [Mixed Blood Theatre Company](/source/Mixed_Blood_Theatre_Company), Jungle Theater, [Penumbra Theatre Company](/source/Penumbra_Theatre_Company), Park Square Theatre and [Guthrie Theater](/source/Guthrie_Theater) to bring plays by award-winning playwrights such as [David Henry Hwang](/source/David_Henry_Hwang), [Carla Ching](/source/Carla_Ching), and [Lauren Yee](/source/Lauren_Yee).

Theater Mu is a founding member of the [Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists](/source/Asian-American_theatre)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilder |first=Alison |date=2017-12-12 |title=About Us {{!}} Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists |url=https://caata.net/about/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=caata.net |language=en-US}}</ref> and is a member of the Minnesota Theater Alliance, [Americans for the Arts](/source/Americans_for_the_Arts), and [Theatre Communications Group](/source/Theatre_Communications_Group). Mu is also a member of the Twin Cities Theatres of Color Coalition standing alongside New Native Theatre, Pangea World Theater, [Penumbra Theatre](/source/Penumbra_Theatre_Company), and Teatro Del Pueblo.

==References==
<references />

Category:Asian-American theatre
Category:Theatre companies in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Category:Asian-American art
Category:1992 establishments in Minnesota

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Theater Mu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theater_Mu) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theater_Mu?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.