The East West Players never fail to put on exemplary productions, and in association with the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, they may have outdone themselves with their current production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song.
Starring an exceptional cast of East West Players veterans and newcomers, this newly reimagined version removes some of the more problematic “of its time” elements and replaces them with something far more vibrant, emotional, and immediate. In doing so, this becomes a Flower Drum Song for a new generation — one that remains faithful to the original while beautifully evolving it.
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There’s a lot of story packed into the two-and-a-half-hour production, and at times that can work against it. But the characters are so effortlessly likable and engaging that spending time with all of them becomes part of the show’s charm.
David Henry Hwang’s updated take still keeps the bones of the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. Still, this version leans much harder into identity, assimilation, and the constant push-and-pull between honoring tradition and reinventing yourself in America.
The story follows Mei-Li (Grace Yoo), a young woman arriving in San Francisco’s Chinatown from China and suddenly finding herself dropped into a version of America that’s loud, glamorous, modern, and constantly performing. Chinatown itself becomes its own character — split between old customs and younger generations trying to define themselves outside of them.
At the center is both a romantic and cultural tug-of-war. Mei-Li represents a quieter, more traditional world, while nightclub star Linda Low (Krista Marie Yu) is confident, flashy, sexy, and fully Americanized. Ta (Scott Keiji Takeda) finds himself caught between those two energies and what they each represent about his future and identity.
Other standouts include Marc Oka as Ta’s father Wang, a man deeply rooted in tradition who slowly begins embracing the evolution of his culture; Kenton Chen as Harvard, a flamboyant costume designer still searching for where he belongs; Emily Kuroda as nightclub investor Madame Liang; and Cooper Lee Bennett as Chao, a potential love interest for Mei-Li.
The complication, of course, is that Mei-Li and Ta are clearly falling for each other. Ta wants to reject the traditional world she represents, yet still finds himself drawn back to it through her.
What separates this version from earlier productions is that, while it still plays like a classic old-school musical comedy, depth and gravitas run beneath it all. The revision digs deeper into what it means to belong somewhere, what people sacrifice to fit in, and how both literal and emotional performance can become part of survival. The nightclub setting no longer feels like just a colorful backdrop, but rather a metaphor for people creating entirely new versions of themselves.
And of course, all of that still comes wrapped inside the iconic Rodgers & Hammerstein score with songs like “I Enjoy Being a Girl,” “Grant Avenue,” and “Love, Look Away.”
Every actor here shines, making it almost impossible to single anyone out. Grace Yoo’s voice is an absolute dream, while Krista Marie Yu is a feisty firecracker as Linda Low, the role famously played by Nancy Kwan in the film version. Marc Oka brings both stoicism and charm to the patriarchal nightclub owner, Wang, while Scott Keiji Takeda beautifully captures the push and pull between tradition and modern identity, and the romantic conflict caught in the middle.
That said, Kenton Chen absolutely deserves special mention for his hilarious and heartfelt performance as Harvard, a man who struggles to figure out where he belongs and fully embraces himself once he finally does. (And keep an eye out for that curtain call.)
Director Lily Tung Crystal keeps the production moving with energy and flair, while Janelle Dote Portman’s choreography is terrific throughout. The scenic design by Chen-Wei Liao is also a stunner, particularly during the nightclub sequences, when the stage recedes to reveal the orchestra in full force.
Running through May 31, Flower Drum Song is yet another stunning production from East West Players. It’s flashy, funny, emotionally resonant, and surprisingly relatable. That’s no miracle. That’s just talent.
For more information and tickets, visit EastWestPlayers.org/Flower.
