David Henry Hwang news

More David Henry Hwang news

In between taking care of his one year old and polishing the next draft of Golden Child, David Henry Hwang continues to be busy. He has written the libretto for Bright Sheng's new opera, The Silver River, which will be premiered at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival this summer (July/August). [Preliminary reviews have been quite positive; the subject matter is quite relevant to Asian American concerns]

Up in Boston, he is acting as playwright in residence for the Trinity Repertory Company and will do a new adaptation of Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen (Ibsen and Hwang? whooaaa...).

He is also hard at work on three film projects: Umbrellas for Newlyweds, an American version of the Russian film, to star Jessica Lang; Texas Guinan, a film bio to star Bette Midler and to be directed by Marin Scorcese for Disney and Gaijin, a comic drama for Robin Williams. Now let's see how many of these get into the can...

Hwang's Golden Child attempts Broadway in 1997-98

David Henry Hwang's new play, Golden Child, was not able to squeeze into a Broadway house this season. However, informed sources tell the Revue that producer Ben Mordecai is trying to squeeze the show onto Broadway in 1998, possibly around March. In the meantime, there will be one more developmental production at a major theatre before getting back to the Big White Way. According to the SF Examiner, this is San Francisco's ACT, headed by a fellow Stanford alum, Carey Perloff...

Hwang to re-write Flower Drum Song

In other developments, the Revue has learned that the "secret" Broadway musical that Hwang has been working on is a rewrite of the book for the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Flower Drum Song. This is rather amusing, as long time Asian American activists know that this musical has long been reviled by "right-thinking" Asian Americans as a piece of fake Orientalism (see Aieee!, Frank Chin, et al).

However, a surprising number of Asian Americans, from A. magazine to the Northwest Asian American Theatre's Judi Nihei, have expressed a secret liking for the musical. Strip off the pseudo-Oriental baggage and the pandering to 1950s biases, and there's a surprisingly dark story about personal expectations and Asian American battles with immigration (Hmmmmm....wonder if that has any application to the current time....). And Flower Drum Song's effect on young Asian American actor wannabes cannot be underestimated ("Wow! Asian Americans can sing! And dance! Maybe >>I<< can do that!")

Informed sources have learned that Hwang approached the Rodgers and Hammerstein estate with a proposal and received carte blanche to rewrite the script and to rescore the songs. If needed, he also can use additional R&H songs (restricted to the ones cut from other musicals). A definite addition: My Best Love, from Flower Drum Song itself, cut from the out of town tryouts in Boston.

So, sit back. Or, better yet, go for those singing and dancing lessons, because this revival (one of the best opportunities for APAs to make it to Broadway) is rumored to be shooting for a 1998-99 opening.

[A&E Program Guide] [Home] [ABC Info] [E-mail]