By Guest Contributor: Edward Hong (@CinnabonMonster)
Ever since I wanted to be an actor in high school, I became immediately aware of Chinese-American playwright David Henry Hwang. To this day, Hwang is arguably the best known Asian-American playwright in the world. Hwang’s plays (most notably, F.O.B. and M. Butterfly) have pioneered the expression of the Asian American identity on stage for the world to see.
To say that Hwang was a playwright I looked up to as an Asian-American actor would be a huge understatement. This guy was everything to me.
Thus, it was a no-brainer that I would go watch his latest work, Soft Power, which premiered on May 3rd at the Ahmanson Theatre. Excitement, intrigue, and fascination all swirled into one, particularly since Soft Power was also a collaboration between Hwang and well-known composer, Jeanine Tesor (Fun Home).
So what’s Soft Power all about?
The following review contains several spoilers about the latest musical production Soft Power. Please read on with care.
Continue reading “‘Soft Power’: A Powerfully Acted but Underwhelming Spectacle”