Is "Flower Drum Song" an Asian-American version of "Sound of Music" by Rodgers & Hammerstein?
Just as the Von Trapp family hiked over the mountains for a chance of freedom from Nazi tyranny, the characters of Flower Drum Song find happiness in the pursuit of the "American Dream" both as immigrants coming to a new country, and as Americans finding their place. The Flower Drum Wong musical (1958) was based on the book by C.Y. Lee (1957), and a movie version directed by Gene Kelly came out in 1961.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein had previously written musicals with Asian themes such as South Pacific (1949) and The King & I (1951). Watching the movie versions as I grew up, I was always interested because they had Asian characters and actors. The original musical and movie of Flower Drum Song became considered full of racist stereotypes during the American Civil Rights movement, but like the 1910 song "Chinatown My Chinatown" penned by Jerome & Schartz, it has an affectionate place in the hearts of many North American Asians.
About year ago, I watched the movie version on dvd, and was amazed by the commentary from playwright David Henry Hwang, who re-wrote Flower Drum Song for a post-colonial America and stated, "I tried to write the book that Oscar Hammerstein would have written if he were Asian-American."
I really enjoyed watching the original movie. There are great highlights such as Nancy Kwan singing "I Enjoy Being a Girl", "A Hundred Million Miracles" performed by Miyoshi Umeki. Most fantastic is the jazz dance sequence of the song "Chop Suey" is addresses the melting pot/cultural fusion of Asian America. My friend Dan Seto always says that the song "Grant Avenue" is famous, and was very happy on his first visit to San Francisco to actually stand on Grant Avenue in Chinatown. It would be as if Rodgers & Hammerstein had set the story in Vancouver Chinatown and wrote a song about "Pender Street."
Check out this press release from Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and buy your tickets!
VACT CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY OF RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN MUSICAL
WITH AN ALL-ASIAN CAST
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s FLOWER DRUM SONG * May 29 to June 14, 2009
VANCOUVER, BC (April 2, 2009) – Continuing to celebrate 10 successful years as the city’s premiere Asian Canadian theatre company, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (VACT) is excited to announce that it will be staging Rodgers & Hammerstein’s FLOWER DRUM SONG from May 29 to June 14 at The Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island.
This is the very first time that this Tony award-winning Broadway musical will be presented in Vancouver as a full production, during this, the 50th anniversary of the play. Another milestone for Vancouver theatre will be the all-Asian-Canadian cast, along with an Asian Canadian production team that includes director Rick Tae, choreographer Raphael Wong, set designer Janice Chiu, costumer designers Joyce Chung, Jeannine Sheares-Moon and producer Joyce Lam. Rounding out the team will include musical director Christopher King and lighting designer Darren Hales.
Other notable highlights include actor and former Vancouver city councillor BC Lee and local Asian comedian Tom Chin, in a cast of eighteen that stars Issac Kwok as young and impressionable Wang Ta, Rosie Simon as shy pre-arranged bride Mei Li, Jimmy Yi as hipster nightclub owner Sammy Fong and Lannette New as ready-for-the-altar showgirl Linda Low.
And adding to the experience, VACT will include the use of sur-titles – Chinese text that’s displayed above the stage so that non-English speaking Chinese members of the audience will be able to follow along with the lyrics and the dialogue. This is the second time that VACT has decided to use this visual aid to welcome as many members of the local Asian community as possible – the first time being VACT’s successful run last summer of the Asian version of Neil Simon’s THE ODD COUPLE.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s FLOWER DRUM SONG, set in San Francisco’s Chinatown of the late 50’s, takes a “colourful” approach to the age-old conflict that affects even the traditional immigrant family – the Generation Gap. Sammy’s folks have arranged a bride for him from China, hoping to sever his relationship with showgirl Linda. Mei Li arrives shy and naive – totally wrong for the modernized Sammy. But, she just may be the ticket for Sammy’s buddy Ta, whose dad is trying to prevent his kids from discovering rock ‘n roll, baseball, sports cars – a losing battle. However, Ta is smitten with the sexy Linda – because she “enjoys being a girl.” Suddenly Sammy has to figure out how to get Ta and Mei together so he can be with Linda. Of course, singing and dancing ensues.
FLOWER DRUM SONG, first performed on Broadway in 1958, is seeing a revival lately. It had fallen out of favour over the years as diversity awareness redefined how minorities should be portrayed in the media. However, VACT’s production will keep all of the original language of the play and attitudes of the day intact. “Doing this, our audience will be able to see the distinction in how far we’ve come and also be able to reminisce about the past with a satirical sense of humour, “ says director Rick Tae. “It’s just amazing how far we’ve come,” adds producer and VACT founder Joyce Lam. “We have 18 terrific actors and singers in this cast. I remember clearly 10 years ago how we struggled to find 3 experienced Asian actors in all of Vancouver for our first play.”
For more information, including cast and crew bios, please visit http://www.vact.ca.
Event Details
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s FLOWER DRUM SONG
@ The Waterfront Theatre
1412 Cartwright Street, Granville Island, Vancouver
May 28: Preview
May 29, 30, 31, June 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Tickets Details
Purchase in Advance:
By phone (604) 684-2787 with a $2.50 service charge
By online www.vact.ca or wwww.ticketstonight.ca
Group Rates, please call (778) 885-1973
*Preview performance Thursday May 28 at 8pm - $20
(only available online at www.vact.ca or cash-only at door)
*All Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday evening performances at 8pm –
$29 in advance/$35 cash-only at door
*Saturday/Sunday matinees at 2pm (except Wednesday June 3 matinee at 1pm) –
$24 in advance/$30 cash-only at door
*Limited Rush Tickets: $17.50 cash-only at the door (max 2 per person)
*Students and Seniors (65+): $20 cash-only at door
