Last Sunday I reviewed an excellent production of William Finn's musical Falsettoland produced by the National Asian American Theater Company (NAATCO). NAATCO specializes in revisioning classic plays and musicals with all-Asian casts, and they do it with both superior production values and immensely talented performers. The first NAATCO production I saw was Cowboy vs. Samurai--a very poignant and incisive look at dating across (and within) racial lines. So I definitely had high expectations for Falsettoland; of course, I have a soft spot for William Finn to begin with (I recently reviewed an excellent production of A New Brain in Astoria). His music can sometimes wander a bit, but there's an innocence and vulnerability to his writing that never gets stale. And I've been consistently impressed with the many fine Asian actors in this city (see my recent review of The Romance of Magno Rubio). I also noticed in the program that Finn himself invested in this production--always a good sign when the composer gives his seal of approval.
Falsettoland (which NAATCO originally produced in 1998) returns as part of the very first National Asian American Theater Festival (which runs through June 24), and I encourage you to get out and see some of this innovative work in action!
Pictured are Jason Ma, Christine Toy Johnson, Francis Jue, Mary Ann Hu, and Ann Sanders (Photo Credit: Bruce Johnson).
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