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) Mu Performing Arts will celebrate the publication of its first book.

Titled "Asian American Plays for a New Generation," it contains scripts for seven productions, six of which were developed by Mu Performing Arts.

Artistic Director Rick Shiomi says it was Josephine Lee, Professor of English and Asian American Studies at the University of Minnesota who convinced them they had a book.

Indeed, in a recent review Star Tribune theater critic 

Some day we will look back on these days as the golden era of Mu Performing Arts. That shouldn't assume some future collapse, but in years hence the mind will fondly recall that group of Asian-American actors who cemented Mu's place in the Twin Cities theater ecology.

Shiomi says there are other collections out there of Asian-American plays, but none that are so closely related to the work of one theater company.

Shiomi says he hopes theater professionals will be interested in using the anthology as a resource, but sees universities and academic libraries as the primary market for the book.

There are at least two dozen established companies in the United States producing Asian American theater. They're holding a 

In addition, Shiomi says more mainstream companies starting to produce Asian American plays:

Shiomi says with the publication of the new anthology, Mu Performing Arts hopes to make Asian American plays more accessible to professionals in the field.

Before being contacted by co-editor Josephine Lee, Shiomi thought it unlikely his company would ever be able to publish the plays it had helped create. But now having successfully published this first collection, the staff is already thinking about future publications.

Arts and Culture

State of the Arts Blog

Marianne Combs

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Mu Performing Arts publishes a collection of plays developed largely by its theater company.

Mu Performing Arts publishes anthology of plays

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