STAGE REVIEW
'Flower Drum Song' strong but not superb

By Joseph Rozmiarek
Advertiser Theater Critic

Rodgers and Hammerstein will always have a lock on the big 1950s Broadway musical — lavish shows with exotic locales, wonderful songs and memorable characters. What seem today like formulaic recipes for success also are often built on the interesting premise of the clash between cultures — a subject very appealing to audiences just after World War II.

Set in San Francisco's Chinatown, the show centers on a modest picture bride and an Americanized young son trying to balance cultural and family traditions against new values. While the show broke with Asian stereotypes at the time, after 50 years, its characters and situations can seem dated and quaint. A successful current production must first convincingly create the environment, develop character charm and let the music carry the plot.

The ACT production has a lot going for it, but ultimately its engine fails to hit on all cylinders.

It says a lot visually. The opening scene juxtaposes the rigid geometry of Chinese decor against a youngster in a baseball uniform, defiantly slouching in an elaborate armchair. Surely his ancestors must be frowning on the modern demons of baseball and rock 'n' roll. Tom Giza's sets create effective backdrops for gardens, meeting halls, nightclubs and the street address memorialized in the show's signature tune "Grant Avenue." Kathy Frago's traditional Chinese costumes are wonderfully rich and elaborate, but her contemporary clothes suggest an assortment of styles spanning at least four decades.

It works pretty well musically. It's always a treat to hear a large stage orchestra, and Lina Jeong Doo marshals her two dozen musicians into a cohesive group. The overture beautifully introduces the music and there is a generally workable balance between singer and orchestra on most of the tunes. Not all the performers have voices suited to musical comedy, but the principals do well. Some selected additional amplification would be welcome, but generally, we are able to hear in the large Richardson Theatre.

The show also is well cast.

Stefanie Okuda looks and sounds just right as the picture bride, Mei Li. She has a solid voice that belies her small frame and uses it to establish an initial and necessary strong status for a modest character who exerts her presence from the sidelines. "A Hundred Million Miracles" and "I Am Going to Like It Here" neatly establish both her character and her goal.

Tricia Marciel is on the right track for the ambitious and brassy nightclub singer Linda Low and puts the right punch into "I Enjoy Being a Girl" and "Grant Avenue." Kevin Yamada captures the earnest and honorable qualities in his role of husband-to-be, Wang Ta, and — although he doesn't get the best songs — does well enough on "You Are Beautiful."

Woody Chock as the traditional Chinese father (in his third production of this show for ACT), Charlotte Dias as the Auntie and Nicole Sullivan as the long-suffering seamstress establish their characters but lack the vocal dynamics to fully realize the richness in numbers such as "The Other Generation," "Chop Suey" and "Love, Look Away."

Daren Kimura slowly comes into his own as the fast-talking nightclub owner Sammy Fong and ultimately captures the audience with his "Don't Marry Me." Scot Izuka shows similar growth in his small role as a nightclub singer. The children's chorus adds a bright note whenever it appears.

The production begins to sputter under Jim Hutchison's choreography and direction. The dance numbers aren't all fully realized, and some seem even intrusive and delaying to the action. This can make an audience impatient and willing to forgo the random park-strollers and the obligatory dream ballet.

Pacing and timing need to be tuned up and sharpened to eliminate holes in the action that make the production seem longer than its actual clock time of 2 1/2 hours. A result of both structure and staging, the show seems to wear down and tire out as it runs along. While the plot moves forward, its energy leaks away and allows it to coast to the final curtain.