What was your first introduction to the work of Richard Rodgers?
The Sound of Music, on the release of the motion picture version. My aunt would play the soundtrack album when she babysat me.

When did you first see Flower Drum Song and what made you take on the reworking of it?
I first saw the movie on television sometime when I was maybe 10 or 11. When I was a kid, I went out of my way not to watch any TV shows or movies with Asian characters; I couldn't articulate why, except that they made me feel "icky."  Flower Drum Song was an exception: it had a strong Asian male romantic lead and younger characters who were clearly American, did not speak in accents, and were singing and dancing up a storm to that R&H score. By the time I got to college, however, I and much of the Asian American community had also become aware of the dated, cliched, and stereotypical aspects of the show. Though a hit in its day, Flower Drum had become virtually invisible by the 90's -- not only because some Asians found it objectionable, but because mainstream producers felt the book was creaky and old-fashioned. I decided to try and rework it because Flower Drum remains to this day the only Broadway musical ever written about Asian Americans (as opposed to Asians in Asia).

What kind of research did you do in preparation for that project?
I went to the R&H archives at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and looked over their old notes and papers for Flower Drum. In our remake of the musical, we only used Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics, but in some cases, went back to earlier drafts.

What issues concern the Asian American community about Rodgers' Asian musicals?
Come to the symposium Rodgers & Asia and find out!

What is your favorite Rodgers' show (besides Flower Drum!)?
South Pacific

You were responsible for the building of the David Henry Hwang theatre. What made you build it here rather than in New York, where you currently reside?
It is a gross overstatement to say I was "responsible" for the building of the David Henry Hwang Theatre. East-West Players, America's oldest Asian American theatre company, undertook a capital campaign to build themselves a new home. My Father happened to be one of the major contributors; he and East-West decided to name the theatre after me. Frankly, I still find the whole thing a bit over the top, but I'm very happy East-West now has a great space to call their own.

Your plays have been produced both in Los Angeles and New York. Which experience do you prefer?
How do L.A. Audiences differ from New York audiences?
Oftentimes, LA audiences seem to understand my work better than their NY counterparts. My Flower Drum Song remake, Golden Child, and Yellow Face all did better in Southern California than New York. Nevertheless, positive reception in NY brings with it national recognition and productions all over the country; LA still doesn't have that clout in the theatre world.