Composer

:

Richard Rodgers

Genre

:

Musical Theatre

Style

:

Musical Theater

Compose Date

:

1958

First Performance

:

Dec 1, 1958

Average_duration

:

54:50

Flower Drum Song is a musical composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Joseph Fields and David Henry Hwang. The musical is based on the novel of the same name by C. Y. Lee, which tells the story of a Chinese family living in San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1950s. The musical was composed in 1958 and premiered on Broadway on December 1, 1958. It ran for 600 performances and was later adapted into a film in 1961. The musical is set in San Francisco's Chinatown and follows the story of Mei Li, a young woman who has come to America to marry a man she has never met. Mei Li falls in love with Wang Ta, a nightclub owner who is engaged to another woman. The musical features several memorable songs, including "I Enjoy Being a Girl," "Love, Look Away," and "Grant Avenue." The music is characterized by its use of traditional Chinese instruments, such as the erhu and the pipa, as well as Western orchestration. The musical is divided into two acts and features several dance numbers, including a dragon dance and a fan dance. The first act focuses on Mei Li's arrival in America and her attempts to find a husband. The second act centers around Wang Ta's engagement to his fiancée, Linda Low, and his growing feelings for Mei Li. One of the key themes of the musical is the clash between traditional Chinese values and American culture. Mei Li struggles to adapt to American customs, while Wang Ta is torn between his Chinese heritage and his desire to assimilate into American society. Overall, Flower Drum Song is a vibrant and colorful musical that explores themes of love, identity, and cultural assimilation. Its memorable songs and lively dance numbers have made it a beloved classic of the musical theater canon.

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