Flower Drum Song

Musical

David Henry Hwang Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein II

Overview

Synopsis

When Mei-Li’s father is murdered, she flees communist China on the boat to San Francisco. Alone and uncertain in a Western world, she seeks out an old friend of her father, Wang Chi-Yang. Wang is trying to keep the Chinese opera tradition alive in San Francisco’s Chinatown but he is struggling to get audiences through the doors. However, his son Wang Ta is determined to transform the opera house into a swinging nightclub. The conflict between first-generation immigrants and their descendants rages as they endeavor to find a balance between assimilating into American culture and revering traditions inherited from old. Can old and new coexist if there is respect for both? Meanwhile, romance struggles to find its way when a love triangle forms between Mei-Li, Ta, and Linda, the nightclub’s star performer. With a luscious blend of American showmanship and stylized Chinese opera tradition, David Henry Hwang transforms a classic Golden Age musical for the twenty-first century.

Show Information

Book

David Henry Hwang

Music

Richard Rodgers

Lyrics

Oscar Hammerstein II

Based on

C.Y. Lee The Flower Drum Song (1957 novel)

Context

Characters

Showing 8 of 11 characters

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Tenor, Baritone, Bass

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Character Portrayals

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Songs

Act One

1. Prologue, Part I (“A Hundred Million Miracles”) – Mei-Li & Ensemble
1a. Prologue, Part II – Orchestra
1b. Prologue, Part III (“A Hundred Million Miracles”) – Mei-Li and Ensemble
2. “The Golden Pearl Theater” – Ensemble
3. “I Am Going To Like It Here” – Mei-Li
3a. “Jazz Bit” – Showgirls
3b. You Be The Rock – Orchestra
4. “I Enjoy Being A Girl” Part I – Linda
4a. “I Enjoy Being A Girl” Part II – Linda & Ensemble
4b. “I Enjoy Being A Girl” Playoff – Linda & Men
5. The Flower Drum – Orchestra
6. “You Are Beautiful” – Mei-Li & Ta
6a. “Flower Boat Dance” – Ta & Mei-Li
7. “Grant Avenue” – Madame Liang, Linda, Harvard, Ta, Mei-Li & Wang
7. “Grant Avenue” Parade – Madame Liang, Chin & Ensemble
7. Grant Avenue Playoff – Orchestra
8. “Sunday” – Ta & Mei-Li
8a. Scene Change (Mai Tai) – Orchestra
9. “I Enjoy Being A Girl (Reprise)” – Mei-Li
10. “Fan Tan Fannie” – Linda & Ensemble
10. “Fan Tan Fannie” Playoff – Linda, Women & Harvard
11. “Gliding Through My Memoree” – Wang & Ensemble
11a. The Most Filial Son – Orchestra
11b. The Girl in the Yellow Dress – Orchestra
11c. Let’s Make an Exit – Orchestra
12. Finale Act I (“A Hundred Million Miracles”) – Mei-Li & Ensemble

Act Two

13. “Chop Suey” Part I – Wang & Ensemble
14. “Chop Suey” Part II – Liang, Wang & Ensemble
15. Ta’s Memory – Orchestra
16. “My Best Love” – Chin
17. The Fortune Cookie Factory (“I Am Going To Like It Here” Reprise) – Mei-Li, Chao & Workers
18. Fish Heads & Chicken Feet – Orchestra
18a. To the Golden Dragon – Orchestra
18b. Cocktails on the House – Orchestra
19. “Don’t Marry Me” – Madame Liang & Wang
19. Don’t Marry Me Playoff – Orchestra
20. “At the Docks” – Mei-Li & Emigrants
20a. “Love, Look Away” – Mei-Li & Emigrants
21. Return to the Golden Pearl (“You Are Beautiful” Reprise) – Ta
21a. Wang Plays the Girl – Orchestra
22. “Like a God” – Ta
22a. “Prayer”/”Like A God” Reprise – Mei-Li & Ta
23. Finale, Part I (The Processional) – Orchestra
24. Finale, Part II (Wedding Monologues) – Orchestra
25. Finale, Part III (“A Hundred Million Miracles” Reprise) – Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.