Soft Power, the new collaboration from Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) and Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), officially opened May 16 at the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.
Billed as a “play with a musical,” Soft Power continues its L.A. run through June 10, prior to a June 20–July 8 run at San Francisco’s Curran Theatre.
Read: CONRAD RICAMORA AND FRANCIS JUE STAR IN DAVID HENRY HWANG AND JEANINE TESORI’S SOFT POWER
Soft Power, directed by Leigh Silverman and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton, rewinds recent political history and plays it back, a century later, through the Chinese lens of a future, East-meets-West musical. In the musical, a Chinese executive visiting America falls in love with a good-hearted U.S. leader as the power balance between their two countries shifts following the 2016 election.
Read reviews below. Check back for updates.
Entertainment Weekly (Maureen Lee Lenker)
The Hollywood Reporter (Jordan Riefe)
The Los Angeles Times (Charles McNulty)
The cast includes Conrad Ricamora (The King and I, How to Get Away with Murder), Francis Jue (M. Butterfly), Raymond J. Lee (Groundhog Day), Billy Bustamante (Miss Saigon), Jon Hoche (War Horse tour), Kendyl Ito (Matilda tour), Austin Ku (Chinglish tour), Alyse Alan Louis (Amélie), Jaygee Macapugay (School of Rock), Daniel May (Thoroughly Modern Millie tour), Paul HeeSang Miller (Miss Saigon), Kristen Faith Oei (M. Butterfly), Maria-Christina Oliveras (Amélie), Geena Quintos (Miss Saigon), Trevor Salter (Here Lies Love), and Emily Stillings (The King and I).
