The return to New York in 2002 of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song --with a totally new book by playwright David Henry Hwang--was considered the most revolutionary chapter in the history of Broadway revivals. Why? The musical, a clear hit when it was originally produced in 1958, had later acquired a debatable reputation for quaint, racially offensive Asian stereotypes. Yet Hwang's controversial rewrite--driven at least in part by concerns about such offenses--was a box-office failure. Drawing upon fresh ...
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The return to New York in 2002 of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song --with a totally new book by playwright David Henry Hwang--was considered the most revolutionary chapter in the history of Broadway revivals. Why? The musical, a clear hit when it was originally produced in 1958, had later acquired a debatable reputation for quaint, racially offensive Asian stereotypes. Yet Hwang's controversial rewrite--driven at least in part by concerns about such offenses--was a box-office failure. Drawing upon fresh interviews with members of both the original and the revival casts, whose first-hand accounts enliven the narrative with surprising candor, David H. Lewis charts in detail the difficult production history of Flower Drum Song. He explores the forces that turned against the original show; the arguably inferior movie version (upon which its most outspoken critics would base their discontent and public resistance); rising criticism from within the Asian American community fueled by ethnic-studies programs that swept across college campuses in the 1970s; and, ultimately, the indifference of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization, itself caught up in its own quest to update the works of two musical theatre giants and keep their names blazing on theatre marquees. This well-illustrated story of the two Flower Drum Song s is replete with fascinating anecdotes by turns colorful, humorous and sad. The shared memories of the cast offer an eye-opening look at the often chaotic journey of a musical along the precarious path to opening night. The author addresses the value of preserving the rich and revered legacy of Broadway's greatest team.
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Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 234 p. Contains: Halftones, black & white. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 234 p. Contains: Halftones, black & white. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
This book was a huge disappointment. The 50 year saga of Flower Drum Song is an interesting piece of theatre lore and it deserves a much better telling. The author has strong opions, not usually based on strong data. Comparing audience reaction to local semi professional productions in small California cities to those of Broadway audiences is like comparing apples and oranges. I found a number of factual errors throughout the book. He obviously is not well versed on the New York theatre world. In the hands of a more competent author this could have been an important book on an interesting side light of Broadway history. It would take a hundred million miracles to bring this book up to that level