Popra Nakayama Stars In The Off Broadway Musical WAR + LOVERS

Dancer/Actor Popra Nakayama starred as Li Ming Song in a recent production of the off Broadway musical, War+Lovers, held from August 14-18 at the long-running theatre in New York City, Theatre Row.

In this semi-autobiographical story, college student James David Caine joins the Special Forces to avoid the indignity of being drafted in 1972, the last year of the Vietnam war. His first partner and trainer in Vietnam, Master Sgt. Thomas Elijah Daniels has fallen in love with an aristocratic platoon leader of the North Vietnamese Army named Li Ming Song (Popra Nakayama). Caine is sent to retrieve Daniels in Vietnam, but things do not turn out the way they were originally planned...This is a forbidden love story between two lovers from opposing enemy groups. Popra Nakayama plays a critical lead role, Li Ming Song with frank passion, none so more evident than when she tries to save her fiancé Daniels with her own death which ends with her powerful solo song "Whisper on the Wind". Nakayama was also in charge of coming up with the superb choreography for the play's two dance scenes. The first one, "Changing life," portrays the peaceful life of Li Ming in the beautiful fields of Vietnam. The other is called "Spirit of Li Ming" and that takes place after the fateful execution.The spirit of Li Ming appears to leave this world and takes a journey to the next life. Nakayama included this scene because the majority of Vietnamese people believe in Buddhism and reincarnation. In this way, upon her death, Li Ming's soul travels to the next world, where there is no war and where she can meet her lover in peace.

The next performance will be held on December in 2018 with new/additional cast members. More details will be announced soon.

War Lovers Musical Official Website

Information of War+Lovers

The producer, James Doyle Klier, was included in the 4th and final Vietnam Lottery Draft held on February 2nd, 1972 as a college freshman at a Big Ten University. His number was 237. His roommate's number was Eleven. In the "what if" of this narrative, the numbers are switched. "This crescendo narrative surprises the audience as a stealthy Vietnamese Tiger."

A companion cable television series War Lovers - Making the Musical has been running on MNN (Manhattan Neighborhood Network) on Thursday nights at 8pm (bi-weekly) for 3 years with 63 broadcasts to date.

The show is in quarterly, weekly previews at Theatre Row since starting in June, 2017.

James Doyle Klier performs all the male characters and is joined onstage with vocalists /actresses playing the female roles so far. The new version will include more cast members in the winter of 2018.

Politically, all views of the Vietnam War are represented, the right wing, the left wing, and the view of the Soldier with "Boots on the Ground." Draw your own conclusions.

 

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