Playbill UniverseRead Reviews for the San Francisco Debut of Soft PowerThe new Jeanine Tesori-David Henry Hwang collaboration is currently playing the Curran following its world premiere in L.A.
By
Olivia Clement
June 25, 2018
Jon Hoche
Craig Schwartz
Following a world premiere in Los Angeles in May, Soft Power, the new collaboration from Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) and Tony Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), is now in performances at San Francisco’s Curran. The second West Coast production of the “play with a musical” began June 20 and is scheduled to continue through July 8.
Soft Power, directed by Leigh Silverman and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton, rewinds recent political history and plays it back, a century later, through the Chinese lens of a future, East-meets-West musical. As the power balance between the U.S and China shifts in the wake of the 2016 election, the story follows a Chinese executive who falls in love with a good-hearted U.S. leader while visiting America.
Read reviews for the San Francisco production below. Check back for updates.
The cast, reprising their performances from the Los Angeles run, is made up of Conrad Ricamora (The King and I, How to Get Away with Murder), Francis Jue (M. Butterfly), Raymond J. Lee (Groundhog Day), Billy Bustamante (Miss Saigon), Jon Hoche (War Horse tour), Kendyl Ito (Matilda tour), Austin Ku (Chinglish tour), Alyse Alan Louis (Amélie), Jaygee Macapugay (School of Rock), Daniel May (Thoroughly Modern Millie tour), Paul HeeSang Miller (Miss Saigon), Kristen Faith Oei (M. Butterfly), Maria-Christina Oliveras (Amélie), Geena Quintos (Miss Saigon), Trevor Salter (Here Lies Love), and Emily Stillings (The King and I).
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First Look at David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s Soft Power
First Look at David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s Soft Power
The production, directed by Leigh Silverman and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton, began performances in Los Angeles May 3.
14 PHOTOS
Conrad Ricamora and Kendyl Ito
Craig Schwartz Photography
Conrad Ricamora and Francis Jue
Craig Schwartz Photography
Maria-Christina Oliveras, Geena Quintos, Billy Bustamante, Conrad Ricamora, Jaygee Macapugay, Jon Hoche, and Daniel May
Craig Schwartz Photography
Francis Jue
Francis Jue, Conrad Ricamora, Austin Ku, Raymond J. Lee, Jaygee Macapugay, Billy Bustamante, Alyse Alan Louis (center), Maria-Christina Oliveras, Geena Quintos, Paul HeeSang Miller, Jon Hoche, Kristen Faith Oei, Daniel May, and Kendyl Ito
Conrad Ricamora, Austin Ku, Francis Jue, Geena Quintos, Billy Bustamante, and Raymond J. Lee
Conrad Ricamora and Kendyl Ito
Kristen Faith Oei, Raymond J. Lee, Austin Ku, Daniel May, Geena Quintos, Jon Hoche, Paul HeeSang Miller, Jaygee Macapugay, Billy Bustamante, Maria-Christina Oliveras, and Kendyl Ito
Craig Schwartz Photography
Conrad Ricamora and Alyse Alan Louis
Conrad Ricamora
Jon Hoche, Daniel May, Kendyl Ito, Kristen Faith Oei, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Raymond J. Lee, Jaygee Macapugay, and Geena Quintos
Cast
Craig Schwartz Photography
Raymond J. Lee, Jaygee Macapugay, Austin Ku, Kendyl Ito, and Jon Hoche