Read Reviews for the San Francisco Debut of Soft Power

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The Verdict Read Reviews for the San Francisco Debut of Soft Power The 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

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.

Read: READ REVIEWS FOR SOFT POWER IN L.A.

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 Mercury News (Sam Hurwitt)

San Francisco Chronicle (Lily Janiak)

SF Examiner (Leslie Katz)

Stark Insider (Ilana Walder-Biesanz)

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).