April 16 - May 31, 2026
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
Flower Drum Song
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s
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 Fields
Based on the novel by C.Y. Lee
Directed by Lily Tung Crystal
Choreographed by Lainie Sakakura
Music Directed By Marc Macalintal
Presented at the Aratani Theatre at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
244 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
April 16 - May 31, 2026
Opening Night April 23, 2026
Latest News
Principal Cast
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Grace Yoo she/her (Mei Li) Broadway: Hadestown. Regional: Purple Rain (Wendy), Soft Power (Hillary Clinton, Helen Hayes Award), Into the Woods (Florinda). East West Players: Mamma Mia!, Allegiance, La Cage Aux Folles, Takarazuka!!! Tour: A Christmas Carol, Todd Rundgren ‘Clearly Human.’ Aperture Talent.
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EMILY KURODA: THEATER: TheatreWorks , Seattle Rep, South Coast Rep, NYTW, Yale Rep, Pan Asian, American Repertory Theater, Page 73, Clubbed Thumb, Actor’s Theater of Louisville (Humanafest), Huntington, Alliance, Sundance, Atlantic, BAM, Williamstown, The Tank, East West Players, Theater Mu, Kirk Douglas, Mark Taper Forum, Public, La Jolla Playhouse, Old Globe, Singapore Repertory, Berkeley Repertory, Ahmanson, Theater Mu, LATC, Zephyr, LA Women’s Shakespeare Company, Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival.
TV/FILM: “Gilmore Girls”, Flowervale Street, “Baymax”, “All Rise”, “The Good Doctor”, “The Resident”, “Drop Dead Diva”, “Sequestered”, “Under One Roof”, “The Power”, Strange World, Kimi, Adopting Audry, Party Boat , Red, Yellow Face.
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East West Players: Beijing Spring, Chess, Pippin, Sweeney Todd, Equus.
Tiananmen Phoenix Theatre Company, Pacific Overtures with George Takei, Classic Stage Company NY.
Broadway: The King And I, Flower Drum Song, Bells Are Ringing, Fosse, Miss Saigon, Shogun: The Musical, Anything Goes.
World Premiers: Roman Holiday (Guthrie), Sinatra: His Voice, His World, His Way (Radio City Music Hall), Over And Over (Signature), Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida (Alliance).
Theatre: New York Theatre Workshop, City Center Encores!, Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Tours: Cats, Anything Goes (Luke).
Film: Onryo, An American Carol, The Muppets.
Television: “Legion” Admiral Fukyama Season 2, “Henry Danger”, “Family Reunion”(Netflix), “ACS: Impeachment”, “Euphoria”, “Madame Secretary”, “Melissa & Joey”.
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Scott has previously collaborated with East West Players on Mysterious Skin, Next to Normal, and last season’s production of Pacific Overtures. He most recently starred in the Off-Broadway run of SUMO at The Public Theater, reprising the role of Akio which he originated at La Jolla Playhouse. Other stage credits include The Great Leap (Cygnet Theatre), Valley of the Heart (Mark Taper Forum), Fugu (WCJT), and Ching Chong Chinaman (Artists at Play). Onscreen credits include Made for Love, Grey’s Anatomy, MDMA, Carrie Pilby, No-No Girl and Huge in France.
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Gedde began his acting journey in 1976 with the original Broadway production of Pacific Overtures. He wanted to express the following: “Thank you, Lily Tung Crystal. We will always be grateful to have a home here at EWP that allows us to continue our journeys.”
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Krista Marie Yu grew up watching Flower Drum Song and has been inspired by everyone involved in the film and the Broadway revival. In fact, her very first show was in the ensemble at Woodminster Theatre in Oakland, CA! Krista’s pride for San Francisco Chinatown run’s deep, as her Great Auntie is Dorothy Toy of Toy and Wing and her Grandmother is Alice Fong Yu the first Chinese American public school teacher in San Francisco. Krista is known for Hulu’s REBOOT, FOX’s LAST MAN STANDING, and ABC’s DR. KEN. Thank you EWP for having me!
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Taiwanese-American actor, writer, and singer, Kenton Chen first gained national attention on NBC’s The Sing-Off. A graduate of USC Thornton School of Music, he’s lent his voice to multiple artists/projects, most notably Postmodern Jukebox, Scary Pockets, Billie Eilish, The Simpsons, Disney’s Wish, and Wicked: For Good. As an actor, Kenton has appeared in Superstore (NBC), Platonic (Apple), and Perfect Harmony (NBC). Recently, Kenton released his debut original album Sweetmouth, processing his complicated relationship to his Taiwanese heritage and religious immigrant parents. Through all his work, he’s passionate about giving voice to queer, marginalized stories within the American tapestry.
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Cooper Lee Bennett studied cultural anthropology at UC Irvine, taking a hiatus from theater, and is thrilled to join the East West Players for his first LA theatrical production. Cooper enjoys cooking for his girlfriend who, tragically, cannot cook. He wants to dedicate this production to two of his former teachers, Sue Byrne and Dana Alexander, as well as his family and every other person who led him down this wonderful path.
Ensemble cast to be announced soon.
Creative Team
Book Writer
David Henry Hwang
Director
Lily Tung Crystalº
Choreographer
Lainie Sakakuraº
Music Director
Marc Macalintal
Scenic Designer
Chen-Wei Liao^
Costume Designer
Ruoxuan Li
Lighting Designer
Jiyoun Chang^
Sound Designer
Brian Hsieh
Properties Designer
Naomi Kasahara
Stage Manager
Darlene Miyakawa*
Dramaturg
Annie Jin Wang
Chinese Opera Specialist
Jamie Guan
Cultural and Language Consultant
Patrick Chew
Assistant Director/Directing Fellow
Mara Palma
Additional Arrangements
Robert Elhai
Assistant Stage Managers
Brandon Hong Cheng*
Jaclyn Gehringer
Bonifacia-Erlinda Montaño
Assistant Costume Designer
Ruth Araujo
Assistant Properties Designer
Kevin Dajay
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association
ºMember of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
^Member of United Scenic Artists 829
The enchanting golden era musical Rodgers and Hammerstein’s FLOWER DRUM SONG, directed by EWP’s Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal, will serve as the grand finale for EWP’s Diamond Legacy season.
This captivating tale will receive a newly updated book for 2026 by the Tony Award-winning playwright, librettist, screenwriter, and EWP theater namesake David Henry Hwang. At a time when conversations about identity and cultural preservation are more important than ever, Hwang’s reworking of the book for the Spring 2026 production allows Asian Americans to reclaim this cherished story in a meaningful way, illuminating the complexities and richness of the community’s continuous evolution.
FLOWER DRUM SONG pulls back the curtain on themes of assimilation and tradition in 1960’s San Francisco Chinatown as Mei-li, a young Chinese opera artist fleeing communism, arrives in America, where she is immediately drawn into the dazzling world of the Grant Avenue nightclubs.
“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. In 2002, EWP co-produced my new version of FLOWER DRUM SONG, which premiered at the Mark Taper Forum before moving to Broadway. 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.”
“As a theater kid growing up, I’ll never forget the first time I saw FLOWER DRUM SONG. It was pure magic to see faces like mine shine on the silver screen in a major Hollywood film. While the original has its flaws, it remains deeply meaningful to me. Witnessing David’s Tony Award-winning M. BUTTERFLY on Broadway showed me that a genuine path in theater existed for Asian American artists. Now, directing one of my most cherished musicals, written by a playwright I’ve long admired, in my first season as artistic director of East West Players is truly a dream. After staging David’s first adaptation in 2019, I’m honored to collaborate with him once again, and I’m especially excited to work with this extraordinary cast, whose talent and energy are bringing new life to a musical that means so much to our community.”
Sponsorship & Support
FLOWER DRUM SONG is sponsored in part by The David Lee Foundation, as well as Henry & Denise Byun, Caplin Foundation, Mercy & Howard Steenwyk, Randall & Mari Tamura, and Ji-young Yoo, with additional support from Employees Community Fund of Boeing and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts & Culture.
Opening Night and Artist Mixer events are sponsored by Far Bar.
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