Mu reimagines THE MIKADO (Oct12)

The Gilbert and Sullivan operetta has been added as the final show of the 2012-2013 Mu Performing Arts Subscription series. The Mikado is part of Skylark's Summer Festival 2013. It will play in repertory with The Fantasticks.

(Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN) Skylark Opera and Mu Performing Arts will collaborate for the first time on a new adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. Performances are slated for June 14-23, 2013 at Concordia University's EM Pearson Theatre. Mu's Ivey Award-winning artistic director, Rick Shiomi will direct the production and Skylark artistic director, Steve Stucki will serve as conductor.

Rick Shiomi outlines his vision for this modern retelling of the classic operetta:

"Our re-imagined production of The Mikado will deconstruct the unfortunate stereotypes while still retaining the humor and classic music; getting at the heart of the universal human experience through the lens of our diverse contemporary American culture. The story will be reset in a fictitious island nation featuring a multi-cultural/racial cast performing in western costume. The setting allows us to explore claims that the opera was a thinly disguised critique of British society and the British empire as a whole, while the multi-cultural/racial casting gives us a layer of contemporary sensibility."

~ Rick Shiomi, Director / Mu Performing Arts Artistic Director

Skylark Opera in collaboration with Mu Performing Arts presents
The Mikado
by W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan

directed by Rick Shiomi
conducted by Steve Stucki
~
June 15-23, 2013
(playing in repertory with The Fantasticks)
E.M. Pearson Theatre
Concordia University, Saint Paul, MN

TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets go on sale October 22nd at www.ticketworks.com or by calling 612-343-3390

Rick Shiomi (2012 Ivey Award for Lifetime Achievement) As a playwright and director, Rick Shiomi has been one of the leading figures of the Asian American theater movement since the early 1980s. Relocating to Minnesota in the 1990s, he was one of the founders of Theater Mu and is presently the Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts. Mr. Shiomi¹s plays include the award winning Yellow Fever, Rosie¹s Cafe, Uncle Tadao, Play Ball, Mask Dance, The Tale of the Dancing Crane, and Song of the Pipa. He also co-authored the book for Walleye Kid: The Musical. Yellow Fever has been produced off-Broadway, in Japanese in Tokyo, and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Mr. Shiomi has had his plays produced by Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco, Pan Asian Repertory in New York, and East West Players in Los Angeles. Yellow Fever has also been published in the U.S. and Canada, and Mask Dance appears in Bold Words: A Century of Asian American Writing, published by Rutgers University in 2001. He has written screenplays for film and television including the Canadian award winning dramatic series ENG. Mr. Shiomi¹s directing credits include Theater Mu¹s first full-length production, Mask Dance, Into The Woods, The Walleye Kid, Yellow Face, Song of the Pipa, Maui and the Soul of the Sun, and Flower Drum Song. He has also directed at the Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco and at Interact Theater in Philadelphia. He is the 2007 recipient of the Sally Ordway Irvine Award for Vision, a co-editor of the anthology Asian American Plays for a New Generation published by Temple University Press in 2011, and a founding member of the national network CAATA, the Consortium for Asian American Theaters and Artists.

Steve Stucki became Skylark Opera's Artistic Director in 1989. He is responsible for all artistic areas of the company, including casting, hiring artistic staff, repertoire and conducting the company's productions. Steve has held positions as assistant conductor with New York City Opera, Minnesota Opera, Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, University of Illinois Opera Theatre and the University of Minnesota Opera Theatre. He toured the Upper Midwest as Music Director of the Minnesota Opera's touring company and has conducted productions of more than 70 operas, operettas and musicals, including more than 30 productions for Skylark Opera. A graduate of Macalester College, he received a Master's Degree in Piano from the University of Minnesota, and studied opera coaching and accompanying at the University of Illinois with well-known accompanist John Wustman. He recently joined the faculty of the Saint Paul Conservatory For Performing Artists.

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	Skylark Opera and Mu Performing Arts Announce Re-imagining of The Mikado The Gilbert and Sullivan operetta has been added as the final show of the 2012-2013 Mu Performing Arts Subscription series. The Mikado is part of Skylark's Summer Festival 2013. It will play in repertory with The Fantasticks. (Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN) Skylark Opera and Mu Performing Arts will collaborate for the first time on a new adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. Performances are slated for June 14-23, 2013 at Concordia University's EM Pearson Theatre. Mu's Ivey Award-winning artistic director, Rick Shiomi will direct the production and Skylark artistic director, Steve Stucki will serve as conductor. Rick Shiomi outlines his vision for this modern retelling of the classic operetta: "Our re-imagined production of The Mikado will deconstruct the unfortunate stereotypes while still retaining the humor and classic music; getting at the heart of the universal human experience through the lens of our diverse contemporary American culture. The story will be reset in a fictitious island nation featuring a multi-cultural/racial cast performing in western costume. The setting allows us to explore claims that the opera was a thinly disguised critique of British society and the British empire as a whole, while the multi-cultural/racial casting gives us a layer of contemporary sensibility." ~ Rick Shiomi, Director / Mu Performing Arts Artistic Director Skylark Opera in collaboration with Mu Performing Arts presents The Mikado by W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan directed by Rick Shiomi conducted by Steve Stucki ~ June 15-23, 2013 (playing in repertory with The Fantasticks) E.M. Pearson Theatre Concordia University, Saint Paul, MN TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets go on sale October 22nd at www.ticketworks.com or by calling 612-343-3390 Rick Shiomi (2012 Ivey Award for Lifetime Achievement) As a playwright and director, Rick Shiomi has been one of the leading figures of the Asian American theater movement since the early 1980s. Relocating to Minnesota in the 1990s, he was one of the founders of Theater Mu and is presently the Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts. Mr. Shiomi¹s plays include the award winning Yellow Fever, Rosie¹s Cafe, Uncle Tadao, Play Ball, Mask Dance, The Tale of the Dancing Crane, and Song of the Pipa. He also co-authored the book for Walleye Kid: The Musical. Yellow Fever has been produced off-Broadway, in Japanese in Tokyo, and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Mr. Shiomi has had his plays produced by Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco, Pan Asian Repertory in New York, and East West Players in Los Angeles. Yellow Fever has also been published in the U.S. and Canada, and Mask Dance appears in Bold Words: A Century of Asian American Writing, published by Rutgers University in 2001. He has written screenplays for film and television including the Canadian award winning dramatic series ENG. Mr. Shiomi¹s directing credits include Theater Mu¹s first full-length production, Mask Dance, Into The Woods, The Walleye Kid, Yellow Face, Song of the Pipa, Maui and the Soul of the Sun, and Flower Drum Song. He has also directed at the Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco and at Interact Theater in Philadelphia. He is the 2007 recipient of the Sally Ordway Irvine Award for Vision, a co-editor of the anthology Asian American Plays for a New Generation published by Temple University Press in 2011, and a founding member of the national network CAATA, the Consortium for Asian American Theaters and Artists. Steve Stucki became Skylark Opera's Artistic Director in 1989. He is responsible for all artistic areas of the company, including casting, hiring artistic staff, repertoire and conducting the company's productions. Steve has held positions as assistant conductor with New York City Opera, Minnesota Opera, Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, University of Illinois Opera Theatre and the University of Minnesota Opera Theatre. He toured the Upper Midwest as Music Director of the Minnesota Opera's touring company and has conducted productions of more than 70 operas, operettas and musicals, including more than 30 productions for Skylark Opera. A graduate of Macalester College, he received a Master's Degree in Piano from the University of Minnesota, and studied opera coaching and accompanying at the University of Illinois with well-known accompanist John Wustman. He recently joined the faculty of the Saint Paul Conservatory For Performing Artists. Home \| News \| Calendar \| Directory \| Plays \| Library/Storefront \| Timeline Copyright 2012, Roger W. Tang Questions? Email

Skylark Opera and Mu Performing Arts Announce Re-imagining of The Mikado