From left: Ai Toyoshima, Brian Shimasaki Liebson, Grace Yoo, and Scott Keiji Takeda in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Flower Drum Song,” produced by East West Players and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.
By J.K. YAMAMOTO
Rafu Shimpo
East West Players’ current production of “Flower Drum Song” at the Aratani Theatre combines a Rodgers and Hammerstein classic with contemporary sensibilities.
Based on a novel by C.Y. Lee, the musical set in San Francisco Chinatown opened on Broadway in 1958 with Gene Kelly directing and was adapted for the big screen in 1961, both times featuring an almost all-Asian cast. It returned to Broadway in 2002 with the same songs but a new book by Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. For this year’s production, Hwang has revised the story and characters yet again.
The cast includes EWP veterans Grace Yoo as Mei-Li, Emily Kuroda as Madame Liang, Marc Oka as Wang, Scott Keiji Takeda as Ta, and Gedde Watanabe as Chin; and EWP newcomers Krista Marie Yu as Linda Low, Kenton Chen as Harvard, and Cooper Bennett as Chao. EWP Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal is also the director of the play.
In his first leading role in a musical at EWP, Takeda is carrying on the character of Wang Ta, played by Ed Kenney in 1958, James Shigeta in the movie and Jose Llana in the revival, but his prior knowledge of the musical was limited.
“To be honest, I only watched the movie just before auditioning for this production and had never seen a staged production of it,” he said. “Early on in my career, I often heard that I should audition for musicals like ’The King and I,’ ‘Pacific Overtures,’ and ‘Flower Drum Song,’ as if these were the only shows I might actually be cast in. Instead of leaning into this, I actually distanced myself from these pieces, not wanting to be pigeonholed. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be cast in any show and be part of changing the conversation for the next generation.
“That said, doing these shows with East West Players is a different story. EWP is very intentional in reclaiming these works and producing them for OUR community.”
In the ’60s and ’70s, community activists criticized “Flower Drum Song” for promoting stereotypes, but more recently it has been appreciated as a rare mainstream showcase for Asian American talent. Takeda can see both sides of the argument.
“Upon watching the movie for the first time only months ago, I found myself groaning over some of the problematic tropes. However, a couple things have already helped reshape my perspective. For one, speaking to the generation before me, including my own parents, helped me realize what this musical meant at the time it was released. The fact that a Rodgers and Hammerstein movie musical featured a mostly Asian American cast in 1961 was a HUGE deal.
“I recall latching on to the scarce Asian American representation I saw growing up, so I can only imagine just how impactful ‘Flower Drum Song’ was in its own time.
“Secondly, reading David Henry Hwang’s revised script and hearing what he has said about it really impacted me. David helped me realize that until 2015, ‘Flower Drum Song’ was the only musical on Broadway to have ever told a specifically Asian American story. His new script celebrates Asian American identity and helps us reclaim ownership of the story.”
While he didn’t see the 2002 revival, Takeda is aware of some of the changes that have been implemented for the 2026 production. “The bones of the show remain the same, but David has done a lot of work to make this version more appropriate and relevant to this specific community at this exact moment in time. I will say that if you are not familiar with the 2002 revival and have only the movie as a reference, you’ll be in for quite a different experience with our show — for the better, I should add.”
Ta clashes with his father, who emphasizes Chinese tradition; has a crush on showgirl Linda Low; and begins to have feelings for newly arrived immigrant Mei-Li. Takeda describes his character:
“Ta is a man torn between worlds. He was born in China but came to the U.S. when he was only two, and is now struggling to connect with his father and the culture of his ancestors while trying to find his own footing in America. I find him very relatable. How much do we need to assimilate to feel seen before losing sight of our own identity?
“Specifically as a Yonsei Japanese American, I often wonder how much of my own culture might have been lost or suppressed through the assimilation my ancestors were forced into as a result of World War II.”
A Career in Theatre
Today there is a greater variety of Asian American plays, both in mainstream theaters and ethnic-specific theaters like EWP, but Takeda believes that “Flower Drum Song” still has something to offer today’s audiences.
“‘Flower Drum Song’ is a celebration of Asian American culture and identity. It honors those that came before and encourages the future generations to continue carrying on their legacy. I so respect and admire what Lily Tung Crystal and East West Players are doing with their programming: revisiting and revitalizing shows that helped shape the organization and Asian American theatre at large.
“While I had previously avoided even auditioning for any productions of ‘Flower Drum Song’ and ‘Pacific Overtures,’ I’ve now been part of both with EWP. These productions have brought together every generation of the Asian American theatre, to celebrate our roots and show not only how far we’ve come, but also offer an exciting glimpse into how far we’ll go.”
Takeda played five characters and was part of the ensemble in EWP’s production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Pacific Overtures” in 2024.
He is definitely not a beginner when it comes to singing and dancing on stage. “I grew up doing musical theatre in school productions starting around the 4th grade and then also participated in show choir throughout middle and high school. My hometown of Temple City had a great performing arts program, which provided me with a lot of opportunities.
“In college, I majored in theatre arts and continued to do a lot of musicals. In my professional theatre career, however, I’ve done a lot more plays than musicals, but always jump at an opportunity to come back to musical theatre. It’s where I first fell in love with theatre, and I find storytelling with music to be such a fun and rewarding challenge.”
The most challenging role of his career was playing Akio in Lisa Sanaye Dring’s “Sumo” at The Public Theater in New York. “It was a role I also originated at La Jolla Playhouse, but the demands became even higher for the New York production. It tested my physical, mental, and emotional limits but ended up being the most rewarding experience.”
At EWP, “my experiences working on ‘Next to Normal’ as Henry and ‘Mysterious Skin’ as Brian were also quite memorable. ‘Next to Normal’ had the most incredible cast and was a show I’d always loved but never dreamed I’d actually be in. I had to pinch myself every day of that experience. ‘Mysterious Skin’ was a play I did straight out of college and was an incredibly challenging foray into professional theatre that really helped shape who I became as an artist.”
His favorite on-screen role was playing a different Brian in the Netflix series “Huge in France.” “I got to play opposite French comedian Gad Elmaleh and it was an absolute joy of an experience, filled with a lot of laughs.”
Regarding Paul Daisuke Goodman’s “No No Girl,” which is about a Japanese American family discovering a secret from their past, Takeda said, “It was a cathartic experience filming with a mostly Japanese American cast and a labor of love that we made for the JA community — not to mention it also stars (Nisei Week) Miss Tomodachi 2025 Mika Dyo.”
The cast of the 2022 film also includes Chris Tashima, Jyl Kaneshiro, Kurt Kanazawa, Gary Murakami, Ken Narasaki and Diana Tanaka.
Asked about his upcoming projects, Takeda responded, “Honestly, just focusing on this one for now. It’s a lot of work and it definitely deserves my full attention.”
“Flower Drum Song,” co-presented by the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, runs through May 31 at the Aratani Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo. Remaining showtimes:
Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m. (masked matinee) and 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 10, at 1 and 7 p.m.
Friday, May 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 16, at 2 p.m. (masked matinee) and 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 17, at 1 and 7 p.m.
Friday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 23, at 2 p.m. (masked matinee) and 8 p.m. (ASL performance)
Sunday, May 24, at 1 p.m. (post-show conversation) and 7 p.m.
Friday, May 29, at 7:30 p.m. (post-show community panel)
Saturday, May 30, at 2 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 31, at 1 and 7 p.m.
Info/tickets: (213) 625-7000, www.eastwestplayers.org/flower