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DC Premiere

Soft Power

Aug 6 - Sep 15, 2024

A visionary musical fantasia by Tony Award winners David Henry Hwang (Yellow Face, M. Butterfly) and Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Kimberly Akimbo).

After the 2016 election, when a Chinese American playwright is attacked by an unknown assailant, he hallucinates a Golden Age musical comedy about a Chinese theater producer and Hillary Clinton falling in love. Hilarious and biting, this political satire dares to ask: Does American Democracy still work? And is it worth believing in?

An exhilarating ride through political absurdity with a faceoff between Chinese and American exceptionalism, Soft Power makes an electric debut in the nation’s capital.

“Subversive as well as funny, touching and thoroughly entertaining… You may never look at an American musical the same way again.” – Variety

Book & Lyrics by David Henry Hwang
Music & Additional Lyrics by Jeanine Tesori
Directed by Ethan Heard
#SigSoftPower
#SigSoftPower

Brilliantly funny

Metro Weekly

Performance Information

Seating Chart

  • Running Time

    Running time is approximately 85 minutes, no intermission

  • Content Warning

    This show depicts anti-Asian sentiments, political violence, adult language and will use flashing lights and theatrical haze. Recommended for ages 13+ Click here for more detailed content warnings

Running Time

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Accessibility

Signature Theatre offers several accessibility options to ensure our Theatre is welcoming to everyone.

Purchase Accessible Tickets

Accessible Performances

ASL Interpreted
Recommended Seats

September 6

Masks Required

August 18 (2PM)

September 10

Soft Power

Digital Program

View the digital program for SOFT POWER. You can either download it as a PDF or view online.

The Cast

Eymard Cabling

Randy Ray & Others

SIGNATURE: Pacific Overtures. OFF-BROADWAY: Prospect Theater Company: Honor (Hideo). INTERNATIONAL TOUR: The King and I (The Kralahome). NATIONAL TOUR: Miss Saigon (The Engineer, Thuy u/s). DC AREA: Olney Theatre: The King and I, Once on This Island, Pippin; The Kennedy Center: Me…Jane, The Dragon King’s Daughter. REGIONAL: Brava Theater: Larry The Musical; East West Players: Allegiance; Utah Shakespeare Festival: Gold Mountain; Oregon Shakespeare Festival: She Loves Me; Tuacahn Amphitheatre: Mary Poppins, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Starlight Express, Shrek, Newsies, Mamma Mia, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. EDUCATION: BFA Carnegie Mellon University. @eymardisonearth

Olivia Clavel-Davis

Swing

she/her NEW YORK: Skyline Theatre Company: Little Women the Musical (Amy March). DC AREA: Classic Theatre of Maryland: White Christmas (Judy Haynes); Landless Theatre Company: Footloose (Ariel Moore); NextStop Theatre: The Marvelous Wonderettes. REGIONAL: Growing Stage: Elf the Musical (Jovie), Adventures of Bunny Boy (world premiere, Karen). OTHER: Bannerman Castle: Hunchback of Notre Dame (Esmeralda). oliviaclaveldavis.com @oliviaclavel_davis

Andrew Cristi

Andrew Cristi

Chief Justice & Others

he/they SIGNATURE: Pacific Overtures. BROADWAY: A Christmas Story, The Musical! OFF-BROADWAY: The Public: Miss You Like Hell; Encores! City Center: Big River, The Golden Apple; New World Stages: Freckleface Strawberry; Prospect Theater Company: American Morning. REGIONAL: American Repertory Theater, Geva Theatre Center, Papermill Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Berkshire Theater Group. TV: ABC, Manhattan Love Story, Disney/ABC Talent Showcase. EDUCATION: NYU/Tisch: BFA. www.andrewcristi.com. IG: @hello_drewby.

Brian Dauglash

Brian Dauglash

Swing

SIGNATURE: Soft Power. DC AREA: Toby’s: A Chorus Line (Paul); Sister Act (Pablo); Ghost; Rocky the Musical; Iron Crow Theatre: The Rocky Horror Show (Rocky); Head Over Heels (Basilius); Bare (Lucas); Other Voices Theatre: Evita (Che); Fredericktowne Players: RENT (Roger), A Chorus Line (Paul); Kensington Arts Theatre: Sweeney Todd (Anthony); Oliver! (Bill); Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical. REGIONAL: Woodminster Amphitheater: Flower Drum Song (Chao Hai-Lung); Cats; Finian’s Rainbow; Paint Your Wagon; Berkeley Playhouse: Shrek (Donkey); Lucky Duck; Tri-Valley Repertory: Spelling Bee (Leaf). TV/WEB: House of Cards, Clocked Out.

Steven Eng

Steven Eng

DHH

he/him (DHH) INTERNATIONAL: West End: The King and I; Germany: Miss Saigon; Cambodia: Where Elephants Weep. OFF-BROADWAY: Classic Stage Company: Pacific Overtures. NEW YORK: NY Philharmonic: Romeo & Juliet; EST: Japanoir; Prospect Theater: Honor; ShakespeareNYC: Richard II, King John, Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear. REGIONAL: People’s Light: Hold These Truths (also broadcast PBS WHYY); American Conservatory Theater: The Great Leap; Utah Shakespeare Festival: Gold Mountain; 5th Avenue/Pasadena Playhouse: Waterfall; 5th Avenue/Ordway: Paint Your Wagon; Dallas Theater Center: Porcelain. TV/FILM: Shanghai, Premium Rush, Blue Bloods. OTHER: Faculty NYU Tisch Drama; Co-Founder National Asian Artists Project. AWARDS: Lortel Award nomination Outstanding Lead Actor (Musical); IRNE Award nomination Outstanding Lead Actor (Musical-Large Stage). EDUCATION: MFA GWU; BFA SMU. www.StevenEng.us 

Jonny Lee Jr.

Bobby Bob & Others

he/him SIGNATURE: Pacific Overtures (Manjiro). NEW YORK: NAAP: Gold Mountain the Musical (Lit Ning). REGIONAL: Kennedy Center TYA: The Dragon King's Daughter (world premiere, Kenny); Utah Shakespeare Festival: Gold Mountain the Musical (world premiere, Lit Ning); Village Theatre: Eastbound (world premiere, Yun); Kansas City Starlight: Miss Saigon (Midwest tour, Thuy); Broward Stage Door: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ching Ho), Mame (Ito); Oguma Playhouse: Company (Bobby). TV/FILM: City of Dreams (Julian). OTHER: Farewell My ConcubineUntitled MILCK Project, Tiananmen the Musical, Shanghai Sonatas. EDUCATION: AMDA. www.JonnyLeeJr.com @jonnyleejr

Quynh-My Luu

Quynh-My Luu

Waiter & Others

SIGNATURE: Pacific Overtures (Tamate), Daphne’s Dive (Jenn), A Little Night Music (Mrs. Nordstrom). NYC: New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players: The Mikado (Yum-Yum). DC AREA: Kennedy Center: RENT in Concert (Alexi Darling); Ford’s Theatre: Into the Woods (Rapunzel); Olney Theatre Center: Matilda (Acrobat), Sweeney Todd, Beauty and the Beast. REGIONAL: Arvada Center: Into the Woods (Cinderella); Geva Theatre Center: Sister Act (Sister Mary Robert), A Christmas Carol (Belle/Fred’s Wife/Martha); Virginia Repertory Theatre: Cinderella (Ella); Fulton Theatre: The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Interlakes Summer Theatre: Miss Saigon (Kim). EDUCATION: BA in Musical Theatre from James Madison University.  www.quynhmyluu.com.

Daniel May

Daniel May

Xūe Xíng

he/him SIGNATURE: Pacific Overtures (Kayama). BROADWAY: Rogers & Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song (revival). NATIONAL TOURS: The Prom, Soft Power (World Premiere), Thoroughly Modern Millie. OFF-BROADWAY: The Public Theater: Soft Power (2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalist), Amas Musical Theatre: Red Eye of Love. DC THEATRE: The Kennedy Center: Spamalot!. REGIONAL: The Muny: Chess, OKC Rep: Vietgone, Flint Repertory: The Who’s Tommy, Marriot Theatre: Kiss Me, Kate, East West Players: Beijing Spring, Pippin; Goodspeed Opera House: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Tuacahn Amphitheatre: Mary Poppins. TV/FILM: FBI: Most Wanted (CBS); The Newsroom (HBO), Clocked. CAST RECORDINGS: Soft Power (Grammy nominated), Flower Drum Song. IG: @danielmayofficial

Christopher Mueller

Christopher Mueller

VEEP & Others

he/him SIGNATURE: Pacific Overtures, She Loves Me, Simply Sondheim, Assassins, Blackbeard, Passion, Titanic, The Fix, Crossing, Miss Saigon, Spin, Brother Russia, Chess, Sweeney Todd, The Hollow, The Boy Detective Fails, Giant, Kiss of the Spider Woman. NEW YORK: LaGuardia Arts: Chess in Concert. DC AREA: Ford’s Theatre: Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, A Christmas Carol, Ragtime; The Kennedy Center: Camelot in Concert, My Fair Lady in Concert; Olney Theatre Center: My Fair Lady, Carousel, Godspell, Spring Awakening; Shakespeare Theatre Company: Two Gentlemen of Verona (a rock opera); Arena Stage: Redhand Guitar Workshop, Skindiver Reading; Imagination Stage: Dr. Doolittle, Disney's Mulan; Adventure Theatre: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; Keegan Theatre: The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee, RENT. EDUCATION: The Catholic University of America; The London Dramatic Academy. IG: @christopher_mueller

Ashley D. Nguyen

Ashley D. Nguyen

Jīng & Others

she/her SIGNATURE: King of the Yees (Lauren Yee), Pacific Overtures (Swing). DC AREA: Arena Stage: Ride the Cyclone (Swing); Olney Theatre Center: Dance Nation (Zuzu); Theater J: The Hatmaker's Wife (Voice); The Kennedy Center TYA: The Day You Begin (Min), The Dragon King's Daughter (Xing u/s); Keegan Theatre: Shakespeare in Love (Viola de Lesseps); Creative Cauldron: Into the Woods (Little Red); Studio Theatre: White Pearl (Ruki Minami u/s – US World Premiere); Catholic University: A Little Night Music (Fredrika Armfeldt), The Wolves (#8), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Marcy Park). EDUCATION: BM in Musical Theatre from Catholic University. Website: ashleydnguyen.com. Instagram: @ashley.d.nguyen  

Emily Song Tyler

Swing

she/her INTERNATIONAL: China: Paw Patrol Live. NATIONAL TOUR: Paw Patrol Live. NEW YORK: Hip To Hip Theatre Festival: Henry IV Part 1, Measure For Measure; Logophile Productions: Still Waiting For Lefty. REGIONAL: Utah Shakespeare Festival: Gold Mountain; North Shore Music Theatre: A Christmas Carol; Geva Theatre Center: Cinderella; Cygnet Theatre: Water By The Spoonful; Pennsylvania Theatre Festival: Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Broadway Palm: A Chorus Line. TV/FILM: Paramount+: Paw Patrol Live At Home; HBOMax: That Damn Michael Che. Emilysongtyler.com @emilysongtyler

Joey Urgino

Swing

he/him REGIONAL: Flint Repertory Theatre: Spring Awakening (ensemble/male cover). EDUCATIONAL: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson), Into the Woods (Rapunzel’s Prince), Rock of Ages (Drew u/s). EDUCATION: BFA Musical Theatre candidate, University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Chani Wereley

Chani Wereley

Betsy Ross & Others

she/they SIGNATURE: Sweeney Todd (Bird Seller), Pacific Overtures (Madam/others), Into the Woods (Lucinda). DC AREA: Ford’s Theatre: Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey); Olney Theatre Center: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Yitzhak), AD16 (Esther); Folger Theatre: Love’s Labor’s Lost (Katherine); Round House Theatre: Spring Awakening (Martha); Kennedy Center: Earthrise (Sophia); Constellation Theatre Co: Little Shop of Horrors (Crystal); Keegan Theatre: American Idiot (Extraordinary Girl), Dogfight (Ruth Two Bears); Monumental Theatre Co: Pippin (Catherine), Bonnie and Clyde. REGIONAL: Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival: The Last Five Years (Cathy). EDUCATION: Catholic University. www.chaniwereley.com @ chaniwhirly

Nicholas Yenson

Nicholas Yenson

Holden Caulfield & Others

he/him SIGNATURE: King of the Yees, Pacific Overtures, Miss Saigon. NEW YORK: Alligator Summer, Ghostlight, Broadway Backwards. DC AREA: Arena Stage: Anything Goes, Red Hot Patriot, The Music Man, You Nero; Firebelly Productions: Of Mice and Men, Sylvia; Shakespeare Theatre: The Taming of the Shrew. REGIONAL: 42nd Street Moon: The Pajama Game, Me and My Girl; American Conservatory Theater: Port City; McCarter: A Christmas Carol; San Francisco Playhouse: A Chorus Line, As You Like It, La Cage aux Folles; Wellesley Rep: boom, The House of Blue Leaves. EDUCATION: American Conservatory Theater, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Irish World Academy of Music and Dance.

Grace Yoo

Grace Yoo

Hillary Clinton

she/her BROADWAY: Hadestown. INTERNATIONAL: Japan: Fuji Rock Festival. TOUR: A Christmas Carol, Todd Rundgren ‘Clearly Human’, Todd Rundgren ‘White Knight’. REGIONAL: South Coast Rep: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Sally); LA Phil Hollywood Bowl: Into the Woods (Florinda); East West Players: Mamma Mia (Sophie); Speakeasy Stage: Allegiance (Kei). TV/FILM: Fox: Lucifer. NBCUniversal: Steve TV Show. @kimchionbroadway

Sumié Yotsukura

Flight Attendant & Others

she/her SIGNATURE: King of the Yees. DC AREA: Arena Stage: Unknown Soldier; Keegan Theatre: Merrily We Roll Along; Olney Theatre Center: Fiddler on the Roof, Okuni (workshop), Beauty & the Beast; Round House Theatre: Jennifer, Who Is Leaving; The Kennedy Center TYA: The Mortification of Fovea Munson; Free Range Humans: Triangle. REGIONAL: Transcendence Theatre Company: The Full Monty. EDUCATION: William & Mary: BA in Theatre and Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies; British American Drama Academy. @sumie.yotsukura

Creative Team

David Henry Hwang

Book & Lyrics by

What does it look like if we put a bio? DHH is a well known awesome playwright

Ethan Heard

Directed by

he/him SIGNATURE: Associate Artistic Director. Director: Soft Power, The Bridges of Madison County, Pacific Overtures, Which Way to the Stage. NEW YORK: Co-Founder of Heartbeat Opera: Fidelio (NYTimes Critic’s Pick), Butterfly, Breathing Free (Drama League Nominee), Lady M, Dido & Aeneas, Kafka-Fragments, seven drag extravaganzas; Inner Voices: The Other Room; Experiments in Opera: Sisyphus; Judson: Desire|Divinity; Dixon Place: The Gay Ivy; Opera America: Truth & Reconciliation. REGIONAL: Opera Philadelphia: Madame Butterfly; Berkshire Theatre Festival: A Little Night Music, Bells Are Ringing, Little Shop of Horrors; Williamstown: Pullman, WA; Curtis: Empty the House; Princeton: Into the Woods, Next to Normal, The Producers, Poppea; Carnegie Mellon: A Little Night Music; Yale: Sunday in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along, Julius Caesar, L’Orfeo, Yale School of Drag. DC AREA: The Kennedy Center: La Susanna. INTERNATIONAL: Broadway Asia: The Secret (Resident Director). EDUCATION: Yale: BA and MFA. TEACHING: Yale, Princeton, O’Neill Theater Center. ethanheard.com. @ethanjheard

Olivia Clavel-Davis

Assistant Choreographer

she/her NEW YORK: Skyline Theatre Company: Little Women the Musical (Amy March). DC AREA: Classic Theatre of Maryland: White Christmas (Judy Haynes); Landless Theatre Company: Footloose (Ariel Moore); NextStop Theatre: The Marvelous Wonderettes. REGIONAL: Growing Stage: Elf the Musical (Jovie), Adventures of Bunny Boy (world premiere, Karen). OTHER: Bannerman Castle: Hunchback of Notre Dame (Esmeralda). oliviaclaveldavis.com @oliviaclavel_davis

Reviews

Audacious... a taut, engaging production

The Washington Post

This new revision of the award-winning work is special, the timing is especially unique and the cast and creative team are at the top of their games

BroadwayWorld

Raucous and incredibly entertaining

MD Theatre Guide

A spectacular staging of a political fantasia

DC Theater Arts

Joyously infused with plenty of golden age flair

UnProfessional Opinion

SPONSORED BY

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Inside Signature with Steven Eng
Free, The Mead Lobby or Online

Inside Signature with Steven Eng

September 5, 2024 1 - 2 PM

Steven Eng has appeared in shows across the globe. Now he sits down with Education Director David Zobell to discuss his storied career, working alongside David Henry Hwang and what it is like to play the other DHH.

Signature Theatre

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