The Song of the Nightingale

On Sunday, May 14th, Frank and I went with Alex to see "a musical fairy tale" at the Firehouse Arts Center in the neighboring town of Pleasanton. I had never heard of the musical, so I was curious to learn about it and was pleased to see a description in the program.

Internet searches about the musical gave little information other that The Song of the Nightingale has had limited  performances in China and in California. The relatively small cast comprises exclusively of Asian American actors. Per https://www.minkahng.com/nightingale

PRODUCTION HISTORY

• Apr-May 2023: Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre, Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton, CA

• May 2021: Beijing City International School, Beijing, China

• Sep-Oct 2017: Town Hall Theatre, Lafayette, CA

• Oct-Nov 2013, World Premiere: Altarena Playhouse, Alameda, CA

LICENSING INFORMATION
The Song of the Nightingale is available for licensing!

Cast: 13+ Asian American Actors (2 Female Leads, 1 Female Dance Lead, 3 Male Leads, 1 Child, Ensemble w/ featured roles)
Music: 3-piece score (Piano, Flute/Clarinet, Percussion)
Duration: 2 hr 15 (including 15-minute intermission)

The dancing was awesome, the characters were quite engaging, the plot was simple enough to follow. Although the song lyrics were not always crisp enough to be understood entirely, the gist of the story was clear. The punchline of the interspersed jokes were certainly enunciated well enough to evoke laughs throughout the audience. Alex remained engaged and clapped periodically to show his delight.

The performance we attended on May 14th was the last of the three weekends that ran April 29 - May 14. My guess is that the final show had the highest number of the actors' family and friends. Afterward the lobby was jam-packed with folks bearing congratulatory hugs, kisses, and bouquets of flowers. I clumsily climbed up on nearby upholstered bench to take an overview photo of the ensuing cacophony, nearly toppling over in my ascent. A nearby gentleman, observant of my propensity to tumble, offered me a hand on my way down, averting an further embarrassing catastrophe on my part. I did succeed in getting a photo for my blog, though!

The Firehouse Arts Center is a uniquely designed facility featuring a 215-seat theater. It is an intimate setting in a renovated fire station. Frank, Alex and I had three seats in the very center of Row A, closest to the stage. We truly had an up-close and personal experience.

Should the show be presented on a wider geographic region, I would recommend taking the opportunity to see it. It is appropriate for children and not too saccharine for adults. We definitely enjoyed our afternoon outing.