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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 the Play/Book/Film
C.Y. Lee The Flower Drum Song (1957 novel)
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1958
Genres
Romance
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
China, San Francisco's Chinatown , 1960
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
Heavy
Licensor
Concord Theatricals
Ideal For
College/University, Diverse Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast

Context

Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Wang Ta

Lead

Male

Tenor

Wu Mei Li

Lead

Female

Soprano

Wang Chi-Yang

Lead

Male

Baritone

Rita Liang

Supporting

Female

Alto

Harvard

Supporting

Male

Tenor

Chin

Supporting

Male

Baritone

Chao Hai-Lung

Supporting

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Linda Low

Supporting

Female

Alto

Mr. Chong

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Mr. Lee

Featured

Male

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

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.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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Guide Written By:

Alexandra Appleton

Alexandra Appleton

Writer, editor and theatre researcher