Grace Yoo, Emily Kuroda and More to Star in Updated FLOWER DRUM SONG at East West Players

East West Players has revealed the principal cast and creative team for the world premiere of Tony-winner David Henry Hwang’s newly updated 2026 book for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song.

Helmed by EWP Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal, this reimagined golden-age musical will open April 2026 at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s (JACCC) iconic Aratani Theatre, serving as the grand finale of EWP’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Legacy season and the final production before the 880-seat venue undergoes a major renovation.

The principal cast includes EWP veterans Grace Yoo* (Broadway: HADESTOWN) as Mei-Li, Emily Kuroda* (CW’s Gilmore Girls) as Madame Liang, Marc Oka*(Broadway: THE KING AND I, FLOWER DRUM SONG) as Wang, Scott Keiji Takeda* (Off Broadway: SUMO 相撲) as Da, and Gedde Watanabe* (Broadway: PACIFIC OVERTURES) as Chin. Cast members making their EWP debut include Krista Marie Yu* (Hulu’s Reboot, FOX’s Last Man Standing) as Linda Low, Kenton Chen* (NBC’s The Sing-Off) as Harvard, and newcomer Cooper Bennett as Chao. The ensemble cast will be announced at a later date. 

The creative team includes David Henry Hwang (Writer of the 2002 & 2026 book, based on the original book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joseph Fields, based on the novel by C.Y. Lee), Lily Tung Crystalº (Director), Lainie Sakakuraº (Choreographer), Marc Macalintal (Music Director), Chen-Wei Liao^(Scenic Designer), Ruoxuan Li (Costume Designer), three-time Tony nominee Jiyoun Chang^ (Lighting Designer), Brian Hsieh (Sound Designer), Naomi Kasahara (Properties Designer), Darlene Miyakawa* (Stage Manager), Annie Jin Wang (Dramaturg), Brandon Hong Cheng* (Assistant Stage Manager), Ruth Araujo (Assistant Costume Designer), and Kevin Dajay (Assistant Properties Designer). Music is by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

Themes of assimilation and tradition in 1960s San Francisco Chinatown take center stage in this long-beloved musical. The story follows Mei-li, a young Chinese opera artist fleeing communism, as she arrives in America and is swept up in the dazzling world of the Grant Avenue nightclubs. At a time when questions of identity, immigration, and cultural preservation feel especially urgent, David Henry Hwang’s reimagining of the book for the Spring 2026 production gives Asian Americans a chance to reclaim this classic, offering new perspective and depth while honoring the community’s continuous evolution.