Lea Salonga (center with bag) and company members of Flower Drum Song at the Mark Taper Forum. Photo by Craig Schwartz
FLOWER DRUM SONG
(revival)
Music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II
Book by David Henry Hwang
This “revisical" of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic featured a completely new book by Hwang, while retaining the much beloved score. This updated version attempted to remain more true to the spirit of the novel by C.Y. Lee on which the show was based.
When it premiered at the Mark Taper forum in Los Angeles in 2001, it became the first show at the Taper to extend its scheduled run. The show then moved to Broadway, and in 2002 it was nominated for three Tony awards, including Best Book for a Musical.
![(l to r) Sandra Allen, Jose Llana, Tzi Ma, Allen Lui, and Jodi Long. Photo by Craig Schwartz for the Mark Taper Forum, 2001](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5650c08ce4b0d0315338fd6a/1560557565067-MJ9Q7R8495NRQHDUWA7J/%28left%2Bto%2Bright%29%2BSandra%2BAllen%2C%2BJose%2BLlana%2C%2BTzi%2BMa%2C%2BAllen%2BLui%2C%2Band%2BJodi%2BLong.%2BPhoto%2Bby%2BCraig%2BSchwartz.jpeg)
![Jodi Long and and Tzi Ma, Eric Chan (background). Photo by Craig Schwartz for the Mark Taper Forum, 2001](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5650c08ce4b0d0315338fd6a/1560557545532-CRKLIX870AKS5PRZYSUM/Jodi%2BLong%2Band%2Band%2BTzi%2BMa%2C%2BEric%2BChan%2B%28background%29.%2BPhoto%2Bby%2BCraig%2BSchwartz..jpeg)
![Jose Llana and Tzi Ma. Photo by Craig Schwartz for the Mark Taper Forum, 2001](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5650c08ce4b0d0315338fd6a/1560557545605-MR8DX39SF8JHI6OUW2HF/Jose%2BLlana%2Band%2BTzi%2BMa.%2BPhoto%2Bby%2BCraig%2BSchwartz.jpeg)
![Lea Salong and Jose Llana. Photo by Craig Schwartz for the Mark Taper Forum, 2001](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5650c08ce4b0d0315338fd6a/1560557545829-4ID0O2N9BT358CA46SAP/Lea%2BSalong%2Band%2BJose%2BLlana.%2BPhoto%2Bby%2BCraig%2BSchwartz.jpeg)
![Lea Salonga and Jose Llana. Photo by Craig Schwartz for the Mark Taper Forum, 2001](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5650c08ce4b0d0315338fd6a/1560557546033-8XR9RT91CI8GW9XYC1GI/Lea%2BSalonga%2Band%2BJose%2BLlana.%2BPhoto%2Bby%2BCraig%2BSchwartz..jpeg)
![Lea Salonga. Photo by Craig Schwartz for the Mark Taper Forum, 2001](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5650c08ce4b0d0315338fd6a/1560557546064-6TEAEPFO0WC93ABKHXKR/Lea%2BSalonga%2Band%2BSandra%2BAllen.%2BPhoto%2Bby%2BCraig%2BSchwartz.jpeg)
![Lea+Salonga.+Photo+by+Craig+Schwartz.jpeg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5650c08ce4b0d0315338fd6a/1560557545889-2N1E0QMY86NT2ZB5XEP0/Lea%2BSalonga.%2BPhoto%2Bby%2BCraig%2BSchwartz.jpeg)