Casting has been set for East West Players' return production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Tony-nominated Pacific Overtures.

Directed by former EWP Artistic Director Tim Dang, the production will play the David Henry Hwang Theater November 7–December 1 with an official opening November 10.

Jon Jon Briones (Hadestown, Miss Saigon) and Gedde Watanabe will lead the cast as, respectively, The Reciter and Shogun’s Mother/Old Man; Watanabe previously played The Boy/Kanagawa Girl/Priest in the original Broadway production.

The two artists will be joined by Scott Keiji Takeda as the Thief, Brian Kim McCormick as Kayama, Adam Kaokept as Manjiro, Kerry K. Carnahan as Lorde Abe, Ashley En-Fu Matthews as Tamate, Kavin Panmeechao as the British Admiral, Kurt Kanazawa as the Fisherman, Sittichai Chaiyahat as the Warrior, Nina Kasuya as the Dutch Admiral, Aric Martin as the Madam and French Admiral, Gemma Pedersen as the American Admiral/Boy, Kit Dezolt as Commodore Perry, and Norge Yip as the Russian Admiral, with Jordan Fan and Jonah Meyer as understudies.

The production will also feature Philip Moore on reeds, Richie Francisco on trumpet, May Zeng on trombone, Brian Paul Benning and Peter Marcos on violin, Rebecca Yeh on cello, and Kyle Dombroski on percussion.

Set in 1853, Pacific Overtures explores the intersection of Western and Eastern cultures during the pivotal moment in Japan's history when it was opened to the West, through the lens of two friends caught in the change. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to end our 2024 season with the return of Pacific Overtures,” said EWP Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal in a statement. “It seems fitting that Tim, our artistic director emeritus, will be directing my first show as artistic director, and given my passion for musical theatre, I’m delighted that it’s Pacific Overtures. Historically, Stephen Sondheim and East West Players have a deep connection with one another. While this is our third time reprising this work and Tim’s second time directing the show, I’m eager for audiences to experience Tim’s current vision and how the themes of westernization, colonialism, and gentrification are still as timely as ever.”

This will be the 10th Sondheim production helmed by Dang, who shared, “Stephen Sondheim has been an inspiration to me since I was a teenager. This production is my homage to him, as it is the best way to celebrate Sondheim’s legacy since his passing.”

The upcoming production will have musical direction by Marc Macalintal, choreography by Yuka Takara, Kabuki consulting and choreography by Gankyō Nakamura, Japanese music direction by Shih-wei Wu and Tsugaru Terry, scenic design by Tesshi Nakagawa, costume design by Naomi Yoshida, lighting design by Brian Gale, audio design by Cricket Myers, projections design by David Murakami, properties design by Glenn Michael Baker, make-up and hair design by Yoko Haitz, and fight choreography by Amanda Noriko Newman.

Pacific Overtures will be stage-managed by Edward Khris Fernandez with Mikayla Bettner and Bonnie Lynn Montano as assistant stage managers.

The original Broadway production of Pacific Overtures opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in January 1976, playing 13 previews and 193 regular performances. The production was nominated for 10 1976 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It won Tonys for Best Costume Design (Florence Klotz) and Best Scenic Design (Boris Aronson).

This production of Pacific Overtures continues the theatre’s long-standing relationship with Sondheim's work. After performing in the 1976 Broadway production of Pacific Overtures, two years later EWP Founding Artistic Director Mako brought the show to California, where he directed and reprised his Tony-nominated role as The Reciter.

East West Players is the nation’s premiere Asian American theatre. Visit EastWestPlayers.org.