Scope and Contents A phone interview with Baayork Lee conducted by David Lewis Hammarstrom on June 27, 2003. Baayork was an ensemble dancer in the 1958 Rogers and Hammerstein production of "Flower Drum Song."Asked to share memories of rehearsals or shows, she recalls working closely with choreographer Carole Haney on some of the dance numbers, understudying and unexpectedly going on as “Fan Tan Fannie” for one performance, and watching and learning dance steps on the side. She also offers her views...

Scope and Contents A phone interview conducted with Chao Li Chi on August 14, 2003 by David Lewis Hammarstrom. Chi played Dr. Lu Fong in the 1958 Rogers and Hammerstein production of "Flower Drum Song." He passed away in 2010. Chao Li Chi begins the interview by describing the rehearsal process for the show’s theme song “A Hundred Million Miracles,” and the cultural significance of flower drum song as a folk dance style from Anhui Province, where C. Y. Lee, the author of the Flower Drum Song novel...

Scope and Contents A phone interview conducted by David Lewis Hammarstrom with David Lober on June 17, 2003. David was part of the dance ensemble of the 1958 Rogers and Hammerstein production of "Flower Drum Song."In this interview, David shares various aspects of his experience on “Flower Drum Song,” including auditioning, working with choreographer Carole Haney and director Gene Kelly, serving as dance captain, being let go during the national tour, appealing his firing through an Actors’ Equity...

Scope and Contents A phone interview conducted with Ivy Tam on February 17, 2004 by David Lewis Hammarstrom. Ivy was an ensemble dancer in the 1958 Rogers and Hammerstein production of "Flower Drum Song." She was also a nightclub dancer. In this interview, Ivy Tam provides insight into how dancers at Forbidden City were scouted as talent for the musical production and movie version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Flower Drum Song.” She also discusses how she herself was considered for but ultimately...

Scope and Contents An interview with actor Patrick Adiarte conducted by David Lewis Hammarstrom on April 14, 2003 by phone. Patrick played Wang San in the 1958 theater production of Rogers and Hammerstein's production of "Flower Drum Song" and reprised the role in the 1961 film adaptation. In this interview, Patrick discusses “Flower Drum Song” and his acting career. He goes into particular detail about Flower Drum Song’s casting process and his recollection of opening night. This interview is one...

Scope and Contents Interview with Wonci Lui conducted by phone on June 7, 2003 by David Lewis Hammarstrom. Wonci was an ensemble dancer during the 1958 production of Rogers and Hammerstein's "Flower Drum Song."In this interview, Wonci Lui talks about her experience as a dancer in the original production of “Flower Drum Song,” the opening night, and her recollection of director Gene Kelly. Lui discusses how she was cast in "Flower Drum Song," Asian stereotypes in the show, and the development of the...