FLOWER DRUM SONG Plays Theodore and Adele Shank Theater

San Diego Asian American Repertory Theater (SDAART), in residence at La Jolla Playhouse, presents Flower Drum Song: A Musical Revival in Concert. Based on the legendary Broadway musical (1958), popular movie (1961), and modern revival (2002), Flower Drum Song follows Mei-Li, who flees Mao's Cultural Revolution in China and immigrates to San Francisco in the 1950s. She struggles to balance tradition and assimilation while looking for love. Wang, the owner of a classical Chinese Opera-house, resists his son who wants to refashion the venue as a nightclub.

Flower Drum Song was the first musical to feature Asian American performers on Broadway and in a major motion picture. The 2002 revival written by Tony-Award winning playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly), features much of the original beloved music by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, inspired by the novel by C.Y. Lee.

Cast: David Armstrong, Rosalie Celestial, Mindy Chu, Rossana De Leon, Michael Demoret, Angela Evers, Ana Jacala, Kezia Liu, Tiffany Loui, Dante Macatantan, Patrick Mayuyu, Albert Park, Elise Kim Prosser, Melissa Rodriguez, Trini Tran, Ritchie Valenzuela, and Rickey Calixto.

Creative team: Peter James Cirino, Director; Thomas Hodges, Musical Director; Chris Wollman, Assistant Director, Gina Ma, Choreographer; Tom Kaye, Stage Manager, Dom Abbenante, Scenic Designer; Kevin Anthenill, Sound Designer; and Lila Lace Flores, Lighting Designer
Theatre in Residence Program at the La Jolla Playhouse

Spearheaded by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, the Resident Theatre Program aims to encourage the artistic development of up-and-coming performing arts organizations, while advancing and contributing to the San Diego theatre scene as a whole. The program is also designed to address San Diego's lack of available, affordable performance spaces by providing a temporary home each year to one of the many local troupes without a permanent venue. Now entering its fourth year, the Resident Theatre Program is an annual appointment at La Jolla Playhouse. In addition to performance space, The Playhouse provides lighting and sound support and is available to offer marketing and development advice.

FLOWER DRUM SONG: A MUSICAL REVIVAL IN CONCERT
Who: Producers - San Diego Asian American Repertory Theater
Director - Peter Cirino
Musical Director - Thomas Hodges
Gina Ma - Choreographer
Tom Kaye - Stage Manager
Dom Abbenante - Scenic Designer
Kevin Anthenill - Sound Designer;
Lila Lace Flores - Lighting Designer

What: FLOWER DRUM SONG: A MUSICAL REVIVAL IN CONCERT
by David Henry Hwang, Music and Lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, based on the novel by C.Y. Lee

Mei-Li, a traditional Chinese performer flees the cultural revolution of Communist China and immigrates to San Francisco in the 1950s. She struggles to balance tradition and assimilation while establishing her new life in the United States. Here she meets Wang, the owner of a Chinese Opera-house, who resists his son's attempts to modernize the venue into a nightclub.
Cast: David Armstrong, Rosalie Celestial, Mindy Chu, Rossana De Leon, Michael Demoret, Angela Evers, Ana Jacala, Kezia Liu, Tiffany Loui, Dante Macatantan, Patrick Mayuyu, Albert Park, Elise Kim Prosser, Melissa Rodriguez, Trini Tran, Ritchie Valenzuela, and Rickey Calixto.
When: PRESS OPENING Thursday 4/12 - 7:30 pm
(for Press Comps, contact sdaarttix@gmail.com or call 619-940-5891)

PREVIEWS: Friday 4/5- 7:30 pm
Saturday 4/6 - 7:30 pm

May 12th - June 12th, 2011
Thursday - Saturday 7:30 pm
Sundays 2:30 pm

Where: Theodore and Adele Shank Theatre
La Jolla Playhouse (Theatre District on the campus of UCSD)
2910, La Jolla Village Dr.
San Diego, CA 92093

Website: http://www.asianamericanrep.org/

Tickets: $25 General Admission, $15 Students and Seniors

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