Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang and Fil-Am music director Marc Macalintal talk about the East West Players' production of the beloved musical.
“I believe that this ‘Flower Drum Song’ resonates even more powerfully at a time when a vocal segment of the American populace no longer sees this country as a nation of immigrants, and when the federal government has declared war on anyone who wasn’t born here or doesn’t fit the agenda of white supremacy.”
David Henry Hwang, described by The New York Times as the greatest Asian American dramatist in an article, answered my question on how “Flower Drum Song,” which he revised again for 2026, is relevant in these times when the current administration is implementing aggressive enforcement measures that have created a hostile environment for immigrants, including the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI).