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Flower Drum Song Theater lovers in New York have an advantage that the rest of us in the country, and the world for that matter, do not have. New Yorkers can leave their apartments or homes, take a subway ride to Times Square, and bingo - they are in Broadway heaven! They can pick and chose what they want to see and if a show is sold out, they can come back the next day or the next week. There are productions right now on the Great White Way that many of us will not get to see. Either they will close too soon, or flop, or simply not sustain the bitter winter months to stay afloat into the spring season. These plays and musicals that fall through the cracks can sometimes be honest to goodness bad or they may be brilliant but have limited runs (the current revival of Big River is an excellent example of the latter). Therefore, we need to thank our lucky stars for the Dallas Summer Musicals and Broadway Series. They have brought us magnificent new works like Dirty Blonde, Proof, and tick ... tick ... Boom! among others. Now they bring us a gorgeous bauble in the revival of Flower Drum Song. The book for Flower Drum Song is totally reconfigured and restructured by David Henry Hwang. He has added new characters, deleted others, changed song assignments, added politics and other naturalism to the book, giving it a breath of fresh air. Hwang's book never sags into cheap romantic tricks, but instead he allows the romance to flow with a delicate balance and tone. In his writing, Hwang adds a layer of inner racism among these Chinese on stage as well. What took me by total surprise were the songs. These songs sound fresh, new, and vibrant. A constant stream of lovely little surprises arrives with such songs as "A Hundred Million Miracles," "I am Going to Like it Here," "I Enjoy Being a Girl," and "Love, Look Away." Visually, this production is pure brilliance. Gregg Barne's costumes are spectacular, dazzling, eye-blinding, and gorgeous ... did I say spectacular yet? These costumes have thousands of beads, sequins, rhinestones, and other glittery finery sewn onto opulent fabrics. Wait until you see the sparkling designs for such numbers as "Gliding Through My Memoree," "Chop Suey," or "Fan Tan Fannie" - or the wedding finale. The costumes are framed perfectly by Robin Wagner's Chinese sets and Natasha Katz's sublime lighting design. By the end of the evening, you will fall in love with Yuka Takara as Mei-Li. This tiny darling sings like soft feathers caressing your cheek. Don't let her tiny stature fool you - she has the strength to belt those notes as well. The best vocal number of the evening comes from Takara's eleven o'clock number, "Love, Look Away." She is superb in both her range as a singer and as an actress. Jose Llana also delivers a knock out performance as Ta, the Chinese American son who struggles with his own vision of the American dream and his father's views of tradition. Llana has a robust voice that earns kudos in such numbers as "You Are Beautiful," "Sunday", and "Like A God." Emily Hsu is both sexy and hilarious as the leading lady of the Chop Suey nightclub, Linda Low. She has the best company numbers of the night, and she is amazing in all of them, from the toe tapping "I Enjoy Being A Girl," to the showstopper "Fan Tan Fannie." Others in the cast that earn high praise for their performances are Alvin Ing as Chin, Allen Liu as Harvard, Christine Toy Johnson as Madame Liang, and Bobby Pestka as Chao. Alas, James Saito as Wang is the only weak link in the company. While Saito does show compassion as the father who at first won't change his ways, the actor does not have a strong singing voice to carry his songs. There is no vibrato or strength in his belt. Also, he strives too hard to earn the laughs. At the end of the wedding in act two, the entire company individually tells the audience where they were born. It is deeply moving to see these Chinese Americans reveal to us that they were born in many of the major US cities. It truly symbolizes how much of a melting pot we are as Americans. Flower Drum Song is a rich feast for both the eyes and the heart. While the revival may not have succeeded on Broadway this past season, those of us in Dallas are extremely lucky to have this marvelous revival at the Music Hall. Flower Drum Song runs through September 14 for Dallas Summer Musicals. Tickets: The Box Office 542 Preston Royal Shopping Center Dallas, Texas 75230, 214-691-7200; or Telecharge by phone 214-373-8000 or at ticket outlets. 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 A. Fields based on the novel by C. Y. Lee. Directed and Choreographed by Tom Kosis. Scenic Design by Robin Wagner. Costume Design by Gregg Barnes. Lighting Design by Natasha Katz. Cast: Yuka Takara.....................Mei-Li |
