Theater Mu
Theater Mu
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About this organization
Mission
MISSION Theater Mu produces great performances born of arts, equity, and justice from the heart of the Asian American experience. VISION Theater Mu celebrates and empowers Asian Americans through theater. PRIMARY ARTISTIC VALUES - To give voice and cultural profile to the Asian American community. - To offer opportunities for mainstream audiences to gain insight into and empathy for Asian American culture and heritage. - To provide professional development opportunities for emerging Asian American artists. - To promote awareness of and progressive action on issues of social justice and gender equality in society. - To move, provoke, and challenge our audiences to understand, embrace, and celebrate diversity.
About
MU OPERATES WITH THE FOLLOWING PRIMARY ARTISTIC VALUES AND GOALS: TO GIVE VOICE AND CULTURAL PROFILE TO THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY; TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMERGING ASIAN AMERICAN ARTISTS; TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF AND PROGRESSIVE ACTION ON ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IN SOCIETY AND; TO MOVE, PROVOKE, AND CHALLENGE OUR AUDIENCES TO UNDERSTAND, EMBRACE, AND CELEBRATE DIVERSITY. ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING CENTERS AROUND MU'S MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS. THE 18/19 SEASON WAS TITLED "BEING EXTRAORDINARY AND INCLUDED MU'S 56TH WORLD PREMIERE, A HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP, A PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AND A COMMITMENT TO SERVING MU'S DIVERSE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. THE 18/19 SEASON BEGAN WITH THE LAST FIREFLY BY NAOMI IZUKA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STEPPINGSTONE THEATRE FOR YOUTH. THE STORY IS INTENSE AND BEAUTIFUL, AND DIRECTOR DAISUKE KAWACHI INFUSED IT WITH MYSTERY USING A SPARSE SET AND AN ENSEMBLE OF YOUTH ACTORS TO ACT AS CLOUDS, ANIMALS, ROCKS, AND TREES. THE PRODUCTION WAS ENJOYED BY CLASSES DURING SCHOOL DAY MATINEES AS WELL AS MANY FAMILIES DURING WEEKEND SHOWS. THE BIGGEST SUCCESS WAS THE EXPERIENCE THAT THE STUDENT ACTORS RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF BEING CAST IN THE SHOW. ONE MOTHER SAID, "I NEVER THOUGHT THAT MY SON WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A COMPANY LIKE MU WHILE HE WAS STILL IN SCHOOL. I HOPE THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO BE PART OF MU!!"MU'S HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP WITH PENUMBRA THEATRE PRODUCED THE BROTHERS PARANORMAL BY PRINCE GOMOVILAS. MU AND PENUMBRA HAVE PARTNERED FOR MANY YEARS AROUND EQUITY AND SOCIAL ADVOCACY THROUGH THE TWIN CITIES THEATERS OF COLOR COALITION, BUT HAD YET TO HAVE AN ARTISTIC PARTNERSHIP. THIS PRODUCTION WAS THE PERFECT SCRIPT TO BRING THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTISTIC COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. DIRECTED BY THE LEGENDARY LOU BELLAMY, THE PRODUCTION GOT RAVE REVIEWS. ONE AUDIENCE MEMBER COMMENTED, "APPRECIATED SEEING TWO THEATER COMPANIES WORKING TOGETHER - MU AND PENUMBRA. APPRECIATED SEEING AN ALL PERSON OF COLOR ENSEMBLE THAT CENTERED VOICES OF THAI-AMERICANS / IMMIGRANTS, WITH A BLACK AMERICAN STORY OF INTERNAL REFUGEES HERE IN THE U.S. POWERFUL STUFF."THE SEASON ENDED WITH THE WORLD PREMIER OF LEAH NANAKO WINKLER'S HOT ASIAN DOCTOR HUSBAND, DIRECTED BY SEONJAE KIM, AT MIXED BLOOD THEATRE. THIS PRODUCTION DREW THE MOST DIVERSE AUDIENCE OF THE SEASON, WITH AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHO LOVED IT OR HAD A HARD TIME WITH IT, BUT WHO ALL HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IT. STARRING MANY OF MU'S MOST BELOVED ACTORS IN ROLES THAT (IN SOME CASES LITERALLY) WERE WRITTEN FOR THEM, MU WAS THRILLED TO REPRISE THE SUCCESS OF ITS PREVIOUS PRODUCTION OF WINKLER'S TWO MILE HOLLOW. THE FOCUS ON A CHARACTER OF MIXED RACE GAVE AUDIENCES A LOT TO THINK ABOUT, AND WAS APPRECIATED MOST BY THOSE WHO COULD IDENTIFY, "SEEING COMPLEX IDENTITIES MODELED IN ALL THEIR MESSINESS AND AUTHENTICITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I'VE NEVER SEEN A PLAY THAT SPEAKS THIS DIRECTLY TO MIXEDNESS IN A WAY THAT BOTH MADE ME CRINGE BUT ALSO OPEN IN RECOGNITION AS A MIXED PERSON. I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATED THE DIVERSITY OF THE CAST AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVES THAT WERE ARTICULATED IN A FUNNY BUT TRUE WAY."THE 19/20 SEASON IS TITLED "THE WORLD IS OURS TO BUILD, AND INSPIRED BY THE LATE YURI KOCHIYAMA, THE LEGENDARY ASIAN AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST WHO STOOD WITH BLACK NATIONALISTS, SUPPORTED THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT AND FOUGHT FOR JAPANESE AMERICAN REPARATIONS. SHE ONCE URGED HER COMMUNITY, "TOMORROW'S WORLD IS YOURS TO BUILD." CHOSEN BY THE ARTISTIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE, EACH PLAY IS A TRULY ASIAN AMERICAN STORY FEATURING BOLD CHARACTERS WHO BREAK THE MOLD OF ASIAN AMERICAN STEREOTYPES. THIS SEASON OPENED WITH CARLA CHING'S FAST COMPANY PRESENTED BY THE GUTHRIE THEATER IN THE DOWLING STUDIO. THIS PARTNERSHIP REINTRODUCED MU TO GUTHRIE'S AUDIENCES, AND GAVE THE GUTHRIE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME MU'S ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS DOORS. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JIEHAE PARK'S PEERLESS, WHICH TAKES THE MODEL MINORITY STEREOTYPE DOWN A DARK AND UNPREDICTABLE PATH. PEERLESS WILL BE THE FIRST PRODUCTION TO BE DIRECTED BY NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LILY TUNG CRYSTAL. MU WILL CLOSE THE SEASON DURING THE SUMMER OF 2020 WITH AN EXCITING CO-PRODUCTION WITH THE JUNGLE THEATER IN MINNEAPOLIS. LAUREN YEE'S CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND HAS BEEN MAKING WAVES NATIONALLY, AND ITS INCLUSION IN MU'S SEASON IS EXCITING. THE LOCAL THEATER COMMUNITY IS ALREADY BUZZING WITH ANTICIPATION FOR ITS OPENING.ADDITIONALLY, MU OFFERED ITS 28TH ANNUAL NEW EYES FESTIVAL IN JUNE 2019, WITH READINGS OF TWO NEW PLAYS AND ONE NEW MUSICAL CREATED BY ASIAN AMERICAN WRITERS AND COMPOSERS. THE 29TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 2020. THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE JEROME FOUNDATION, MU IS CONTINUING ITS ONGOING COMMISSIONING PROJECT, WITH TWO PLAYWRIGHTS CURRENTLY CREATING NEW WORKS FOR MU'S STAGES OVER THE NEXT TWO SEASONS. NEW ASIAN AMERICAN ARTISTS CONTINUE TO BE DEVELOPED AND GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM THROUGH THE MU TRAINING INSTITUTE. MU'S NEW AD IS DEVELOPING A NEW PROGRAM TO BE LAUNCHED IN LATE 2020 THAT WILL INCLUDE FELLOWSHIPS AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR DESIGNERS, DIRECTORS, AND DRAMATURGS, IN ADDITION TO ACTORS AND PLAYWRIGHTS.THEATER MU'S ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY BEGINS WITH THIS THOUGHTFUL SELECTION OF A SEASON OF DIVERSE ASIAN AMERICAN PLAYS. FROM THERE, WE WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO EDUCATE, DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS, IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE BARRIERS, AND DEEPLY ENGAGE. WE STRUCTURE THIS ENGAGEMENT AROUND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO SEE THEMSELVES AND PARTICIPATE IN MU'S STORYTELLING, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS, DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE MU'S WORK TO THE LARGER TWIN CITIES COMMUNITY IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS.EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDES:- AFTER-SCHOOL TRAINING PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR GRADES 3-12, THESE PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED THROUGH DIVERSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WEEKEND LANGUAGE SCHOOLS TO TEACH THE SKILLS OF THEATER TO STUDENTS.- MU STORIES FOCUSING ON BASIC THEMES INCLUDING IDENTITY, RACISM, IMMIGRATION, ASSIMILATION, GENDER EQUITY, FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND RELATIONSHIPS, THESE CLASSES WITH EXPERIENCED AA ARTISTS INCLUDE PLAY; THEATER GAMES, PHYSICAL WARM-UPS, AND IMAGINATION EXERCISES. PERSONAL STORIES AND EXPERIENCES ARE SHARED AND WRITTEN INTO PLAYS PERFORMED FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN THE END, STUDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH ACTING, WRITING, AND PRODUCING PLAYS, AS WELL AS SHARING THEIR STORIES AND FINDING THEIR VOICES. MANY TEACHERS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT FORMERLY SILENT STUDENTS WERE ACTIVE AND ENGAGED AFTER PARTICIPATION.- FAMILY EXPLORATION DAYS A NEW PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ENGAGE FAMILIES BY OFFERING A PERFORMANCE PAIRED WITH INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS TO TEACH CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS ABOUT THE PROCESS AND VALUE OF THEATER EXPERIENCES AND INVOLVEMENT.OUTREACH PROGRAMMING INCLUDES:- TALKBACKS FOR EACH PRODUCTION, WE ARRANGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AUDIENCES TO STAY FOR TALKBACKS WITH ACTORS, DIRECTORS, PLAYWRIGHTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.- MEET AND GREETS OUR FIRST REHEARSALS ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO MEET ACTORS AND DESIGNERS, TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND TO DIVE DEEPER INTO THE CONTENT OF A PLAY BEFORE ENTERING THE THEATER.- OUTREACH PLAYS DESIGNED AND MARKETED FOR ALL AGES, MU CREATES TWO 45 TO 60 MINUTE PLAYS EACH SEASON TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN STORIES ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. THESE MAY BE PRESENTED AT SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, CORPORATIONS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS. MU IS GIVEN GRANT FUNDS FROM US BANK TO PROVIDE FREE PERFORMANCES TO SCHOOLS WITH UNDERREPRESENTED AND LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS EACH YEAR.- WORKSHOPS DESIGNED TO BE OFFERED AT A COLLEGE OR CORPORATE LEVEL, WORKSHOPS ARE CENTERED AROUND LEADERSHIP TRAINING, TEAM COLLABORATION, PUBLIC SPEAKING, AND OTHER TOPICS THAT CAN BE INFORMED THROUGH SKILLS LEARNED IN THEATER. TAUGHT BY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LILY TUNG CRYSTAL OR MU'S TOP TEACHING ARTISTS, THESE ARE VALUABLE TOOLS FOR ASIAN AFFINITY GROUPS TO SERVE THEIR EMPLOYEES, BUT ARE ALSO USEFUL FOR CONFERENCES.- CORPORATE OUTREACH THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE SKITS, READINGS, AND/OR TALKBACKS WITH MU ARTISTS, OFTEN FOCUSED AROUND ISSUES OF EQUITY, RACE, AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN MINNESOTA.MU HAS CONTINUED TO US ITS INNOVATIVE INTERSECTIONS TOOL TO TRACK ONGOING ENGAGEMENT, RELATIONSHIP GROWTH, AND COMMUNITY RESPONSE WITH OVER 25 COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE CONSISTENTLY EVALUATE EACH OF OUR PARTNERS USING THIS TOOL, AND PRIORITIZE RELATIONSHIP AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ITS LENS. MU HAS DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS OVER TIME TO FACILITATE EACH OF THE ABOVE PROGRAMS. COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE KEY, AS REACHING OUT TO ESTABLISHED GROUPS KEEPS US FROM HAVING TO DEVELOP THOSE GROUPS ON OUR OWN, WHICH WOULD DRAIN RESOURCES. WE ALSO USE ONGOING AND DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, CORPORATIONS, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR OUTREACH PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS.
Interesting data from their 2020 990 filing
The non-profit's mission, as documented in the filing, is “Theater mu produces great performances born of arts, equity, and justice from the heart of the asian american experience. with over 15,000 audience members per year, theater mu celebrates and empowers asian americans through theater.”.
When explaining its purpose, the activities were described as: “Mu produces great performances born of arts, equity, and justice from the heart of the asian american experience.”.
- The non-profit is legally allowed to operate in the state of MN, as reported.
- The filing provides the non-profit's address in 2020 as 755 PRIOR AVENUE NORTH NO 107, SAINT PAUL, MN, 55104.
- The non-profit has a total of 14 employees, as reported on their form for 2020.
- Is not a private foundation.
- Expenses are between $500,000 and $1,000,000+.
- Revenue is between $500,000 and $1,000,000+.
- Revenue less expenses is $29,419.
- The organization has 10 independent voting members.
- The organization was formed in 1992.
- The organization pays $268,810 in salary, compensation, and benefits to its employees.
- The organization pays $84,365 in fundraising expenses.