Coming off the high of Cowboy Versus Samurai, I realize that the Mu roller coaster never stops. We must constantly return to the beginning, and to the rehearsal studio where the magic is first sparked. And so just as Cowboy pulls back into the station at the end of its run, we move on to our New Directions Festival where our emerging directors get the chance to work with our actors in basic (read - minimal tech) and exciting productions. This year we’ll feature the work of Randy Reyes, Jen Weir, Brian Balcom and Eric Sumangil, four young talents who have become woven into the fabric of Mu. They all come to directing from acting (“Where are all of the playwright directors?” you may ask...) and they have been and will continue to be key players in the future of our work. The plays they have selected are as eclectic as their individual visions, from the relatively new contemporary comedy FOP by Sean Lim of San Francisco, to the family drama A Shadow of the Moon by the playwright who brought us Cowboy Versus Samurai, Michael Golamco. As ever, the twists and turns of the coaster are both thrilling and enlightening, and I hope you will hop on board for the next ride in this season of successes.