Images: 
Total Rating: 
***
Previews: 
September 23, 2002
Opened: 
October 17, 2002
Ended: 
March 16, 2003
Country: 
USA
State: 
New York
City: 
New York
Company/Producers: 
Benjamin Mordecai, Michael A. Jenkins, Waxman/Williams Entertainment, Center Theater Group/Mark Taper Forum (Gordon Davidson, art dir; Charles Dillingham, mgng dir). Assoc Prod: Robert G. Bartner, Stephanie McClelland, Judith Resnick, Robert Dragotta, Temple Gill, Marcia Roberts, Kelpie Arts LLC, Dramatic Forces, Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, Dallas Summer Musicals, Brian Brolly, Alice Chebba Walsh, Ernest De Leon Escaler.
Theater Type: 
Broadway
Theater: 
Virginia Theater
Theater Address: 
245 West 52nd Street (8th Ave)
Phone: 
(212) 239-6200
Running Time: 
2 hrs, 45 min
Genre: 
Musical
Author: 
Book: David Henry Hwang, adapting Joseph Fields' adaptation of C.Y. Lee novel; Music: Richard Rodgers; Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II.
Director: 
Robert Longbottom
Review: 

Soon after the overly-miked opening number, "A Hundred Million Miracles," Flower Drum Song settles into its quieter storyline, and we soon agree with heroine Mei-Li in thinking, "I'm going to like it here." That we're never really bowled over by this Rodgers & Hammerstein revival has as much to do with the pleasurable but not extraordinary score ("You Are Beautiful" excepted), and the rather mild romantic conflict in the original book as it does with David Henry Hwang's occasionally too-revisionist, too-spoofy, yet still contrived new version.

Lea Salonga has charm as the fresh-off-the-boat girl torn between the old world and new, and Sandra Allen rightly steals the show as ambitious stripper Linda Low. It should all be a little more lively and a lot more poignant, but likeable it is - and that ain't chop suey.

Parental: 
risque humor
Cast: 
Lea Salonga, Jose Llana, Randall Duk Kim, Jodi Long, Sandra Allen, Alvin Ing, Alan Liu, Hoon Lee, Ma Anne Dionisio, Susan Ancheta, Raul Aranas, Rich Ceraulo, Eric Chan, Marcus Choi, Emily Hsu, Telly Leung, J. Elaine Marcos, Daniel May, Marc Oka, Lainie Sakakura, Yuka Takara, Robert Tatad, Kim Varhola, Ericka Yang.
Technical: 
Choreog: Robert Longbottom; Set: Robin Wagner; Costumes: Gregg Barnes; Lighting: Natasha Katz; Sound: Acme Sound Partners; Orchestr: Don Sebesky; Music Coord: Seymour Red Press; Hair: David Brian Brown.
Other Critics: 
PERFORMING ARTS INSIDER Richmond Shepard + / THEATERSCENE.NET Jeannie Lieberman + / TOTALTHEATER Anne Siegel -
Critic: 
David Lefkowitz
Date Reviewed: 
October 2002