"flower drum song" revival HELP

[erikk]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 9:45pm

hey all -

i'm singing "you are beautiful" from "flower drum song" for a music theatre techniques class, and i never saw the revival. i've been trying to track down a synopsis or something of the revival, to figure out the context in which the song happens in the show...i've been able to find details on the original show and the film version, but could anybody tell me what happens just before "you are beautiful" in the revival?

thanks so much -

-erik

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 10:04pm

In the Broadway revival version, the story has been changed completely. This song was not sung as a solo but as a love song/duet between the 2 leads.

Mei Li (Lea Salonga) sees Ta (Jose Llana) practicing a traditional Chinese opera dance. She then tells Ta that the music (playing in the background) is a tale of love. Mei Li sings the first part of "You Are Beautiful" while doing the opera steps. Ta, sings the 2nd part of the song. The two starts dancing the steps together and sings the last part of the song together.

If you want to know the scene before that...it's Linda Low's (Sandra Allen) dance routine at Club Chop Suey - I Enjoy Being a Girl.

Hope that helps.

Do you have the "New Broadway Cast Recording" yet? If not, get it. Lea Salonga, Sandra Allen, and Jose Llana are amazing.

Updated On: 11/10/05 at 10:04 PM

[erikk]

Posted: 11/11/05 at 11:06am

awesome - thanks so much!

-e

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 11/11/05 at 11:12am

musicaltheatre1 is very thorough! Love it.

Basically, Mei Li is saying "No, this is how the opera is sung/danced the proper way. Now put your heart into it."

[augustine73]

Posted: 11/11/05 at 5:39pm

if you just want selected songs from the play.. go to itunes and search by typing 'flower drum song'... or type 'lea salonga'.. there $0.99 per song.