Casting and creative team information has been revealed for the East West Players production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song, featuring Tony Award winning-playwright David Henry Hwang’s newly updated 2026 book. The musical will run at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s (JACCC) Aratani Theatre April 16-May 31, with an official opening night set for April 23.
The cast will include Grace Yoo (Hadestown) as Mei-Li, Emily Kuroda (Gilmore Girls) as Madame Liang, Marc Oka (The King and I, Flower Drum Song) as Wang, Scott Keiji Takeda (Sumo 相撲) as Ta, Gedde Watanabe (Pacific Overtures) as Chin, Krista Marie Yu (Last Man Standing) as Linda Low, Kenton Chen (The Sing-Off) as Harvard, and Cooper Bennett as Chao. Further casting is to be announced.
The original version of Flower Drum Song, which premiered on Broadway in 1958, is not exactly a shining example of authentic depictions of Asian American communities, centering on a Bay Area group of Chinese immigrants torn between their traditional values and American assimilation. Hwang first revised the title for a 2002 Broadway revival, describing it as essentially a new musical with the same songs—including "A Hundred Million Miracles," "I Enjoy Being a Girl," and "Love, Look Away." Hwang's plot follows a young Chinese opera star fleeing communism, who finds herself swept away by nightclub culture in America. It has not yet been revealed what further revisions are expected for the upcoming staging.
“My history with East West Players started when I was 10 years old. My mother was the pianist for one of their first productions, Menotti’s operetta The Medium, directed by Mako. At an early age, I saw people who looked like me as actors and artistic leaders, which perhaps made it possible for me to envision myself as a playwright when I got to college years later. I’m thrilled to revisit and further revise this classic musical, working once again with the company that has been at the heart of my entire artistic life,” said Hwang in a statement.
The creative team includes David Henry Hwang (Writer of the 2026 book, based on the original book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joseph Fields, based on the novel by C.Y. Lee), Lily Tung Crystalº (Director), Lainie Sakakuraº (Choreographer), Marc Macalintal (Music Director), Chen-Wei Liao^ (Scenic Designer), Ruoxuan Li (Costume Designer), four-time Tony nominee Jiyoun Chang^ (Lighting Designer), Brian Hsieh (Sound Designer), Naomi Kasahara (Properties Designer), Darlene Miyakawa* (Stage Manager), Annie Jin Wang (Dramaturg), Jamie Guan (Chinese Opera Specialist), Patrick Chew (Cultural and Language Consultant), Mara Palma (Assistant Director/Directing Fellow), Robert Elhai (Additional Arrangements), Brandon Hong Cheng* (Assistant Stage Manager), Ruth Araujo (Assistant Costume Designer), and Kevin Dajay (Assistant Properties Designer). Music is by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
For more information, visit here.
