Music by Richard RodgersLyrics by Oscar Hammerstein IIBook by David Henry Hwang
Based on the original book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joseph Fields and the novel by C.Y. Lee
“To create something new, we must first love what is old,”claims Mei-Li in Tony Award winner David Henry Hwang's new adaptation of this Rodgers & Hammerstein jewel. The sentiment is obviously shared by the author himself, who has created something dazzlingly new while honoring the original material.
Mei-Li flees Mao's communist China after the murder of her father and finds herself in San Francisco's Chinatown. This naive young refugee is befriended by Wang, who is struggling to keep the Chinese opera tradition alive despite his son's determination to turn the old opera house into a swingin' Western-style nightclub. A unique blending of American razzmatazz and stylized Chinese opera traditions creates a beautifully theatrical tapestry. The wonderful score, by turns lushly romantic and showbiz-brassy, retains all of its luster in this lovely new version of an American classic. Mei-Li's gradual assimilation is informed by her realization that the old and new can coexist when there is respect for both. It is in that spirit that Concord Theatricals makes available both the original and new versions of Flower Drum Song.
Details
Richard Rodgers' contribution to the musical theatre of his day was extraordinary, and his influence on the musical theatre of today and tomorrow is legendary. His career spanned more than six decades, his hits ranging from the silver screens of Hollywood to the bright light ...
Oscar Hammerstein II was born on July 12, 1895 in New York City. His father, William, was a theatre manager and for many years director of Hammerstein's Victoria, the most popular vaudeville theatre of its day. His uncle, Arthur Hammerstein, was a successful Broadway producer ...
David Henry Hwang’s plays include M. Butterfly (1988 Tony Award, 1989 Pulitzer Finalist), Golden Child (1998 Tony nomination, 1997 Obie Award), Yellow Face (2008 Obie Award, 2008 Pulitzer Finalist), Fob (1981 Obie Award), The Dance And The Railroad (1982 Drama Desk nominatio ...
Joseph Fields (1895-1966) was the son of actor, producer and theatre owner Lew Fields (who launched Rodgers & Hart's professional career in 1919) and the brother of Herbert and Dorothy Fields (co-librettists of Annie Get Your Gun, among many other credits). Joseph Fields serv ...
C.Y. Lee (1915-2018), born in Hunan, China, received a B.A. degree from Southwest Associated University, Kunming, China, and an M.F.A. with a major in playwriting from Yale University.
Before his American education, Lee worked during World War II as Secretary to the Sawba of M ...
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