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Flower Drum Song at San Diego Asian American Rep

When he refashioned this piece in 2002, David Henry Hwang subtitled it "A Musical Revival in Concert." So you expect tuxes and evening gowns and performers, shielded behind music stands, singing the greatest hits of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1958 original. Instead, San Diego Asian American Rep gives a full staging: set, costumes (blazing reds, in particular) -- even a live, two-piece band.

Hwang condensed the book. He omitted offensive stereotypes and patronizing attitudes. The book still has dialogue, but the characters are sketchy, the plot thinner. The music remains intact, however. And when was the last time you heard "A Hundred Million Miracles" or "Grant Avenue, San Francisco," or the haunting "Love Look Away" -- and imagine having to sing that one in real life!

The large AART cast doesn't boast bombshell voices, and sometimes the band overpowers them. All the leads do more than capable work: Mindy Ella Chu (Me Li), David Armstrong (Wang Ta), Tiffany Loui (Linda Low), and Albert Park (Wang Chi Yang). Most impressive, since the subtitle suggests the opposite, is the theatricality. Gina Ma's choreography's always a plus, as when eight or nine fans snap at once in "Fan Tan Fannie." And Peter James Cirino's brisk direction often includes kaleidoscopic movement.

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When he refashioned this piece in 2002, David Henry Hwang subtitled it "A Musical Revival in Concert." So you expect tuxes and evening gowns and performers, shielded behind music stands, singing the greatest hits of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1958 original. Instead, San Diego Asian American Rep gives a full staging: set, costumes (blazing reds, in particular) -- even a live, two-piece band.

Hwang condensed the book. He omitted offensive stereotypes and patronizing attitudes. The book still has dialogue, but the characters are sketchy, the plot thinner. The music remains intact, however. And when was the last time you heard "A Hundred Million Miracles" or "Grant Avenue, San Francisco," or the haunting "Love Look Away" -- and imagine having to sing that one in real life!

The large AART cast doesn't boast bombshell voices, and sometimes the band overpowers them. All the leads do more than capable work: Mindy Ella Chu (Me Li), David Armstrong (Wang Ta), Tiffany Loui (Linda Low), and Albert Park (Wang Chi Yang). Most impressive, since the subtitle suggests the opposite, is the theatricality. Gina Ma's choreography's always a plus, as when eight or nine fans snap at once in "Fan Tan Fannie." And Peter James Cirino's brisk direction often includes kaleidoscopic movement.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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