Review: SOFT POWER at Signature Theatre

Soft Power, making its DC-area premiere at Signature Theatre, is at once lush and polished, wacky and worrisome, absurdist and cautionary. It’s a tightrope of high political stakes and a zany montage showing the best and worst of both the US and China. As we head into high season of the 2024 election, the timing is perfect for staging the recently revised musical by David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori.

The story is set amid the 2016 presidential election. When a Chinese American playwright is attacked by an unknown assailant (informed by Hwang’s real-life stabbing), he hallucinates a dazzling Golden Age musical comedy about a Chinese theater producer and Hillary Clinton falling in love.

Soft Power is a crazy kaleidoscope of ideas that began with turning the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I on its head to contemplate Chinese and American “exceptionalism.” Here the gun totin’, french fry munchin’ America learns the nuance of saving face.

Tony Award winners David Henry Hwang (Yellow Face, M. Butterfly) and Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home, Kimberly Akimbo) crafted the musical in 2016 (and quickly revised after that year’s presidential election). It went on to become a 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist. The team was invited by Signature Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director (and production director) Ethan Heard to workshop the production at Signature earlier this year before staging the revised version with a predominantly Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) cast and creative team.

The principal actors, Steven Eng as playwright DHH, Daniel May as Xue Xing, and Grace Yoo as Hillary Clinton are an extraordinary trio who bring depth, energy and exceptional voices that meld together beautifully.

Eng’s tousled and casual playwright is an interesting counterbalance to May’s more staid and diplomatic Chinese producer. The two aptly contrast American “heart” and Chinese “face.”

Yoo’s comedic gestures and timing are winning as Clinton. We laugh with her. We celebrate with her. There are fun human touches like eating ice cream from the carton and flopping a glob of it on cold pizza as she mourns the devastating loss. And Yoo has the presence and chops of an old-school Hollywood star, with the elegant dance moves and soaring voice to match.

Here the blockbuster “11 o’clock” Broadway number is a big belty somebody’s-done-me-wrong-song, a bluesy I-just-can’t-quit-‘em song dedicated to … democracy. And Yoo’s Hillary Clinton makes a pretty solid case that despite all democracy’s flaws, quirks and limitations, the troubled relationship between Americans and our system of government is one we should stand by and work on.

Soft Power features a uniformly strong and versatile ensemble who appear in numerous roles – dancing with french fries; toting red, white and blue guns in the Oval Office; or as array of wacky Times Square regulars. Jonny Lee Jr. stands out as Bobby Bob, who loyally takes Chinese producer Xue Xing in hand. Another highlight is Andrew Cristi’s Chief Justice wielding a bedazzled gavel and giving a lesson on the election that’s more fun and feisty than any Saturday morning Schoolhouse Rock.

Billy Bustamante’s choreography gives a classic, big screen dazzle to the production from incorporating glorious red silk flags in a Busby Berkely-like opening number, to a Clinton rally fully of pomp and sequins, to effervescent ballroom duets (and the aforementioned dancing french fries).

The set, by Chika Shiizu, is a highly adaptable two-level design. From the opening steaming manhole grate and gritty urban stickers, to a flashy fast food restaurant, a Broadway Production Office and the Oval Office, Shizu uses sliding doors and key set pieces to anchor us in the action. Lighting design by Oliver Wason enhances the mood, whether dreamy or dismal. Eric Norris designed the sound which successfully balances the dialogue, singing and ten on-stage musicians.

Helen Q. Huang has fun with costumes that include a quintessential politician pantsuit –but this one rips away to a patriotic dance costume reminiscent of a majorette leading the parade. There is also an Elmo, a roller-skating waitress, and a vast array of colorful characters. Anne Nesmith designed the wigs – from the blonde bob of Hillary Clinton to the towering gray mass of the Chief Justice.

Soft Power’s music is lush, thanks in large part to music supervision by Chris Fenwick, Danny Troob’s orchestrations and Angie Benson’s music direction and conducting.  Benson leads a ten-piece band (a bassoon! a cello! dreamy chimes!) that is perched on stage above the actors.

Director Ethan Heard said he and the team focused on key questions: Do we still believe in American democracy? Does the “American Dream” really include everyone? And how does one find a true sense of belonging?

“As a Chinese American artist myself,” Heard said, “these questions resonate powerfully and personally. And, as we approach this next election, which both echoes 2016 and brings fresh fears, we need a story like this one, to reinvigorate our hope and belief in democracy, more than ever. I can't wait for audiences to experience this fever-dream-musical-of-America, where Hillary Clinton is a crowd-pleasing triple­threat and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court oddly resembles Albus Dumbledore."

Soft Power is a crisp 85-minute one act – it is a fully fleshed and well-paced story that aptly balances big meaty questions, challenging emotional dilemmas, and wonderful moments of hilarity.

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. Soft Power only runs through September 15 – get your tickets now.

Running Time: 85 minutes with no intermission

SOFT POWER, with book and lyrics by David Henry Hwang and music and additional lyrics by Jeanine Tesori, is produced by Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. The production runs through September 15. For tickets, accessible performance information, special events, attendance policies, and further information visit the company's website.

SOFT POWER is directed by Ethan Heard with music supervision by Chris Fenwick, music direction by Angie Benson and choreography by Billy Bustamante. Scenic design is by Chika Shimizu; costume design by Helen Q. Huang; lighting design by Oliver Wason; sound design by Eric Norris; wig design by Anne Nesmith. Fight Choreographer is Casey Kaleba; Dialect Coach is Ka-Ling Cheung; and Production Stage Manager is Kerry Epstein.

The production stars Steven Eng as DHH, Daniel May as Xue Xing, and Grace Yoo as Hillary Clinton. The cast features Eymard Cabling as Randy Ray & others, Andrew Cristi as Chief Justice & others, Jonny Lee Jr. as Bobby Bob & others, Quynh-My Luu as Waiter & others, Christopher Mueller as VEEP & others, Ashley D. Nguyen as Jing & others, Chani Wereley as Betsy Ross & others, Nicholas Venson as Holden Caulfield & others, and Sumie Yotsukura as Flight Attendant & others. Olivia Clavel-Davis, Brian Dauglash, Emily Song Tyler, and Joey Urgino are swings.

Musicians are Angie Benson (conductor/keyboard), Daniel Dickinson (reed 1), Tim Abbott (reed 2), Josh Thompson (horn), Kenny Rittenhouse (trumpet), John Patton (percussion), Chris Chlumsky (bass), Madalyn Navis (violin), Imelda Tecson-Juarez (viola), Amy Stennett Smith (cello).

Photo Credit: Daniel Radar and DJ Corey Photography

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