2015 Distinguished Artist

Alex Galick, Sara Ochs, Jeannie Lander, Kurt Kwan Yellow Fever, 2013 Directed by Rick Shiomi 2015 Distinguished Artist Sheena Janson and Alex Galick Into the Woods, 2012 Directed by Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 5 Introduction

“Minnesota would be the last place in the world I’d want to end up,” Rick Shiomi wrote in 2011, remembering his thoughts after a 1990 visit to Minneapolis during which he was unhappily surprised by the city’s lack of an Asian American theater community. That visit turned out to be a critical point in what Shiomi calls his Zen journey as an artist: A few months later, he came back to Minnesota for another visit, and two years after that he was here for good, helping to start building the community he had wanted so much to find. “Such are the ironies of my own journey — that realities I believed so remote from my own existence became the very framework for two decades of my life in theater,” he says. As one of the five artists and administrators who founded Theater Mu in 1992, Shiomi plunged into helping to develop new Asian American actors and playwrights — and into expanding his own artistic horizons. Already an accomplished playwright and taiko drum player when he arrived in Minnesota, during his 20 years at the helm of Mu (later Mu Performing Arts) he evolved into a director, teacher, arts administrator, and mentor. That last role may have the farthest reach of Shiomi’s many lasting legacies. Ask anybody in the performing arts community — in Minnesota; in Vancouver, BC; in San Francisco; in New York; in Philadelphia — about Rick Shiomi and you will hear one word over and over: generous. Shiomi helped build not only one of the nation’s most important Asian American theater companies but also the careers of dozens of writers, actors, directors, and musicians, many of whom discovered and nurtured their talents thanks to an initial nudge from him. “My favorite stories are the origin stories about how people joined Mu — mostly from Rick cornering them in a restaurant,” says the playwright Lauren Yee. Rick Shiomi is not one to take “no” for an answer. Today, he is a leading artist of the Asian American theater movement, and his influence keeps growing nationally and internationally. We Minnesotans are infinitely lucky that Shiomi came back to our state after that first visit, chose to make his home here, and continues to share his talents to help make our community stronger.

Meghan Binger Brown Chair, The McKnight Foundation

Rick Shiomi, 2015 Contents

Zen and the Artist’s Journey Rick Shiomi 9

In the Blood Lia Chang 15

Rick Shiomi: Origins David Henry Hwang 27

Vancouver Days Jim Wong-Chu 33

Theater of Love Martha Johnson 34

Mu’s Golden Era Graydon Royce 36

Taiko’s Heartbeat Iris Shiraishi 38

The Believer Randy Reyes 40

Notes from Friends and Colleagues 45

Rick Shiomi: An Artist’s Life 56

About the Award 60

With Martha Johnson, 2015 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 9 Zen and the Artist’s Journey by Rick Shiomi

McKnight’s Peak 1980s — thanks to a major milepost Receiving the McKnight Distinguished on my journey. I had never considered Artist Award came as a huge surprise playwriting until Philip Gotanda suggested and has made me look back over what that I turn a short story I had written into feels like an incredible journey: from a what became my first play, Yellow Fever. Japanese Canadian boy in Toronto who felt Its success made me proud to be part his Japanese heritage was an albatross of the wave of Asian American theater around his neck, to an Asian American/ artists who burst onto the scene, including Canadian theater artist standing at the top Philip himself, David Henry Hwang, Amy of McKnight’s Peak. Hill, Lane Nishikawa, Judi Nihei, Dennis What a climb it has been — arduous Dun, and Mark Hayashi. Our plays and at times, full of grace and joy at other performances helped open eyes and minds times, thrilling and scary, but always an in the San Francisco area to what Asian adventure. I now feel that every decision American theater could be; then it spread to move forward into uncertainty has to New York, where Yellow Fever and plays been richly rewarded, and that even the by David, Philip, Velina Hasu Houston, At the Asian American Theater Company, 1984 moments when I didn’t attain the goal I Ed Sakamoto, and others generated aimed for turned out for the best. It’s been more attention. In some ways, this era a Zen journey in that way, and I only know culminated in the Broadway production of that it continues today. David’s M. Butterfly. It was a heady time, when I got to meet and work with such The golden eras artists and leaders as John Lone, Raul I have been fortunate to be part of three Aranas, Tisa Chang, and many more. artistic “golden eras.” The first was the Next came the third golden era, which 1970s in Vancouver, B.C., where I was the lasted for two decades, thanks to my coordinator for the Powell Street Festival great good fortune to be a co-founder and involved in both the Asian Canadian and artistic director of Mu Performing Arts writers’ movement and the Japanese (originally Theater Mu). Canadian Redress and Reparations The adage “If you build it they will Campaign. For the first time, I felt like I come” worked for Mu as it became the was part of a wave of exciting artists like magnet that attracted and helped develop Jim Wong-Chu, Tamio Wakayama, Paul many talented theater artists such as Sun Yee, Helen Koyama, and SKY Lee. It was a Mee Chomet, Randy Reyes, Sara Ochs, transformational time for all of us doing Kurt Kwan, Sherwin Resurreccion, Eric artistic work based in the history and issues Sharp, Katy Bradley, and Sheena Janson. of our communities. I often describe Mu’s first decade as a time I landed in the second golden era — the of digging trenches to lay the foundation, At the Powell Street Festival, 1980 world of Asian American theater in the while its second decade was filled with 10 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 11

wonderful productions and growing of directing in theater — and allowed me got my education in Western classical all supportive of me and Mu. And across recognition (both of which continue). The to explore ideas that ranged from setting theater by assisting her with productions North America I have felt the longtime company is now cultivating its second a Shakespeare play in the Meiji Era of she directed at Augsburg College, and encouragement of fellow artists and wave of artists with Maxwell Thao, Alex Japan to examining the intersection of her feedback on my shows was essential leaders like David Henry Hwang, Tisa Galick, Stephanie Bertumen, Isabella and race, culture, and politics through theater. to their success. There are so many Chang, and Lia Chang in New York; Seth Francesca Dawis, and Wes Mouri; and Most of all, I was able to develop and experiences we shared, both painful Rozin and Gayle Isa in Philadelphia; David a third wave is emerging that includes express onstage so many different and inspirational, that contributed to my Yee and Nina Lee Aquino in Toronto; Yoshi Andrew Moy, Taylor and Ayden Her, Natalie aspects of my directorial style and Asian success as a director, that I could not Yoshihara in Canada and Japan; Tim Dang Tran, and Danielle Wong. American theater. accept this award without tipping my hat in Los Angeles; and so many others. I am The Zen part of these golden eras is to Martha. How fortunate am I to have so grateful that our paths have crossed, that they all arrived on my doorstep so Taiko! had my spouse as my most trusted artistic and I have gained immensely from our unexpectedly. I remember sitting on the I began playing taiko in the late 1970s advisor for more than 20 years! relationships. couch in the house on Cordova Street in while I was working on the Powell Street Next there are administrators like Vancouver, wondering what it would be like Festival, in a deliberate move to connect Diane Espaldon, Stephanie Lein Walseth, Moving on to be involved in the Japanese Canadian with a dynamic cultural form from Japan. and Don Eitel who ran the organizational Now, as a freelance artist and founding community; the next moment, I was offered I learned and played taiko with various side of Mu. Designers like Joe Stanley and member of the Full Circle Theater the job as coordinator for the Powell Street groups through the 1980s and thought Karin Olson created the magical worlds Company, I have fresh horizons and goals Festival. I sent my detective comedy story my taiko career was winding down in the of the Mu productions. Musical directors as I continue my journey. With Martha, Lara to the Asian American Theater Workshop 1990s. like Anita Ruth, Denise Prosek, and Jason Trujillo, James A. Williams, and Stephanie on Philip Gotanda’s recommendation. I But then Jennifer Weir played her Hansen and choreographers like Sandy Lein Walseth, I am taking a further step was one of the co-founders of Theater Mu role in the Zen journey by urging me to Agustin and Penny Freeh made our toward a diverse and inclusive life in because Dong-il Lee wanted to start the start a taiko troupe after an impromptu musicals soar. Board members and major theater — one that not only honors my company and I felt I should help him. The drumming performance at a Mu event. Iris donors, including our original board chair, own deep and long commitment to Asian theater gods kept placing gifts in my hands Shiraishi joined the group early on, and Donna Gustafson, and others like Dan Le, American theater, but also broadens it into and I simply had to accept them — and then, once we started performing, there was Greg Anderson, Adele Lennig, and Kathie an interface with other perspectives and of course, do the work. no stopping that snowball. Mu Daiko was Goodale and her late husband, Robert, experiences. born and Jennifer and Iris became key were key participants. On directing composers, players, and eventually leaders Corporations like General Mills and Thanks Just as fate brought Yellow Fever to me as of the group. foundations such as Jerome, Knight, And so I thank The McKnight Foundation, all a playwright, it brought me many amazing and Target were regular supporters. the folks who worked with Mu Performing directing projects: A Midsummer Night’s The collaborators The McKnight Foundation in particular Arts, all of my artistic colleagues in Dream; David Henry Hwang’s version We all know that theater is a collaborative backed Mu substantially from the earliest Minnesota and across the country, and of Flower Drum Song as well as his play art form. None of the successes I write days (I often referred to it as our flagship especially Martha Johnson for making the Yellow Face; Into the Woods; The Mikado; about could have happened without the foundation). My local peers, like Jack Distinguished Artist Award possible for A Little Night Music; Caught. Each in its own work of so many others. The first among Reuler at Mixed Blood, Richard Cook at me. It is a highlight of an amazing artistic way took me on a journey that challenged them is Martha Johnson, alongside whom Park Square, Sandy Boren-Barrett at journey that has truly been like a series of my vision and helped me understand the I have learned the arts of directing and Stages, Richard Hitchler at SteppingStone, Zen koans, and I hope to continue learning true complexities and collaborative nature being an artistic director. I often say I and Joe Dowling at the Guthrie, were and creating in this wonderful community. Fairview Buddhist Theater Group, 1933. Rick’s grandfather Otokichi Shiomi, middle row, third from left; Rick’s uncle Masayoshi Shiomi, middle row, fifth from left 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 15 In the Blood by Lia Chang

Since the early 1980s, Rick Shiomi has Yellow Fever, I often wondered: How is it been a playwright, the author of more that I am interested in theater? Where than 30 plays; a taiko drum player, leader, are this interest and talent coming from?” and composer; a stage director; an artistic remembers Shiomi. director; and a champion of Asian American “My father wouldn’t tell me. None of my theater and the people who make it. He’s family wanted me to go into the arts. Even unlikely to admit it — Rohan Preston of the after Yellow Fever, my mother said, ‘Are you Minneapolis Star Tribune says that Shiomi going to get a job?’ I thought about it and “speaks in understatements” — but the I said, ‘I don’t need a job because I have a breadth and depth of his artistry have career now.’ Even though my writing didn’t made Shiomi a leading figure of the Asian pay much, I realized that I had a calling.” American performing arts movement, someone whom Tony-winning playwright The story begins David Henry Hwang calls “a pioneer-type Shiomi’s working-class parents, Canadians guiding light in Asian American theater.” of Japanese descent, were living in The Shiomi family, circa 1954 (Rick at bottom left) Theater is simply in his blood, says the Vancouver when they were forced into self-effacing Shiomi. an internment camp. After their release, “My grandfather, when he was a kid they moved to Toronto, where Rickey Allan in the Japanese countryside, used to see Shiomi was born on May 25, 1947. The the traveling shows,” Shiomi says. “When seventh child of eight, Shiomi has six sisters he came to Vancouver, B.C., he started and a brother. a touring kabuki theater company called Growing up Japanese Canadian in the Asahi Players that would go up and a predominantly white community was down the West Coast. My father’s younger difficult, Shiomi says. “I always felt like an brother later did theater in the 1920s outsider to society. That whole thing where and ‘30s in Vancouver, and even did you feel like you don’t belong, like you don’t contemporary Japanese plays when the have value. I didn’t feel confident enough to family was in an internment camp during be involved in English literature, which I had World War II.” an interest in. I had not yet come to any Shiomi knew none of this history until kind of consciousness.” after the success of his 1982 play Yellow Shiomi graduated from the University Fever, which garnered a Bay Area Theater of Toronto with a degree in history in 1970 Circle Critics Award, a “Bernie” for best and continued his education in British new play from the San Francisco Chronicle, Columbia, receiving a teaching diploma rave reviews in the New York Times and the from Simon Fraser University. In 1972, he New Yorker, and an Ontario Multicultural traveled to Europe and Asia, teaching in Theater Award. Japan and Hong Kong. Before his travels, Rick (right) with siblings Michael and Susan, circa 1957 Rick’s father, Ken Shiomi, circa 1947 “When I first had that success with Shiomi says, he had a negative perspective 16 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 17

on Asian culture — but once in Asia, he phenomenon rather than something inside Shiomi. “He said he liked the dialogue theater in that city, with his work produced developed a deep appreciation for and my own self.” because it was tight and seemed to flow alongside plays by Gotanda, Hwang, and connection to his Japanese cultural roots. As part of the deepening ties he easily. He asked me if I had ever thought of many others. And he experienced for the first time what felt to his Asian roots, in 1979 Shiomi turning it into a play. Yellow Fever was then produced by it was like to be part of the majority. began playing taiko, a traditional style of “I said I hadn’t, because there was no the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in New “It was a totally inverse experience to Japanese drumming. He was a founding such thing as Asian Canadian theater at York, where it received a rave review from my experience in North America,” he says, member of Katari Taiko in Vancouver, the time. He suggested I submit the story Mel Gussow in the New York Times: “As a “to see how my white friends in Asia were studied with Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka to the Asian American Theater Workshop in playwright, Mr. Shiomi is his own crafty responding in ways similar to how I had of the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, and later San Francisco, the company he had worked private investigator, making points through responded in America because they were in performed with several groups including with on his plays.” That story evolved into indirection and with droll humor.” The the minority. There was the anxiety and this Soh Daiko of New York and Wasabi Taiko in the play Yellow Fever. New Yorker’s Edith Oliver wrote, “Yellow kind of isolation and this kind of outsider Toronto. Yellow Fever’s Sam Shikaze is a Fever … is a funny mystery — a real mystery, feeling that they felt, that I had always Shiomi also became involved in Japanese Canadian private eye from the that is, which parodies private-eye movies felt in America. I could see how what we an Asian Canadian activist group that Sam Spade school who lives and works and also tucks in quite a lot of social think is a very personal reaction, is actually included a number of artists, among them on Powell Street. His philosophy: “Being a commentary without ever breaking its own universal and dictated by social realities.” many poets, and began to explore writing private eye doesn’t give you that nine-to- comic mood.” Pan Asian then moved the These epiphanies would have a huge fiction. He had a story, “Akemi,” published five respectability, but you call your own production Off Broadway for a longer run. impact on Shiomi’s work and shape his in Time Capsule, a small New York literary shots and you don’t have to smile for a Before Yellow Fever, Asian American artistic world. magazine, but writing prose remained living … and that’s the way I like it.” Sam’s theater in New York had been mostly difficult for him. “I felt I had found my own life is complicated by the disappearance under the radar, says Shiomi. “Frank Chin’s Turning the corner mother lode of artistic treasure and now of the local Cherry Blossom Queen; hired plays had made a kind of breakthrough, Upon his return to Vancouver in 1974, only needed to find the way to express to find her, he soon falls into a maelstrom but it didn’t feel like there was a larger Shiomi became immersed in the Japanese it,” says Shiomi. “The first incarnation was of deception, racism, and political intrigue recognition on a broader scale.” The Canadian community as the organizer in this Woody Allen–esque short story, a that Shiomi has said was inspired by the success of New York productions such as of the Powell Street Festival, the largest detective comedy with the main character Nisei experience with internment camps. Yellow Fever, along with Hwang’s FOB and Japanese Canadian festival in the country. inspired by a Nisei man [second-generation The success of Yellow Fever was a Dance and the Railroad and Philip Kan The festival was held in a once-thriving Japanese American] who reminded me of breakthrough for the Asian American Gotanda’s Song for a Nisei Fisherman, Japanese neighborhood of Vancouver the TV detective Columbo.” Theater Workshop (which changed its marked a blossoming of Asian American whose residents were moved into Also in 1979, Shiomi met playwrights name in 1982 to the Asian American theater in that city. “The difference internment camps during World War II. David Henry Hwang and Philip Kan Theater Company). Steve Winn of the between San Francisco and New York is “I learned the true history of the Gotanda when he invited Bamboo Brew, San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “It’s rare that when you get a rave review in the San Japanese Canadians,” he says, “from a band featuring Hwang on jazz violin and enough when a playwright finds new wine Francisco Chronicle, everybody in the Bay the early racism they faced, through Gotanda on guitar and vocals, to perform in the old vessels of traditional forms, rarer Area knows about it and it’s great,” says the camps, to their dispersal across in Vancouver. Shiomi asked Gotanda to still when it happens in a first play. R.A. Shiomi. “When you get a rave review in Canada after the war. I realized how so read his short story. “After a few days, I Shiomi’s stunningly well written ‘Yellow the New York Times, everybody in America many of my feelings of assimilation were asked Philip what he thought of my story, Fever’ succeeds on both counts.” During knows about it. I started getting calls from actually the product of political decisions and he pulled out one page (of about a Shiomi’s time in San Francisco, he became people around the country. It was way and government action — a universal hundred!) and said he liked that one,” says part of the development of Asian American bigger than I ever dreamed of. 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 19 Kurt Kwan 2013 Fever, Yellow Directed by Rick Shiomi “Suddenly I was a playwright, as if shaman-artist-warrior who connects the overnight. But in fact it came after 15 years heavens and the earth through the tree of searching for my own story and voice.” of life. “And if in the early days the soft- Pan Asian Repertory Theatre produced spoken Shiomi wasn’t accustomed to the Shiomi’s Yellow Fever trilogy, which also role of shaman-artist-warrior, he would includes Rosie’s Café, and Once Is Never soon learn how to play it,” wrote Sarah Enough, co-authored with Marc Hayashi Lemanczyk in a 2009 profile of Shiomi for and Lane Nishikawa. Yellow Fever itself American Theatre magazine. was produced across North America and in Dong-il Lee, the company’s first artistic translation in Japan over the next several director, left Minnesota after a year, and decades, and enjoys revivals as part of the Shiomi took over as interim artistic director, classic canon of Asian American theater. assuming the role full time in 1996. “It took at least 10 years to develop the core of our Theater Mu, taiko, and more company, but we are now riding a wave While playwriting dominated the first phase of talented young theater artists,” says of Shiomi’s theater career, directing for the Shiomi. Many of them began their careers stage largely defined the second: “Stage at Mu and have gone on to work with directing is probably in my blood because other regional and national companies. my grandfather was more of a stage In Shiomi’s two decades at the helm, Mu director than a writer,” says Shiomi. At the became one of the largest Asian American same time he was developing what grew theater companies in the United States. into one of the nation’s most important Shiomi led Mu in helping to support the Asian American theater companies. work of local and national playwrights, In 1991, Augsburg College theater actors, directors, and musicians by professor Martha Johnson invited Shiomi premiering many new works, fostering a to speak at the Minneapolis college after new generation of Asian American artists, meeting him at a theater conference. In and bringing Asian American voices to Twin Minnesota, he discovered an energetic Cities audiences. theater scene and an emerging Asian In the early days, Shiomi wrote many American community. Shiomi and of the plays produced at Mu, often in Johnson (whom he later married) joined collaboration with the young artists he had forces with Dong-il Lee, a University of invited to join the company. “You cultivate Minnesota graduate student; young artist the artists, and the issues will reveal Andrew Kim; and managing director Diane themselves,” he says. Mask Dance (1993), Espaldon to form Theater Mu, a pan-Asian a collaboration of Shiomi, Dong-il Lee, theater company. and drummer JooYeo No, is an example “Mu” is the Korean pronunciation of that also showcases Shiomi’s trademark the Chinese character representing the of combining traditional Asian art forms 20 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 21

with contemporary Asian American stories. between my sensei and me had never them to have careers and thus takes risks. Flower Drum Song. These and other That play uses Korean mask dance to been broken … that he had given me a gift I I have never met a theater artist and productions allowed Shiomi the stage explore the theme of Korean adoption in thought I had lost … but never could.” activist as passionate as Rick about plays, director to express one of his core beliefs: Minnesota, a state with a large population Shiomi had made taiko an integral playwrights, the development process, and that Asian American artists can work in of Korean adoptees. part of Mu’s mission early in his tenure as the production process.” traditional Euro-western theater in a “The use of Korean mask dance from artistic director. In 1997, he began teaching Shiomi took a special interest in variety of ways. Pongsan and shamanistic ritual eloquently taiko at the request of a number of Theater supporting the work of emerging Hmong For example, Shiomi set his 2006 expresses the unseen, but felt; the Mu actors and formed a taiko drumming American artists and activists, including production of A Midsummer Night’s unknown, but sensed,” wrote theater artist ensemble, Mu Daiko. Some years later, Kathy Mouacheupao, Katie Ka Vang, May Dream in the Meiji Era of Japan. Lisa Roberta Uno in Bold Words: A Century Mu Daiko joined Theater Mu under the Lee-Yang, Fres Thao, Ka Vang, and Oskar Brock of the Star Tribune wrote, “Opening of Asian American Writing (Rutgers banner of Mu Performing Arts; the group Ly. “The Hmong American community is with the riveting beat of taiko drumming University Press, 2001), calling the play “an evolved into a troupe that performs one the largest group in the Twin Cities Asian and the angular grace of a Korean mask excellent example of the use of traditional main-stage production each season American community, and I always felt dance, Mu Performing Arts’ A Midsummer performative elements that are not merely and conducts extensive outreach and there would be a rich wave of theater Night’s Dream immediately signals that illustrative, but are essential to creating a educational programs, with more than 100 artists emerging from them,” he says. the audience is in a magical place. This transformative experience.” engagements annually. “I used to think that because Rick production is an inspired reimagining, Shiomi collaborated with Sundraya As artistic director of Mu Performing administered everything, he didn’t really completely in keeping with a play that is all Kase on another production that explored Arts, Shiomi oversaw the development of care about the art,” says Katie Ka Vang, about transformation and otherness.” Korean adoptees’ experiences of life in more than 40 new plays, including Ching whose first play, WTF, was produced by Mu Shiomi’s 2012 production of Stephen America. The Walleye Kid (1999; adapted Chong Chinaman by Lauren Yee, Cowboy in 2011. “But the truth is, he does care, so Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the into a musical in 2008) is based on the Versus Samurai by Michael Golamco, much that he never stops working behind Woods placed the original musical’s popular Japanese fable about Momotarō Happy Valley by Aurorae Khoo, Bahala the scenes to get the funding, the support, Brothers Grimm folktales into Asian (Peach Boy) who comes to Earth inside a Na by Clarence Coo, Asiamnesia by Sun and ways to connect Asian American settings: Cinderella became Filipino, the peach and is found by an old couple that Mee Chomet, and WTF by Katie Ka Vang. artists to new resources.” After some Twin Baker and his Wife became Korean, and adopts him. Shiomi chose to set the play in Six of the new plays that were developed Cities activists protested the casting of a Jack and the Beanstalk became a Hmong the icy winters of Minnesota and have the and premiered at Mu appeared in the 2011 non-Hmong actor in the role of a Hmong story. More important, the cast was nearly baby emerge from a giant walleye. volume Asian American Plays for a New woman, Vang says, “Rick hugged me and all Asian American actors. “We are showing Also in 1999, Shiomi wrote The Tale Generation, an anthology co-edited by told me to ‘keep on writing; it just proves audiences that a talented Asian American of the Dancing Crane, taking a traditional Shiomi. that your voice is so important — there are performer is not the exception to the rule Japanese story of losing one precious thing Happy Valley, about a young girl’s even people who want to stop you, so keep but rather a regular reality of the theater to find something better and updating experience during Britain’s hand-over of on writing.’” world here in the Twin Cities,” Shiomi wrote it with his own story of discovering taiko. Hong Kong to the Chinese in 1997, came to Shiomi’s directing career also at the time: In the play he writes, “I left my taiko Mu through a blind submission from writer blossomed while he was Mu’s artistic sensei [teacher] … to pursue my dreams Aurorae Khoo. “Rick is the most insightful director. He helmed numerous productions The challenge to Asian Americans is in theater … but the funny thing was … the dramaturge, the biggest cheerleader, for Mu, including two by David Henry that they have been largely ignored taiko never left me … and years later … when and sees to the heart of scripts and a Hwang: Yellow Face, exploring the issues and treated as a minor nuisance in I began to teach my own students … I playwright’s potential,” says Khoo. “He of race and media; and a revival of his mainstream theater arts, and our discovered that somehow, the string builds writers for the long haul. He wants revision of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s task is to change that perception, 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 23 Directed by Rick Shiomi Flower Drum Song, 2009 one audience member at a time. For something truly hilarious.” too long “yellow face” (white actors Shiomi’s work with other theaters playing Asian roles) has been the has also drawn praise. In Philadelphia Sara Ochs and Sherwin Resurreccion accepted practice, because producers in 2014, he directed InterAct Theatre’s have claimed there have not been world premiere of Caught, a clever play qualified Asian actors. We are taking by Christopher Chen that had audiences away that excuse in the Twin Cities by and critics alike marveling at its ability showcasing top-flight Asian American to deconstruct our ideas of theater and music theater performers such as our perceptions of both China and Asian Randy Reyes, Sara Ochs, Katie Bradley, Americans. Toby Zinman of the Philadelphia Sheena Janson, and many more in Inquirer wrote, “Director Rick Shiomi reveals one of the most difficult Sondheim he is master of the meta-scam as he slyly musicals, getting both rave reviews puts us through the show’s paces,” while and standing ovations. Howard Shapiro of Shapiro on Theater wrote, “Part of Caught is about the way Chris Hewitt of the Saint Paul Pioneer we appropriate stories, especially from Press wrote, “Into the Woods was written other cultures. And some of it is about three decades ago and appears to be gullibility and the risks we take by trusting set several centuries ago, but the most people — and what we have to gain by extraordinary thing about Mu Performing taking those risks.” Arts’ production of the musical is how fresh Bringing it back home, in 2015 Shiomi and lively it is…. ‘Happily ever after’ is not helmed Park Square Theatre’s production guaranteed for any of us, but the good of Julia Cho’s The Language Archive. news is that it is a sure thing for anyone Kevin Vollmers of Gazillion Strong wrote, who attends this delightful production. “The direction of The Language Archive Because, once upon a time, there was a is meticulously paced and balanced. Rick musical comedy in St. Paul that could knock Shiomi, the 2015 McKnight Distinguished your socks off.” Artist, offers yet another gift to the Of Shiomi’s 2013 production of The community. Plus, there’s the POC [people of Mikado reset in Edwardian England color] factor. How often do you see a play featuring a reshaped book and Asian written by an Asian American, directed American actors in the lead roles, William by an Asian American, and the leads Randall Beard of the Star Tribune wrote, performed by Asian Americans? Not very “Rick Shiomi’s direction won me over often, especially here in Minnesota.” completely. He masters the [Gilbert and Sullivan] style, making the most of the Life after Mu preposterous plot without condescending Over the last five years, Shiomi has to it. He honors the masters while creating gradually shifted his artistic focus. In 2010, 24 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 25

he retired from regular participation in Mu on a national scale. Until 2015, he served five of us who founded Full Circle, looking founders are collaborating to create the Daiko, now led by Jennifer Weir; in 2013, on the board of the Consortium for Asian at all of our individual stories of how we piece, which Shiomi will direct in late 2015. he stepped down from his post as artistic American Theaters and Artists (CAATA), got into theater,” says Shiomi. “Each of us And so the Shiomi story continues… director of Mu Performing Arts, handing which he co-founded in 2006. And one of has a different pathway into it. All of us in a over the reins to Randy Reyes with the aim his first freelance projects after stepping certain way felt like interlopers, people who of returning to the freelance life he had down from Mu was to spend one week a somehow made their way through society Lia Chang is a journalist, photographer, actor, enjoyed before moving to Minneapolis. month for seven months in Philadelphia to into this art form without realizing that we and filmmaker based in New York City. When Shiomi received the 2012 help develop an Asian American theater were part of something bigger.” The five Ivey Award for Lifetime Achievement, group with a grant from the Doris Duke in characteristic fashion he shared the Charitable Foundation. award with the entire Mu Performing Arts “When I landed there in February company, calling it “truly a recognition 2014, we had planned to do a series of of the talented performers, writers, and readings once a month of Asian American directors that have gathered at Mu.” plays,” Shiomi says. “Over the first four Longtime friend David Henry Hwang sent or five months as we were doing the a video tribute for the awards ceremony, in readings and doing workshops, I was which he says: amazed to realize that instead of the three Asian American actors that I knew You think of Rick going to Minneapolis in Philadelphia, there were suddenly like at a time when most of the rest of 30 other young Asian American artists us would have thought the notion of getting into the field. Our project became starting an Asian American theater an organizing point for them — a place they company in the Twin Cities, well good could connect to.” luck, nice if you want to do it, but it’s In 2014, Shiomi founded Full Circle not actually going to make any sense. Theater Company with Martha Johnson, Rick had the foresight to realize that Lara Trujillo, James Williams, and this was a fertile place to do it because Stephanie Lein Walseth. For Shiomi, the the community was growing, and I formation of Full Circle is a step toward think more importantly, he’s the type of a diverse and inclusive life in theater that person who has always been able to not only honors his own deep and long organize people, encourage people, to commitment to Asian American theater, find talent and nurture that. The rest of but also brings it into dialogue with us, who also do good work, we tend to others’ experiences in theater, moving be a little more selfish, and we’re not the conversation toward building a new as good at doing that. holistic world of theatrical stories and collaborators. In his post-Mu era, Shiomi has continued “The first project is called Theater: A With Lia Chang to advocate for Asian American theater Sacred Passage, which is looking at the 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 27 Rick Shiomi: Origins by David Henry Hwang

Fun fact about Rick Shiomi: He plays and set off in early 1979 on our first mandolin. In 1978, I was a jazz/rock violinist, “international” tour. Our opening act was collaborating with a singer-songwriter a local band, Kokuho Rose Prohibited, named Philip Kan Gotanda, performing performing their songs about the Asian his songs about the Asian American Canadian experience, which included experience. Philip would go on to become Rick — yes, on mandolin (which he played one of our country’s leading playwrights, very well, by the way). We four U.S. but back then, we were musicians. We musicians crashed at Rick’s cozy apartment would sometimes team up with singer/ in Vancouver, sharing beds, cooking crabs songwriters Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo and from the waterfront market, and staying Sam Takemoto, calling ourselves “Bamboo up late talking about Asian culture in Brew” for concerts around California. In North America. Our houses were full, our our audience at one of those gigs was a audiences enthusiastic; we made friends, community organizer from Vancouver, BC, traded experiences with our Canadian With David Henry Hwang named Rick Shiomi. counterparts, and had the time of our lives. Along with Jim Wong-Chu, Rick One afternoon, Rick mentioned that had been on the front lines of a budding he had written a short story and asked movement, providing social services, if we would be willing to take a look at organizing a street fair, and developing a it. Philip and I had both written our first new Asian Canadian culture, to embody plays, The Avocado Kid or Zen and the the experiences, hopes, and aspirations Art of Guacamole and FOB, respectively. of this growing community. In the late Characteristically, I was lazy, tired, or 1970s, the term “Asian American” was simply negligent, but Philip took up his role barely a decade old; “Oriental” was still of mentor with dutiful care. After reading the label most often used to categorize the story, which centered on a Japanese us. Similarly, “multiculturalism” was a Canadian detective, Philip told Rick that the new and unfamiliar concept in the United best thing about his piece was a single line States. Though Canada had adopted a of dialogue. This was sufficient inspiration multicultural policy in the 1970s, it was for Rick to adapt his original premise into conceived primarily to accommodate the a full-length play. Entitled Yellow Fever, divide between English-speaking provinces the work premiered at the Asian American and French-speaking Quebec. In North Theater Company in San Francisco in 1982, America, Asians remained virtually invisible. winning critical plaudits and becoming Philip received an invitation from Rick the company’s biggest commercial hit to to perform two dates at the Vancouver date. The show achieved similar success East Cultural Center (now known as the Off Broadway the following year at the Culch). We added a performance at Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, spawning Left to right: Eric Hayashi, Philip Kan Gotanda, David Henry Hwang, Rick, Lane Nishikawa the University of Washington in Seattle, productions internationally. Yellow Fever 28 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 29

is regarded today as the first major Asian center of the burgeoning Asian American plays and musicals at theaters around the two seemingly contradictory qualities: the Canadian play, and one of the 20th arts movement. Rick saw the importance of country. The range of his achievements maturity to organize and nurture others, century’s classic Asian American works. using our visit to help seed creative growth as a playwright is equally impressive. His and a childlike delight in experimentation Rick’s origin story strikes me as in Canada. Testifying to his roots as an move to Minneapolis coincided with a and play. I remember seeing him at Mu’s embodying several characteristics organizer, his remarkable ability to identify shift from naturalism to folk-based stories annual gala in 2007, performing at the that have made him a pioneering and and support talented artists has become a such as Mask Dance and Song of the Pipa. age of 60 a Lion’s Dance that would indispensable figure in North American hallmark of his career. After the success of This embrace of explicit theatricalism have exhausted a man 20 years younger. theater. First, he possesses a big vision. Yellow Fever, Rick became a principal artist led seamlessly into musicals such as The Perhaps this helps account for the fact Bringing four Asian American musicians at the Asian American Theater Company, Walleye Kid: The Musical (based on the that he continues to look at least 20 years to Canada for some concerts may not along with Philip and (to a lesser degree) play he co-wrote with Sundraya Kase). younger than his actual age. In the decades feel particularly daring today. But it was me. The 1980s were a highly productive Interestingly, the Japanese fable from since we met, Rick Shiomi has grown into at the time. It’s not like anyone else had decade for that institution, which existed which Walleye Kid is drawn happens to a major North American playwright, and ever booked us into a tour — or ever would in a state of raucous brilliance. Amid be the same source material for Philip a cultural leader of national stature. He is again in that configuration. Rick has the the creative chaos, Rick stood out as Gotanda’s Avocado Kid; Rick places it in that rarest and most valuable of artists: gift of being both visionary and practical. the adult in the room. Artistically and a completely different setting, to explore one who does well by doing good for One sees this with Mu Performing Arts, commercially among the most successful of the experience of Korean adoptees. In The others. the Minneapolis theater he co-founded in us, he was also the most generous, finding Tale of the Dancing Crane, Rick became a 1992. When I learned back then of his new opportunities to help young talent grow performer to tell how he came to practice venture, I wished my friend and colleague into true artists. Of course, that quality the Japanese art of taiko drumming. He David Henry Hwang is a Tony Award–winning well. In the back of my mind, however, I went on to help launch a generation of has proven himself an exquisitely versatile playwright, screenwriter, and opera librettist. He remember thinking something to the effect theater artists in the Twin Cities, where Mu playwright, a master who takes on new is currently the director of Columbia University’s of, “An Asian American theater? In the became central to an artistic renaissance. forms with the same fearlessness that School of the Arts’ MFA program in playwriting. Twin Cities?! Good luck with that.” Time, of In more recent years, he has supported propelled him to undertake Yellow Fever. course, has proven Rick’s vision prescient, the development of plays by Lauren Yee, I have no doubt that many of his greatest and my skepticism provincial. He foresaw Michael Golamco, Clarence Coo, and achievements still lie ahead. the rise of Asian American communities Aurorae Khoo, among many others. Speaking of taiko, no appraisal of and culture as a national phenomenon, Third, the creation of Yellow Fever Rick’s work would be complete without no longer limited to the coasts. Mu stands exemplifies Rick’s singular ability to grow doubling back to his achievements as today as the third-largest Asian American and innovate as a playwright and theater a musician. I don’t believe Rick plays theater company in the United States. artist. Of course, it was remarkable for mandolin very often these days. Instead, he Second, Rick’s decision to pair Bamboo a young writer to take what he needed applied his musical talents to become an Brew with Kokuho Rose Prohibited from Philip’s critique, reinvent himself as a award-winning taiko player, studying first demonstrated his focus on nurturing local dramatist, and craft a play now regarded with companies in San Francisco, New York, talent. Though our San Francisco band was as a classic. But Rick never stops evolving and Toronto, then in 1997 founding Mu hardly a star attraction, we were relatively and challenging himself as an artist. He Daiko, where he served for many years as more experienced than our Vancouver began directing back in San Francisco, lead drummer and composer. counterparts. Moreover, we had been and continued to hone his craft at Mu, Throughout his long and varied career, nurtured in the Bay Area, at that time a becoming an accomplished helmer of both Rick Shiomi has managed to combine Powell Street Festival, 1977 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 33 Vancouver Days by Jim Wong-Chu

Rick Shiomi left a considerable legacy slowed, he would break out with a tai chi in Vancouver when he set out for San demonstration. I was a young writer/poet Francisco and, later, Minneapolis. In just getting my feet wet, and Rick showed Vancouver, BC, he was instrumental in me better ways to tell stories, in which founding Katari Taiko after he met Kenny humor and well-developed characters can Endo in San Francisco and invited him to be used to explore themes of social and Vancouver to do some taiko workshops. He cultural awareness. was also part of the early development of Rick was also one of the founders of the Powell Street Festival, taking the job of the Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop, festival manager during its inaugural year. begun in the early 1970s as a support Powell Street Festival celebrates its 40th group for many young writers in our anniversary in 2016. community, including SKY Lee, Paul Yee, In addition to working on his own Sean Gunn, Rick, and me. In 1982, Rick writing, Rick co-edited the seminal received a contract from the publisher In Vancouver, 1978 Inalienable Rice: A Chinese and Japanese James Lorimer & Co. for a book about Canadian Anthology. Published in 1979, Vancouver’s Chinese community — and he the anthology was a combined project immediately offered the contract to any of the Powell Street Revue and the of us in the group who wanted it. Paul Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop and Yee took it and wrote Teach Me to Fly, featured the collected literary voices of Skyfighter and Other Stories. He went on the Chinese and Japanese communities. to become an internationally celebrated From the introduction: “The intent is to children’s writer with more than 20 create a thematic flow in which poem and published works. essay, interview and proposal, visual and Rick left Vancouver to pursue his literary image have been mixed so that dream of being a playwright. We expected related ideas, feelings, and points could be him back. He never did return. Our loss is communicated on many levels.” Although Minneapolis’s gain. Rick did not have a piece of writing in the collection, his guiding vision as an editor was evident. Jim Wong-Chu is a writer, editor, historian, One day, Rick showed me a short and founder of the Asian Canadian Writers’ fiction piece he had written called The Workshop, Ricepaper magazine, Pender Guy Celestial Chinaman, about a young Chinese Radio Program, Asia Canadian Performing hippie who used his “Orientalness” to his Arts Resource (ACPAR), literASIAN: A Festival advantage at parties. In the opening line, of Pacific Rim Asian Canadian Writing, and the Rick described “CC” as a creature that Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Festival. Outside Rick’s Vancouver apartment, circa 1980. would always arrive at a party “with two Top to bottom: Rick, Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, Sammy Takimoto, David Henry Hwang, Jim Wong-Chu blondes in tow”; when the party tempo 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 35

Theater Mu was the brainchild of on the early aesthetics of Theater Mu and Dong-il Lee, a passionate young Korean a lasting impact on Rick’s and my distinct, director and performer pursuing a Ph.D. individual views as artists. at the University of Minnesota. It was After a few years, more and more Dong-il who invited Rick, Andrew Kim, professional Asian American theater artists Diane Espaldon, and me to join him in joined the company, and I stepped away founding a theater company. Those early from active involvement. And now, many meetings and our gatherings with aspiring years later, Rick has also stepped away, young Asian American theater artists and we’ve started a new company called were wonderfully passionate and exciting. Full Circle Theater. Dong-il persistently said to us all, “What When Rick and I reminisce about I want is for Theater Mu to be a ‘theater Mu’s long evolution, we really laugh, of love’ — that the power of love and remembering Dong-il’s words so long community form the foundation of all our ago, because he was right! More than any work.” In our early 40s, the senior artists other theater company we’ve known, Mu in the group, Rick and I could not help but Performing Arts has been and is a theater smile at Dong-il’s idealistic approach. of love and community, as well as a place A year later Dong-il left Mu to teach of artistic excellence. out east. Rick had moved to Minneapolis So much of this has been because by then, and with considerable coaxing of Rick: his deep desire to welcome Asian agreed to become the company’s American artists into the Mu community, new artistic director. Although he had his giving each person the chance to prove exceptional organizational skills because of him or herself, his boundless optimism, Rick and Martha on their wedding day, 1996 his work running the Powell Street Festival and his wizard-like ability to outrun in Vancouver, BC, as a theater artist Rick discouragement or failure. And perhaps identified as a playwright and a free agent, more than anything, because of his huge so this was his first venture as the head of heart — big enough to create a space for Theater of Love a theater company. love, art, and community. by Martha Johnson Rick and I had entirely opposite views of theater when we first worked together. He was a lover of American realism whose Martha Johnson is co-artistic director of I met Rick 25 years ago at a theater this way? But one thing is certain: neither favorite play was Death of a Salesman. I Full Circle Theater Company and a co-founder gathering in Chicago where he spoke about of us could foresee that our meeting would loved physical, poetic theater, such as the of Theater Mu. Asian American theater and identity. Our somehow be linked to the creation of a masked performance styles of ancient meeting radically changed the course of theater and taiko company in the Twin Greek and Japanese Noh theater. Our our lives. This chance encounter seemed Cities, a company that would in turn alter impassioned struggle to find a new vision, to call us to an unforeseen, epic destiny. the lives of so many people and the theater open to each other’s influence and that of Perhaps love always makes couples feel community itself. many other theater artists, had an effect 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 37

what built Mu Performing Arts. never done in the theater: I shook the hand The stories are legion how Rick would of the artistic director and told him what invite perfect strangers to come and act a good show he had. Flower Drum Song in his young company in the 1990s. This devastated me with its charm; Yellow Face bold kindness — a belief that you could be a was sharp, ironic, and perfectly pitched; performer, a writer, a designer, a dancer, or and Quiniones’s show Circle Around the a drummer — was Rick’s signature gesture. Island revealed a virtuosic dancer. He devoted himself to building an Asian I will always remember a warm spring American theater that would speak to night in 2011, sitting in the Ritz Theatre and the hearts of those onstage and those in watching Sara Ochs belt out “Suddenly the audience. And through Rick’s efforts, Seymour” in the sweetest production of we have benefited from the art of Randy Little Shop of Horrors. So much of Jen Reyes, Marcus Quiniones, Isabella and Weir’s direction that evening caused me Francesca Dawis, Kurt Kwan, Eric Sharp, to write in my notebook, “Feels like Mu’s Jen Weir, Sherwin Resurreccion, Sun Mee ‘Golden Era.’” That scribble survived in my Chomet, Katie Leo, and so many others review, and though a critic’s words are that I’m missing. But that’s kind of the point. ephemeral, I am glad to be on record with I saw my first Mu show in the fall of that apt and substantial sentiment. 2000 — Song of the Pipa at the Southern Mu has continued to build on the gold Back, left to right: Allen Malicsi, Don Eitel, Erika Danielle Crane, Kim Kivins. Front: Randy Reyes Theater, featuring artist Gao Hong on that Rick mined through his hard work with Yellow Face, 2010 the Chinese lute. I wrote a review with so many partners. Sometimes he works words that I would come to repeat too hard. “I won’t be able to play golf for a many times: “Shiomi’s staging enhances couple of months,” he wrote in an email one this rich, affecting human story of life, spring. He had torn a meniscus in his knee Mu’s Golden Era generations, families, and relationships.” while taiko drumming. But he promised to by Graydon Royce The performances were so full of earnest come back and he has, still the 14-handicap heart, beautiful storytelling, and honest who pushes his bag and always wears long sincerity that I felt Mu could become a pants no matter how warm it is. I was playing golf with Rick Shiomi one “Rick! Rick, it’s okay!” I said. But he was favorite troupe to watch. That’s because Rick Shiomi is old- summer morning years ago, and as we undeterred and I stood amazed as he ran Song of a Nisei Fisherman, by Rick’s school in the very best sense. The energy walked up the sixth fairway, I could see that the 125 yards, put the flagstick in the cup, friend Philip Kan Gotanda, confirmed and heart that compel a man to run the flagstick was lying on the green rather and ran back to his ball. that hunch in 2001, again with a warm through a dewy morning and replace the than standing upright in the cup. I tell this story because to understand authenticity. flagstick are the same passions that push a I shouted, “The stick is lying on the the art of Rick Shiomi, you must understand Four years later, I wrote that Mu had theater company to reach its golden era. ground,” so Rick would not be looking for his passion, his willingness to do whatever “come of age” in a production of Pacific a flag that was not there. “Oh,” he said, it takes, to invest his very self in the task at Overtures that again nested warmly in my “should I … go … and?” He started to trot hand. His heart is large and inexhaustible heart. After watching The Walleye Kid: The Graydon Royce is a theater critic for the toward the green. with good intent and purpose. That heart is Musical, I was moved to do something I had Minneapolis Star Tribune. 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 39

I treasured. Reading that tiny ad at the After 18 years, Rick’s pieces, especially bottom corner of the page changed my life. the ones that he composed early on for the I was in Rick’s first public class. He’d fledgling Mu Daiko, remain staples of the already gone through a series of classes group’s repertoire. They were the first taiko with his Mu actors — the group that pushed music that literally thousands of audience (and begged!) him to teach after seeing members across the Upper Midwest him perform. Our class of three was taught and beyond had heard. His “Pounding by this youthful guy (“Oh, great,” I thought, Hooves’’and “Kumano Ki” remain at the top “here’s another teacher who’s years of most fans’ lists of their favorite Mu Daiko younger than me” — though he actually compositions. wasn’t) with an ability to guide us through I was one of the founding Mu Daiko our beginnings in an affable, easygoing players allowed to realize a certain kind manner. It was the antithesis of how he’d of artistry in creation and performance. been taught — extreme, punishing exercises Rick and fellow founding member Jennifer meant to build endurance and character Weir (gifted actor, director, player, (I would have been out of there in a composer) are the two individuals I credit second!). I found myself onstage at the first the most with helping me find an artistic Mu Daiko performance after six weeks of voice during my time at Mu. So many instruction. opportunities to perform, create, and Rick’s brand of taiko teaching, delve into the theatrical side of taiko set composition, and performance was always me on a journey of music-making, cultural about the possibilities of the art form renaissance, friendships, connections, and and very much informed by his sense of self-discovery. Rick’s artistic sensibilities theater: tension, release, dramatic lines, have informed my own teaching, creativity, poignancy, movement, and a certain kind and performing practice as I’ve gone on to Left to right: Rick, Jeff Ellsworth, Iris Shiraishi, Joe Mignano of Japanese Canadian Zen. His taiko share taiko with others. Taiko Caravan, 2009 productions, which featured his original What a gift we’ve all received! compositions and, over time, pieces from his players, revealed a deep knowledge of how audiences could be drawn into a taiko Iris Shiraishi, former artistic director of Mu Daiko, Taiko’s Heartbeat performance. Rick was not only aware of currently works with ensemble-MA, a group that by Iris Shiraishi the sound and theatricality inherent in an creates and performs taiko-based music. She individual work but also able to arrange teaches at St. Catherine University and MacPhail them into a dramatic arc amplified by Center for Music. A 1997 Theater Mu newsletter announced job; I’d made few attempts to keep my astute stagecraft. Audiences have left an introductory taiko class. I was 15 years Japanese/Hawaiian roots alive. I decided performances saying, “I don’t know why, into a Midwestern life with a great spouse, that learning taiko might be the key to but when you played, I began to cry’’ (“in a a couple of young children, and a good the music, movement, and heritage that good way,” they would hasten to add). 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 41

met I talked about my desire to create he or she would be fine. And sure enough, a devised piece using poetry; almost they were always, always fine. He boldly immediately after I said I would do it gives away the answers to questions I toil without pay, he gave me access to Mu over painfully. He just believes. And that is actors and the use of Mu’s rehearsal space. exactly what marginalized communities Soon after, he invited me to participate so desperately need in order to succeed … in New Directions, a program for the the opportunity to take the chance. development of new directors with new This is what Rick does. He gives Asian material. And a couple of months after Americans opportunities to become artists. that, he invited me to apply for a fellowship He gives you the space to try, and fail, and through the Theatre Communications grow. He allows you to go as far as you are Group (TCG). The TCG New Generation willing to go, and when you think you can’t Future Leaders was a two-year grant to go any farther, he’ll ask you one more time work under Rick’s mentorship. We applied if you’re sure. He insists that you can do it, and received the award; within the first so therefore you do it. year of the mentorship I was directing The whole community benefits from my first professional production at the someone who believes that anything is Guthrie’s Dowling Studio. Before that, I had possible. It is possible for Asians to be never even been in a production meeting! artists. It is possible for there to be a All this happened within the first year thriving Asian American theater and taiko of my meeting Rick. He boldly — carelessly, company in the Midwest. It is possible for even — threw opportunities at me. With Asians to be front and center on any stage. Left to right: Katie Bradley, Sheena Janson, Randy Reyes, Sara Ochs, Suzie Juul, Maxwell Thao every project that I was plunged into or Rick loves to see Mu artists on other Into the Woods, 2012 given the charge to create, I grew as an stages around the Twin Cities and around artist at an accelerated pace. Outside of the country. He loves to see Mu artists the artistic work, I was also learning about effecting change in other organizations. what it means to be an Asian American His legacy will live on in the many artists The Believer within a vibrant theater community. I was to whom he has given the opportunity to by Randy Reyes asking questions I’d never considered grow and thrive. I have learned so much before about how and why and what. from him about being an artist, a leader, I have now worked with Rick for more and — most important — about being a When I moved to the Twin Cities from I had no idea that the meeting was going to than 10 years. Many times I’ve asked person. New York City in 2005, numerous people forever alter my life’s path as both an artist for his counsel on casting: I would have in the theater community told me that I and an individual. a question about an actor’s ability to needed to meet Rick Shiomi. I figured it I was trained primarily as an actor, handle a particular role because of lack of Randy Reyes is the artistic director of Mu was because I was an Asian American but by the time I met Rick I had done a experience or whatever it was I might be Performing Arts. theater artist and Rick was running an significant amount of teaching and had worried about. He would very easily, in his Asian American performing arts company. started to dabble in directing. When we Zen-like Rick Shiomi way, assure me that Left to right: Steven Frankenfield, Sherwin Resurreccion, Randy Reyes, Rose Le Tran, Yefei Jin Flower Drum Song, 2009 Directed by Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 45 Notes from Friends and Colleagues

With Tisa Chang WIth Raul Aranas and Reme Grefalda

Rick Shiomi is like a chame- California, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and leon: playwright, director, New England (I believe it was our tour founding artistic director of to Minneapolis that planted the seed for Mu Performing Arts, and taiko Rick to later found Theater Mu); and was drum master. remounted in New York in 1994. R.A. Shiomi I met Rick in 1982 when a script called became a celebrated name, though Rick Yellow Fever came to us via Rick’s lawyer has remained the affable, rather shy writer friend Dale Minami. This riff on the private- we met more than 30 years ago. eye genre caught the attention of Pan Our association will continue because Asian Repertory Theatre’s core artists, Rick is a pig year sign, born in 1947, as are Left to right: Sara Ochs, Rick, Jennifer Weir With Aurorae Khoo including director Raul Aranas and actors many of our veteran artists. This pig club Ernest Abuba, Donald Li, Freda Foh Shen, harmony has brought good fortune. Carol Honda, and Henry Yuk (all of whom later found success on Broadway and in Hollywood). The play’s snappy, satiric Tisa Chang writing had an undercurrent of social and Artistic producing director, political relevance, which pervades all of Pan Asian Repertory Theatre Rick’s writings. New York City A young Pan Asian Rep was performing out of Ellen Stewart’s La MaMa theater when on December 2, 1982, Mel Gussow of the New York Times praised Yellow Fever’s “writing, acting, direction, design — it is one of the most polished productions in Tisa Chang’s Pan Asian troupe.” The show sold out and moved Off Broadway Left to right: Randy Reyes, Lauren Yee, Chris Chen, Rick in June 1983; toured to Edinburgh, 46 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 47

One thing that has struck me about Rick over It’s quite an amazing On the first day of rehearsal for my first Rick Shiomi is secretly a ninja. the years is how he has continually adapted journey. And throughout it all, show with Mu, I walked in and felt a weight One day you meet him, he asks you his career and in doing so has become a Rick has remained a humble, I didn’t know I carried lift off my shoulders. how long you’ve been in town, you talk smarter, wiser, more artful artist and highly generous, wise leader. As a Korean adoptee, I’d never felt truly pleasantly enough for a while, and you effective arts administrator. Another thing is He is also still slender and looks 30 comfortable in my Asian body until that figure that is that. that Rick never seems to age. years younger than everybody else who moment. It changed my life. And it’s all And then — a year later — you When I first met Rick in the early started with him. In fact, when I stand thanks to Rick. somehow find yourself in a musical he’s ‘80s, he was slender with a very boyish next to you, Rick, I could be mistaken for My most vivid memory of Rick is the directing (even though you don’t sing) or look, working with the Vancouver, BC, your father. Not your older brother, though night he received the 2012 Ivey Lifetime workshopping a play you somehow wrote Chinatown arts groups. He was helping you are older, you know, but your fadda. Achievement Award. He thanked his wife, (though you tried to explain you weren’t put together a literary magazine. And if I What up with that, Rick, huh? You strike Martha, and everyone who’d ever worked a writer) or stumbling through your first remember correctly, Rick was also playing some kind of deal we don’t know about? with Mu, then asked us to join him. So many performance as board op (which he the mandolin in a musical group. Or, I guess, it’s those forever young Shiomi people came up, we stretched across the assures you is perfectly fine!). Then, Rick was in San Francisco, where genes kicking in. entire State Theatre stage — and he gave You never saw it coming. he became involved in the Asian American Break a leg, Mr. Shiomi. And stay us all the credit for his work. Which is so But this is what happens when you Theater Company and wrote Yellow Fever, forever young. Rick. He is the most generous let Rick into your life. Or, more accurately, his first play, which became a big hit. He artist I’ve ever met. what happens when he meets you and also started getting involved in taiko. Still From Rick, I’ve learned how to build sees something in you that no one else slender, still looking as boyish as ever. Philip Kan Gotanda community. To be generous. To tell stories does. Then he became more involved in Playwright with great heart and humanity. And to be This is what happened to me, and to taiko and much more involved in theater Berkeley, CA a better artist and, more important, a dozens of other artists whose lives Rick and playwriting. He split his time between better person. Thank you, Rick. mysteriously ninja’d into and out of. San Francisco, Toronto, and New York. Nowadays, when I meet other young Still slender, still youthful looking, while Asian American artists, I can’t help but ask: all around him others aged, grew fat, got Sara Ochs “How long have you been doing this? Do white hair or no hair. There is a pattern Actor you know so-and-so? You should! Let’s go emerging here. (Or maybe the author is Minneapolis meet them now.” growing envious.) I don’t know how he did it, but he Then Rick moved to Minneapolis and turned me into another Rick. And I never took on directing and administration with saw it coming. gusto and an indefatigable commitment. In the process, he established an important theater home for Asian American stories Lauren Yee and artists, one that is specific to, and Playwright inspired by, the local community. By then New York City an accomplished taiko artist, Rick also founded what has become a flourishing taiko scene. 48 Rick Shiomi

When I walked into a Theater Mu audition I met Rick at an academic theater fresh out of college, I had no reference for conference right before moving to Asian American anything. I didn’t identify Minneapolis in 1994, and since then he as Asian. I didn’t know of, much less care has consistently inspired and about, any “community.” I just wanted to act. energized me. I’ve invited him to my One of the first productions I was cast classes. I’ve written essays about Yellow in was Rick’s Mask Dance, a play that dealt Fever, The Walleye Kid, and other plays with Korean adoption. Mind blown. I never of his. We co-edited Asian American Plays ever expected to see my own experience for a New Generation. I’ve talked his ear reflected in anything onstage. My journey off on many, many occasions. to understand, grieve, identify, and take One of many good memories: After pride as a Korean adoptee might never I finally finished my book on the production have happened if Rick hadn’t written and history of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The cast me in that show. Mikado, I swore I’d never listen to “Three Skip ahead a few years to a Mu Little Maids” ever again. Lo and behold, open house where Rick, by himself, plays Rick asked me to be a dramaturg for his “Matsuri” on a taiko drum. Again — mind redo of the opera for Skylark Opera and blown. I’d never seen or heard of taiko Mu Performing Arts. before, never knew it existed, and certainly You really want to do that faux- never knew Rick could play taiko. Once Japanese opera, Rick? Really? again, a whole new world opened up for Because it was Rick asking — and me. I evolved from an eager student into because I have said yes to every a taiko performer, teacher, composer, and opportunity to work with him — I agreed. eventually, leader. Taiko allowed me to And it was fantastic to be part of Rick’s become a bigger, better version of myself. reimagining of The Mikado, which Because of Rick, taiko and successfully cast off the long legacy of theater brought into my life racist representation and made me laugh the people I hold most dear, so hard that it hurt. and I have had the chance to become the person I didn’t know I wanted to be. Josephine Lee I am forever in his debt. Professor of English and Asian American studies, University of Minnesota Minneapolis Jennifer Weir Isabella Dawis and Phong Nguyen Artistic director, Mu Daiko The Mikado, 2013 Minneapolis Directed by Rick Shiomi 50 Rick Shiomi

In 2014 and 2015, Rick spent seven weeks, When I started working for Rick, I had one week per month, in Philadelphia helping him pegged as a very unassuming guy. to build demand for Asian American theater Pretty quiet. The longer I worked for him, through a grant from the Doris Duke the more pieces of his history and success Charitable Foundation. Apart from the became apparent to me. Little did I incredibly impactful work he did — meeting know that he was one of the with student groups at area colleges; godfathers of Asian American meeting with community organizations; theater along with David Henry Hwang galvanizing the small and disparate and Philip Kan Gotanda … and they played community of Asian American theater together in a folk band at one time. artists; leading workshops; organizing On the first trip that I took with and directing play readings; leading a him — to California, for a grant-funded coalition of professional theater companies program — his rock-star status became to promote productions featuring Asian evident to me. Everyone wanted to greet American artists; and directing InterAct him. Everyone wanted to share a story of Theatre Company’s hit production of how his work was important to them. It Caught by Christopher Chen — what I will wasn’t until that moment that I realized we most remember and cherish about Rick’s had a real treasure here in Minnesota. residency are the almost nightly talks we’d Rick and I worked together for six of have in my living room: debriefing his daily my seven years at Mu Performing Arts, work; brainstorming new ideas; talking and I’ve never worked for a more generous about theater, life, and sports (he’s a big man. He graciously shared leadership with Twins, Vikings, and Timberwolves fan!). me, allowing me to stretch and grow and I feel so fortunate not only hone my own skills. That is his real skill, as to have tapped Rick’s talent, many in the greater community can attest: experience, and passion, Rick’s leadership style is to create and but to have spent so much surround himself with more leaders. I owe quality time with such a wise, him much. thoughtful, selfless, generous, good-natured, fun friend and colleague. Don Eitel Former managing director, Mu Performing Arts Minneapolis Seth Rozin Founder and producing artistic director, Ames Adamson, Justin Jain, Jessica Dalcanton InterAct Theatre Company Caught, 2014 Philadelphia Directed by Rick Shiomi 52 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 53

When I met Rick in 1982 I think Rick Shiomi would have made his My experiences with Rick In 1991, I was invited to make a dance after I was commissioned to mark in Asian American theater with his span 30 years, and a few presentation at Augsburg College in direct Yellow Fever, my first Sam Shikaze plays alone; Yellow Fever is descriptive words come to Minneapolis. As I got out of the car with impression of him was that a classic not only as a funny, suspenseful mind: innocent, generous, my costume bag and tape recorder, a he had a sense of irony about mashup of Asian American/Canadian ready to play. Innocent in the sense student ran up to me to help carry my theater and life in general. identity with hard-boiled detectives, but that every moment seems fresh; he’s stuff. I told Martha Johnson, the professor I consider this quality very important also as a reclamation of Asian American always ready to learn or be inspired. who had invited me to Augsburg, about (if not the most important) in acting, efficacy (even more so in a reinterpretation When Mu and Park Square decided to this nice young man. Laughing, to my playwriting, and directing. Hence, we hit it where Sam is a Nisei woman living in the collaborate on a production of Pacific embarrassment and disbelief, she told off right away. Yellow Fever was my very lesbian society of the time). Overtures, Rick and I assumed that we’d me that he was actually the director Rick first directorial endeavor, and thanks to But Rick’s true impact find an Asian American–infused but Shiomi, who was working with Augsburg the theater gods (with a lot of help from comes from his extension of multicultural cast. Talent seemed to pop theater students! That was my first the actors and a brilliant script), it was his work into administration, out of everywhere — opera, music, musical introduction to Rick (who, by the way, still quite a success. Rick was most patient as artistic leader of what has become theater, dramatic theater — every one of manages to maintain his youthful look and and understanding through the whole Mu Performing Arts, where he built them eager to perform. And every one charming smile). process and made my journey joyful and Minneapolis into a top developer of Asian of them Asian American. Rick was elated Since then, I have worked with him in enlightening. We became good friends. American scripts. As a director, he has by these discoveries, which have led to his capacities of director, composer, and And when I directed Yellow Fever in Toronto helped shape some of the best new scripts a distinguished Mu-produced series of musician, and we have been friends long in 1983, our bond got stronger. He later by Asian American authors in recent years. important musicals. He generously agreed enough for me to get to know Rick as a gave me the opportunity to direct two His generosity and empathy multiply his to turn the direction of Pacific Overtures great husband to my dear friend Martha more of his plays: Once Is Never Enough dramaturgical and artistic skills, allowing over to Gary Gisselman. But to my surprise and a loving father to two wonderful kids (the sequel to Yellow Fever), and Rosie’s his influence to spread and take root in and delight, Rick not only managed to keep who are now adults. Rick is a kind, Café (the prequel). And because of Rick, even more actors, writers, directors, and Gary’s ear throughout, but he also showed gentle, smart individual who I met my wife, to whom I’ve been married designers. These qualities are very obvious up in the company and onstage every has a large and giving heart, for 33 years. to me, as a surveyor of the national Asian night — as a taiko drummer! I should add who has been successful in Through all these years, I cannot recall American theater scene, and I try to one more descriptive word: clever. his field, and who is always a single mean-spirited vibe from him. He emulate them in my own work as a theater so approachable to anyone always remains calm and never loses that leader. seeking his advice. sense of irony. His demeanor resonates Richard Cook peace and a constant pondering of Artistic director, Park Square Theatre possibilities. I look forward to many more Roger Tang St. Paul Ranee Ramaswamy projects with him. Managing producer, Pork Filled Players; editor, Artistic director, Ragamala Dance Asian American Theatre Revue Minneapolis Seattle Raul Aranas Actor and director New York City Sheena Janson and Randy Reyes A Little Night Music, 2014 Directed by Rick Shiomi 56 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 57 Rick Shiomi: An Artist’s Life

1947 1983 1992 2000 Born in Toronto, the seventh of eight Shiomi Yellow Fever produced Off Broadway at Co-founds Theater Mu in Minneapolis. Speaks at sixth annual Ritsumeikan children Pan Asian Repertory Theatre Uncle Tadao produced at East West University/University of British Columbia Players, Los Angeles; directs FOB by David Seminar, Kyoto, Japan. Directs and plays 1970–1972 1984 Henry Hwang at AATC in Taiko Storm at Southern Theater; Graduates from the University of Toronto Yellow Fever printed in Westcoast composes “Kumano Ki” with a degree in history and earns a Chronicles, vol. 13 1993 teaching diploma from Simon Fraser Writes and directs Mask Dance, produced 2001 University 1985 by Theater Mu at Southern Theater, Directs Song for a Nisei Fisherman by Philip Once Is Never Enough, co-authored Minneapolis Kan Gotanda for Theater Mu at Old Arizona 1972–1974 with Lane Nishikawa and Marc Hayashi, Studios, Minneapolis. Co-authors Tiger Travels around the world; teaches in Hong produced at AATC 1994 Tales: Hmong Folk Tales with Cha Yang for Kong and Japan Directs River of Life by Theater Mu at SteppingStone Theatre for Youth, St. Paul. 1986 McKnight Theatre of Ordway Center for Directs and plays in Spirit Drums of Mu 1977, 1979–1982 Jan Ken Po, co-authored with David Henry Performing Arts, St. Paul; directs Yankee Daiko at Southern Theater; composes song Works as coordinator of the Powell Street Hwang and Philip Kan Gotanda, produced Dawg You Die by Philip Kan Gotanda at “Shifting Sands.” Mask Dance included in Festival, an annual Japanese Canadian at AATC InterAct Theatre, Philadelphia Bold Words: A Century of Asian American arts and culture celebration in Vancouver, Writing (Rutgers University Press) B.C.; co-edits Inalienable Rice: A Chinese 1987 1997 and Japanese Canadian Anthology Rosie’s Café produced at Pan Asian Founds Mu Daiko; directs and plays in taiko 2002 Repertory Theatre concert at Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis; Co-authors Temple of Dreams with Marcus 1979–1986 composes song “Pounding Hooves” Quiniones; directs production by Theater Original member of Katari Taiko of 1988 Mu at Intermedia Arts. Receives Award for Vancouver, B.C.; member of San Francisco Play Ball produced at Pan Asian Repertory 1998 Leadership from Minnesota State Council Taiko Dojo and Wasabi Daiko of Toronto; Theatre Directs The Walleye Kid, co-authored for Asian Pacific Minnesotans performs with Soh Daiko of New York with Sundraya Kase, for Theater Mu at 1990 Intermedia Arts. Directs and plays in 2003 1982 “Voice, Community, Culture and Thunder Drums at Southern Theater; Co-authors, with Cha Yang and Yellow Fever produced at Asian American Responsibility” article appears in Theatrum composes “Journey To Toji Temple” and Jasmine Canlas, The Magic Bus to Asian Theater Company (AATC), San Francisco, magazine; receives Ruby Schaar Yoshino “New Dawn” Folktales, produced by Theater Mu and and at Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, New Playwriting Award for Uncle Tadao SteppingStone. Directs and plays in Drums York City; receives San Francisco Chronicle 1999 of Fire, Southern Theater; composes “Ariel “Bernie” award and San Francisco Bay Directs and plays in Pounding Hooves of Kaze.” Directs and plays in Snow Drums of Area Theatre Critics Circle award for best Mu Daiko at Southern Theater Mu Daiko at Southern Theater; composes new play “Chrysanthemum Dawn” 58 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 59

2004 2007 2011 2014 Yellow Fever has a two-week run at Receives Sally Ordway Irvine Award for Rosie’s Café produced by Haisho Theatre Directs A Little Night Music by Sondheim Ryuzanji Theater Company, Tokyo. Speaks Vision. Directs and plays in Mu Daiko at the Company, Tokyo. Co-edits Asian American and Wheeler, produced by Mu Performing at seminar, “Nikkei Theater in North Ritz at Ritz Theater, Minneapolis Plays for a New Generation (Temple Arts at Park Square Theatre; M. Butterfly America,” sponsored by the Association of University Press), which includes The by David Henry Hwang, produced by Japan Stage Directors, in Tokyo and Osaka. 2008 Walleye Kid: The Musical Theatre Esprit Asia at the Aurora Fox A dozen plays included in the Alexander The Walleye Kid: The Musical produced Center, Denver, CO; Caught by Christopher Street Press Asian American playwrights by Mu Performing Arts at the McKnight 2012 Chen, produced by InterAct Theatre database. Directs and plays in Taiko Theater of Ordway Center for the Directs Into the Woods by Sondheim and Company, Philadelphia. Receives Doris Blizzard at Southern Theater; composes Performing Arts. Directs and plays in Lapine, produced by Mu Performing Arts Duke Charitable Foundation Explorations “Kiyomizu Cascade” Mu Daiko at the Ritz 2 in Minneapolis at Park Square Theatre. Co-directs, with Grant in Building Demand for the Arts to Sandy Boren-Barrett, Where the Mountain work with InterAct and Asian Arts Initiative, 2005 2009 Meets the Moon by Jeanine Coulombe at Philadelphia. Co-founds Full Circle Theater Co-authors, with Sundraya Kase, book for Co-directs, with Sandy Boren-Barrett, Stages Theatre Company. Receives Ivey Company, Minneapolis/St. Paul The Walleye Kid: The Musical, produced Baseball Saved Us by Katie Hae Leo, Award for Lifetime Achievement by Mu Performing Arts at Mixed Blood Stages Theatre Company, Hopkins, MN. 2015 Theater, Minneapolis. Directs and plays in Directs Flower Drum Song by Rodgers and 2013 Directs The Language Archive by Julia Cho TenChi Taiko of Mu Daiko, Southern Theater. Hammerstein (new book by David Henry Steps down from artistic director position at Park Square Theatre. Previous year’s Performs in Taiko Jam at National Taiko Hwang), produced by Mu Performing Arts at Mu Performing Arts. Revises and production of Caught for InterAct Theatre Conference in Los Angeles at the McKnight Theater of Ordway Center directs The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan, Company in Philadelphia receives four for the Performing Arts. Writes preface to produced by Skylark Opera and Mu Barrymore Award nominations: Director, 2006 Love and Relasianships Vol. 1 (Playwrights Performing Arts. Directs Yellow Fever, Outstanding Production, New Play, and Set Co-authors, with Allen Malicsi and Kurt Canada Press), an anthology that includes produced by Mu Performing Arts at Design Miyashiro, book and lyrics for Filipino Yellow Fever Dowling Studio of Guthrie Theater Hearts, produced by Mu Performing Arts at Southern Theater. Directs Shakespeare’s 2010 A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Mu Steps down from leadership of Mu Daiko. Performing Arts at Southern Theater. Directs The King and I by Rodgers and Directs and plays in Taiko Dreams, Mu Hammerstein, Bloomington Civic Theatre, Daiko’s 10th concert at Southern Theater. Bloomington, MN. Directs Yellow Face Helps found the Consortium of Asian by David Henry Hwang, produced by Mu American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) Performing Arts at the Dowling Studio of the Guthrie Theater. Speaks on opening panel of “Genesis: The First Asian Canadian Theater Conference,” Toronto

60 Rick Shiomi 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 61

About the Award Past Distinguished Artists

The Distinguished Artist Award recognizes artists who, like Rick Shiomi, have chosen to make their lives and careers in Minnesota, thereby making our state a more culturally rich Dominick Argento Stanislaw Skrowaczewski Siah Armajani place. Although they have the talent and the opportunity to pursue their work elsewhere, 1998 2004 2010 these artists have chosen to stay — and by staying, they have made a difference. They have founded and strengthened arts organizations, inspired younger artists, and Warren MacKenzie Judy Onofrio Ranee Ramaswamy attracted audiences and patrons. Best of all, they have made wonderful, thought- 1999 2005 2011 provoking art. The goal of McKnight’s arts funding is to support working artists who create and Robert Bly Lou Bellamy John Caddy contribute to vibrant communities. The program is founded on the belief that Minnesota 2000 2006 2012 thrives when its artists thrive. This award, which comes with $50,000, goes to one Minnesota artist each year. Nominations are open to everyone, and those received by Dale Warland Kinji Akagawa Wendy Lehr March 31 are considered the same year. The panel that selects the recipient consists of 2001 2007 2013 five people who have longtime familiarity with the Minnesota arts community. Our thanks go to panelists Philip Bither, Walker Art Center’s senior curator of Emilie Buchwald Bill Holm Sandy Spieler performing arts; Graydon Royce, theater critic at the Minneapolis Star Tribune; Stewart 2002 2008 2014 Turnquist, former coordinator of the Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program at the Minneapolis Institute of Art; 2001 McKnight Distinguished Artist Dale Warland, founder Mike Lynch Bain Boehlke of the Dale Warland Singers; and 2002 McKnight Distinguished Artist Emilie Buchwald, 2003 2009 founder of Milkweed Editions. Their high standards and thoughtful consideration make this award a truly meaningful tribute to Minnesota’s most influential artists.

Vickie Benson Arts program director The McKnight Foundation 2015 McKnight Distinguished Artist 63

Full Circle Theater Company founders, 2015. Clockwise from bottom left: Stephanie Lein Walseth, Martha Johnson, Lara Trujillo, Rick, James A. Williams About The McKnight Foundation Credits

The McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota- Design + Art Direction based family foundation, seeks to Veto Design, Joseph D.R. OLeary improve the quality of life for present and future generations. We use all our Editing resources to attend, unite, and empower frankhart, ink., Colleen Frankhart those we serve. Founded in 1953 and independently endowed by William and Printing Maude McKnight, the Foundation had Shapco Printing assets of approximately $2.2 billion and granted about $88 million in 2014, of Photography which about 10% was directed to support Rick Allen: 49 working artists to create and contribute Lia Chang: cover, 25, 26 (top), to vibrant communities. 44 (top row and middle row, right) Michal Daniel: 2-3, 18, 22, 36, 38, 40, 42-43, 54-55, inside front cover, Board of Directors inside back cover Aaron Fenster: 44 (middle row, left) Anne Binger Joseph D.R. OLeary: 62-63 Erika L. Binger Rik Sferra: 4, 6-7 Meghan Binger Brown Charissa Uemura: 34, inside front flap, Robert Bruininks inside back flap David Crosby Tamio Wakayama: 8 (bottom), 30-31 Phyllis Goff Cynthia “Kiki” Wallis: 26 (bottom) Bill Gregg www.plate3.com: 51 Debby Landesman Uncredited photos are courtesy of Perry Moriearty Rick Shiomi Roger Sit Ted Staryk Robert J. Struyk ©2015 The McKnight Foundation

Officers The McKnight Foundation is committed to the protection of our environment, a philosophy that underlies our practice of using paper with postconsumer waste Meghan Binger Brown, board chair content and environmentally friendly inks. Additionally, we partner with printers who participate in the Kate Wolford, president PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative. This book David Crosby, treasurer was printed with soy-based inks on paper that contains 30% postconsumer recovered fiber, is manufactured Bill Gregg, assistant treasurer using green power, and meets Forest Stewardship Rick Scott, vice president of Finance and Council standards, representing the world’s strongest social and environmental systems for guiding forest Compliance, and secretary management and the use of paper resources toward sustainable outcomes. The wrap paper is 100% recycled cotton fiber (a byproduct of the cotton industry), 100% tree-free, and 100% recyclable. Flower Drum Song, 2009 Directed by Rick Shiomi Left toright:StevenFrankenfield,Katie Bradley, Cheng Yang, SheenaJanson,KurtKwan,LaurinePrice, Brian McCormick, Rose LeTran, StephanieBertumen, Yefei Jin, ErikaDanielleCrane,EthanXiong Melissa Bechthold, SaraOchs,SherwinResurreccion, RandyReyes,ArnoldFelizardo, 710 South Second Street Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55401 mcknight.org 612.333.4220 710 South Second Street Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55401 mcknight.org 612.333.4220