FLOWER DRUM SONG at Palo Alto Players

FLOWER DRUM SONG

Music by Richard Rodgers

Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Book by David Henry Hwang

Based on the original book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joseph Fields and the novel by C.Y. Lee



Directed by Lily Tung Crystal

Choreographed by Alex Hsu

Music Direction by Amanda Ku



'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 and Hammerstein jewel. Mei-Li flees Mao's communist China after the murder of her father and finds herself in San Francisco's Chinatown. This naïve 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 razz-ma-tazz and stylized Chinese opera tradition creates a beautifully theatrical tapestry sure to delight our Bay Area audience.

“Daring, vibrant, and charming!” - *NBC News*

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PERFORMANCE INFORMATION:

Performance dates: April 27 - May 12, 2019 (preview April 26)

Ticket Prices: $25-$55 (Discounts for Seniors, Educators, Patrons under 30, and Military available for all performances except Preview Night FRI APR 26)

Age Recommendation: 10 and up

Approximate Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

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All performances are held at the:

Lucie Stern Theater

1305 Middlefield Road

Palo Alto, CA 94301

In cooperation with the City of Palo Alto, Community Services Department, Division of Arts and Sciences

For more information including details about parking, wheelchair access, and listening devices, visit our Plan Your Visit Page.

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SPECIAL EVENTS:

Opening Night AfterGlow Party

Saturday, April 27

Enjoy a post-show champagne reception with drinks and appetizers while meeting the cast, FREE with the purchase of a ticket for that evening’s performance.

Post-Show Director/Cast Talkback

Thursday, May 2

Enjoy our Talkback series with Director Lily Tung Crystal and members of the cast following the performance, FREE with the purchase of a ticket forany performance during the run.

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CAST:

(in order of appearance)

Mei-Li: Emily Song

Wang: Bryan Pangilinan

Chin: Joey Alvarado

Ta: Jomar Martinez

Harvard: Bryan Munar

Linda Low: Marah Sotelo

Madame Liang: Melinda Meeng

Chao: John Paul Kilecdi-Li

Chinese Opera Company, Immigrants, Nightclub Performers, Factory Workers, Wedding Party, & Citizens of Chinatown: Kevin Achas, Kristy Aquino, Duc T. Duong, Yoshi Humfeld, Miko Ison, Ruri Kodama, Karen Law, Justin Lopez, Vinh G. Nguyen, Masami Savage, Eiko Yamamoto, Richard Edward Yé



PRODUCTION TEAM:

Director: Lily Tung Crystal

Choreographer: Alex Hsu

Music Director: Amanda Ku

Assistant Director: Vinh G. Nguyen

Scenic Designer: Ting-Na Wang

Costume Designer, Hake-up & Hair Designer: Y. Sharon Peng

Lighting Designer: Pamila Gray

Sound Designer: Brandie Larkin

Properties Designer: Margaret Deng

Stage Manager: TBD

Dramaturg: Annie Jin Wang

Dialect Coach and Cultural Consultant: Patrick Chew

Chinese Opera Consultant: Jon Wai-keung Lowe

Artistic Director: Patrick Klein