An All-Asian Cast in Signature Theatre’s SOFT POWER Brings Song and Dance to an American Story of Racism in America
Soft Power
Signature Theatre
Jordan Wright
August 19, 2024
Special to The Zebra
Grace Yoo (Hillary Clinton) and Daniel May (Xue Xing) in Soft Power at Signature Theatre. (Photo/Daniel Rader)
Written by Playwright and Lyricist David Hwang and Composer and Lyricist Jeanine Tesori, Soft Power is a musical reflecting the zeitgeist of the 2016 U.S. presidential election when Hillary Clinton was the expected winner running against Donald Trump. The musical didn’t premiere until Trump was in the White House and the nation wondered what the heck happened.
The story is played out in fantasy couched in political reality. In New York City Chinese American playwright DHH (Steven Eng) takes a meeting with a successful Chinese American theatre producer, Xūe Xíng (Daniel May). Xíng implores DHH to write a Broadway musical comparable to the King and I. DHH, aka David, begs off the absurd context of trying to compare the draconian politics of China with the democratic ideals of the U.S. They banter about the two countries philosophies – Chinese are dutiful and don’t need democracy claims Xíng. If this sounds confusing, it is, since the show was written before the outcome of the election then later rewritten. But you’ll soon get the hang of it.
Grace Yoo (Hillary Clinton, center) and the cast of Soft Power at Signature Theatre. (Photo/Daniel Rader)
Leaving the meeting, David is stabbed in the streets by two MAGA thugs, Bobby Bob (Jonny Lee, Jr. and other roles) and Randy Ray (Eymard Cabling and other roles). Bobby feels badly and tells David he will protect him from further racist attacks. And he does – up to a point.
While in hospital, David imagines a better scenario where Hillary Clinton (the amazing and hilarious, Grace Yoo) comes to him as a lover. Though framed in the politics of that fraught period, the show has its humorous moments as when Hillary gives a stump speech at McDonald’s while giant dancing burger and fries bracket her appearance in the song, “I’m With Her”. Later preppy Trumper Holden Caulfield (Nicholas Yenson in several roles) of Catcher in the Rye fame accosts Clinton and a stroller full of cats in rose-colored glasses explain the Electoral College voting system in the song, “Voting”.
Daniel May (Xue Xing) and Grace Yoo (Hillary Clinton) (Photo/DJ Corey Photography)
The salient focus is the racism against the Chinese as fostered by Trump’s allies and believers and David’s dreamlike fantasy to live in a better, safer world as he tries to process his conflicted feelings to return to China, the land of his ancestors.
For levity, there are a host of goofy characters on the Trump side of the issues, Trump’s Veep (Christopher Mueller in several roles) makes an appearance as a gun-toting country boy, but the main thrust is the struggle for Chinese Americans who fear for their security in this fraught new American culture under the fired-up Trumpers. Fourteen numbers backed by a 10-piece band, amplify the polarization of the country since the election and the difficult future faced by Chinese Americans.
Daniel May (Xue Xing), Chani Wereley and the cast of Soft Power (Photo/DJ Corey Photography)
With Andrew Cristi as Chief Justice and others; Ashley Nguyen as Jīng and others; Quynh-My Luu as Waiter and others; Chani Wereley as Betsy Ross and others; and Sumié Yotsukura as Flight Attendant and others.
Directed by Signature Theatre’s Artistic Director Ethan Heard, Choreographed by Billy Bustamante, Music Directed by Angie Benson, Music Supervised by Chris Fenwick, Scenic Design by Chika Shimizu, Costume Design by Helen Q. Huang, Lighting design by Oliver Wason, Sound Design by Eric Norris, Wig Design by Anne Nesmith, Orchestrations by Danny Troob.
Through September 15th at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Street in Shirlington Village, Arlington, VA 22206. For tickets and information call the box office at 703 820-9771 or visit www.SigTheatre.org.