![Rick Shiomi was photographed Friday, May 8, 2015 in the Star Tribune studios. ] Aaron Lavinsky • aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com Rick Shiomi, co-founder of Mu Performing Arts and a playwright with 40 years of theatrical work, has won the McKnight Distinguished Award, a lifetime honor that celebrates his accomplishments and comes with a $50,000 cash prize. Shiomi, who stepped away from Mu a couple of years ago, is still driving hard. He and some other veterans are founding a new theater com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/IJ667OXRXNHYBYQXHBECOHHKCA.jpg?&w=1080)
New Eyes Festival
Friday/Saturday: Theater Mu brings back its long-running series of staged readings of new plays. First up is a woman's attempt to summit Mount Everest in Isabella Dawis' "Half the Sky," at 6:30 p.m. on June 21. Next is Katie Ka Vang's "Spirit Trust," about a body of water said to have healing powers. It will be directed by Mu co-founder Rick Shiomi (pictured) at 2 p.m. on June 22. Preston Choi's "This Is Not a True Story," at 5:30 p.m. on June 22, is one of several plays in development around the country that examine harmful stereotypes in "Madame Butterfly" and "Miss Saigon." (Theater Mu studio, 755 N. Prior Av., Suite 107, St. Paul, free, theatermu.org)
Chris Hewitt
