What is Theater Mu?

Updated

Theater Mu is an Asian American theater organization founded in 1992, and according to its own site it is the second largest Asian American theater organization in the country. It produces theater centered on the Asian American experience, and its stated purpose is to create community, give artists a place to be seen and accepted, and show audiences that Asian American voices and experiences matter. If you are looking for a company to follow, subscribe to, or support, that identity is the main thing to know going in.

What Theater Mu does

The organization describes itself as "moving Asian American theater forward" and frames its work as building a more equitable world through theater centered on the Asian American experience. Its site organizes that work into a few clear areas:

  • Productions — current and upcoming shows, with links for more information and booking.
  • Community and artist stories — profiles of artists and their journeys with Mu, including pieces tracing people's involvement from the early years to today.
  • Organizational information — board of directors, history, and background on the company.
  • Support — donations of any size, described as helping move AAPI theater forward.

Who it is for

The site speaks to three overlapping audiences:

  1. Audiences who want to see theater rooted in Asian American experience.
  2. Artists looking for a company where, in Mu's words, they can be seen and accepted.
  3. Supporters who want to fund AAPI theater through donations or subscriptions.

What you can do on the site

The homepage and its links point to several concrete actions:

Goal Where to go
See what's playing Production listings on the homepage
Become a subscriber The "For Subscribers" / subscribe page
Make a donation "Support Mu Today"
Learn the organization's history "About Mu"
Contact about tickets, pricing, seating, venues Box office information

The site also surfaces specific programming and events — for example, Swingposium (produced by San Jose Taiko and co-presented with TaikoArts Midwest, Oct 16–18), Kung Fu Zombies vs Southeast Asian Girl Scouts (opening on Halloween), and a book launch party celebrating Exit, Miss Saigon with author David Mura and Josephine Lee.

Practical notes

  • Pricing and subscription terms are not stated on the homepage. The site links to a subscribe page, but the details — cost, benefits, commitment — aren't in the material here, so check that page directly before deciding.
  • Ticket questions about pricing, seating, and venues are routed to the box office rather than answered on the homepage.
  • The copyright line reads "Theater Mu Est. 1992 ©2019," so some page content may be older than it appears; confirm current dates on individual event pages.

If your interest is Asian American theater specifically, Theater Mu is one of the larger organizations working in that space, and the fastest way to judge it is to look at what's currently playing and what a subscription actually includes.