Music

“Cambodian Rock Band” Rocks at East West Players

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Also published on 18 February 2025 on Hey SoCal

Photo courtesy of East West Players

About 10 years ago, Lauren Yee watched an LA Band called Dengue Fever at an outdoor music festival. That singular event inspired her to write a play called “Cambodian Rock Band” and it debuted in 2018 at South Coast Repertory in Orange County.

“Cambodian Rock Band” has since been staged in various iterations at different venues. The show makes its return to Southern California from Feb. 13 to March 9 in the David Henry Hwang Theatre at East West Players in Los Angeles — not too far from Long Beach, which is home to the largest Cambodian population outside of Cambodia.

This part-play, part-rock concert tells the powerful story of a Khmer Rouge survivor returning to Cambodia after three decades. As his daughter prepares to prosecute one of the regime’s most notorious war criminals, they must confront their shared history through the healing power of music.    

East West Player’s production marks director Chay Yew’s 13th collaboration with the theater, bringing his signature vision to an extraordinary ensemble. He directed the world premiere of “Cambodian Rock Band” at South Coast Repertory and the off-Broadway run at Signature Theatre.

The cast, many of whom were part of the original world-premiere production, includes Kelsey Angel Baehrens as Neary/Sothea, Abraham Kim as Rom/Journalist, Tim Liu as Ted/Leng, Jane Lui as Pou/Guard, Joe Ngo as Chum and Daisuke Tsuji as Duch.

Speaking by phone, New York-based playwright Lauren Yee talks about the genesis of “Cambodian Rock Band,” what compels her to write, and her work process.

“I fell in love with Dengue Fever’s music — it was infectious, and fun and joyful,” begins Yee. “They play their own take on music inspired by the Cambodian rock scene of the ’60s and ’70s. So I went on a deep dive into their musical influences and learned about those musicians, a lot of whom were killed or died during the Khmer Rouge’s takeover of Cambodia in the early ’70s. It was shocking to me that not only the people, but this whole branch of musical history had been under attack. I thought, ‘there’s a play somewhere in here and I want to write it.’”

Shown from left to right: Joe Ngo as Chum, Tim Liu as Leng, Kelsey Angel Baehrens as Sothea, Jane Lui as Pou, and Abraham Kim as Rom perform “One Thousand Tears of a Tarantula” by Dengue Fever. | Photo Teolindo / East West Players

For a long time, Yee just contemplated about what that play might be. Then in 2015 she was commissioned by South Coast Repertory to write a play for them and she started working on what was to become “Cambodian Rock Band.”

Yee relates, “In the development process I brought on an actor named Joe Ngo, who I knew from Seattle, and it just so happened that his parents were survivors of the Khmer Rouge. And he played the electric guitar! It went from being a play about music to a play where the actors should play their instrument. He has just been the heart and soul of the show. He premiered the play at South Coast in 2018 and he’s basically been performing the role on and off for the past seven years. His involvement with the play is turning ten this year and he’s coming back to his home base of Southern California to perform the play at East West Players.”

“For a playwright, it’s a dream to have actors who have such a long relationship with a single work,” enthuses Yee. “Usually theaters bring in the actors for a month of rehearsals and a month of performances, and the actor may never touch the play again. But to be able to have these actors come back, like Daisuke Tsuji, Jane Lui, Abraham Kim, who were in the original cast at South Coast and two other actors — Kelsey Angel Baehrens and Tim Liu — join the show having done previous iterations of it, is a beautiful homecoming and something very rare in theatre.”

A Chinese American, Yee has written several Asian-centric comedies and dramas. One of her earlier plays was a comedy called “Ching Chong Chinaman” that featured the Wongs, a Chinese American family, in which she skewered every cliché about Asian American identity. More recently, she wrote a drama titled “The Great Leap,” about an American basketball team that traveled to Beijing in 1989 that explored the intersection of identity and politics and the cultural and political risks of speaking out.         

I ask if she writes Asian plays because she’s Asian or because she wants to see more Asian representation in theatre, Yee responds, “I think it’s both. First and foremost, I’m a human who loves theatre so I think my plays represent a wide range of topics, ideas, and characters. But one thing I can offer the theatre world that I’m very proud of, is that I write great roles for Asian American performers where they get to play basketball or shred on an electric guitar and do really cool things and play the villain.”

“Sometimes parts of the plays I write reflect my own lived experience and family history,” continues Yee. “And also, over the years, I find I’ve been really interested in unpacking Communism in Asia in the 20th century and its collision with Western culture. It sounds very dry, but to me it’s about ‘What is it like when something seemingly Western as basketball collides with China?’ ‘What is it like when you’re living in a world that has outlawed Western music and then you hear electric guitar?’ as in ‘Cambodian Rock Band.’ I find those clashes incredibly interesting.”

And Yee doesn’t shirk from sensitive topics as she did with “Ching Chong Chinaman.”

She explains, “’Ching Chong Chinaman,’ which I wrote almost 20 years ago, is very close to my own family experience. It shines a light on how others thought of Chinese Americans and Asian Americans at a time when it wasn’t on people’s radar. Stop AAPI Hate was not a thing yet. We were just coming off seeing Asian Americans as this model minority and no one was talking about how we’re viewed and what language is being used against us.”

“For me, that was the right title for the play because I think it’s important that we don’t ignore the things that are traumatic — like charged language,” Yee adds. “We shouldn’t pretend that everything’s okay; we have to confront them.”

Shown from left to right: Joe Ngo as Chum, Kelsey Angel Baehrens as Sothea, Tim Liu as Leng, Jane Lui as Pou, and Abraham Kim as Rom. | Photo by Teolindo / East West Players

According to Yee, she doesn’t have a fixed idea if a play she’s writing is going to be a comedy or a drama.

“Each play is like a kid: the child is born and you don’t know their personality, what they’re going to be like,” enlightens Yee. “But as you begin to spend time with them you see how they speak and communicate. In all of my plays there’s the vein of humor that runs throughout; there’s something deeply, painfully funny in them. I think drama and comedy exist in that same human experience. I really can’t separate the two.”

While most of Yee’s plays have been universally praised by critics, she’s a little shy when it comes to reviews.

“I can write a play and two different people can have totally different opinions about what they think of it or how the play should have gone,” Yee says. “I’m most invested in listening to the voices that are closest to the creative process.”       

As for the audience takeaway, Yee observes, “I’m really excited for whatever the audience takes away. I think it’s going to vary based on who you are and your experiences with the music and its history. For those new to this history, I want to incite you to dig deeper and learn more; to think about the power of art, and the threat of oppressive regime, and what can happen when things change.

“And for people who are closer to the material, who know the music or maybe are familiar in a  personal way with the event, I hope you’re able to celebrate that music, and reflect on your own history, and share some of your own experiences with people you love. What I found with this play that has been so moving is to hear people — especially from the Cambodian community — say ‘I went through that, or I didn’t experience exactly that, but I’m going to tell my kids about what happened to me.’”

In parting, Yee declares, “I’m so excited to be part of East West Players’ 60th anniversary. Throughout the 20th and 21st century, they have been a leader in championing AAPI voices and it’s really an honor to be part of Lily Tung Crystal’s inaugural season. I think ‘Cambodian Rock Band’ is a joyride — the music is electric, the performers are amazing. It’s a show that lifts you up on your feet despite it all.”

Those who have been fortunate enough to see Yee’s plays will tell you that she creates intensely heartbreaking plays that bring the audience to tears and hysterically funny ones that have people laughing their heads off. “Cambodian Rock Band” is another one of her works that’s certain to elicit a strong emotional reaction.

Pasadena Master Chorale Fosters Young Musical Talents

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 17 January 2017 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Jeffrey Bernstein, Artistic and Executive Director of the Pasadena Master Chorale (PMC), has always been into music and music-making. He started playing the piano when he was eight years old; when he was 13 he sang Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in a choir. 

It isn’t surprising, therefore, that Bernstein’s interest in music grew through the years. He  relates, “Like many people, I came to choral music in school. For me it was in college, at Harvard. That’s a natural place to have terrific experiences of community. In a way I realized I wanted to give that experience to people who weren’t going to leave in four years. I wanted to see what it was like to deepen that sense of community and to be embedded in the broader Pasadena community.”

In 2009 Bernstein founded the Pasadena Master Chorale which he imbued with his own personal stamp to distinguish it from other choral groups. He explains, “For one, we’re auditioned and it’s a pretty rigorous process. We take, on average, less than half the people who audition for us. We also re-audition the group every year so singers have to demonstrate they’re continuing in keeping up. I believe the higher the quality of music-making, the greater the sense of community.”

Bernstein continues, “The other thing that sets us apart, and which I’m very proud of, is our pricing model. Our concerts are offered on a ‘listen first then give’ basis; we sell tickets for zero dollars. We want people to attend our concert then offer a gift to us as they are moved and able.  We started this concept two years ago and our attendance and revenue have since gone up.”                              

“There are obviously people who can’t give very much, and I’m very proud of the fact that our concerts are so accessible to everyone. And there are people who give very generously because they recognize the value of what we do,” Bernstein opines.

Knowing that children are exposed to singing in a choir at a young age – whether it’s through a church or at school – Bernstein established an education program to foster middle and high school students’ love of music.

Expounds Bernstein, “Since we started we have always been involved with young people singing with us. It’s at the heart of what we’re trying to do – to create opportunities for young people who love choir music to learn about it and perform it. The program has grown tremendously and we currently have three offerings.” 

Image of Pasadena Master Chorale taken from South Pasadena News

According to Bernstein, their program for student singers is open to all Pasadena middle schoolers with a teacher recommendation. They rehearse with PMC’s associate conductor, Lauren Buckley Schaer, and perform a couple of pieces at the beginning of two of their concerts – Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and the Brahms concert. 

With a teacher recommendation, high school students who want to get a deeper experience with choral music can join PMC as apprentice singers. Says Bernstein, “They rehearse with us every Monday night as full members and they sing all the pieces the PMC does, including the ‘Requiem’ which we sing in German. This is a much smaller group of students because it is a big demand on their time and requires more familiarity with choral singing.”

Bernstein adds, “This year, we are again holding a program we began last year called ‘Listening to the Future’. Through an application process, we select composers from local private and public schools. We team them up with a composer mentor who meets with them almost weekly starting in November through June. They write music for us and we perform their work. PMC’s final program of the year is entirely composed by high school students. June last year was the first time we put on this program and it was a huge success!”

“We had four composers last year; this year we have six and they’re already writing. During the spring they’ll come to our rehearsal every now and then to hear us sing their composition. It’s thrilling! It’s hard to tell who’s more excited – the students or the singers. It’s great to work with living composers, but to work with someone so young …. This is a rare opportunity for  young composers to have a group play their composition, sing it and take it seriously. It’s almost unheard of. That’s a program I’m very, very proud of,” Bernstein proclaims.                                                         

“I’m a big champion of young people and music-making,” Bernstein expands. “I want our organization to serve the youth at as many different levels of development as possible. For this young composers program, we’re looking for students who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work. They must have had music training – maybe sang in a choir or played in an orchestra or band – and have a teacher recommendation. But we’re not going to judge their potential as creative people; instead we’re here to foster their talent and let them run with it. 

Last year we came up with four completely diverse sets of music. It was beautiful!  We don’t change what composers create, we don’t want to get in the way. We want to encourage creativity and we sing what they write for us.”

Image taken from The Hollywood Times

‘Listening to the Future’ commences right after Labor Day, when PMC publicizes the program and accepts applications. At the end of October, PMC selects the composers who start working with mentors in November. Both mentor and student develop a schedule for what pieces need to be written and when. Each composer will write at least one arrangement of a folk song which should be finished by February and one original composition which they will write from February to April.

Bernstein says of this program, “Composing is a form of communication. Student composers are communicating with the singers and singers are communicating with the audience.  We emphasize that the score has to be neat and without errors. Composers have to take into consideration if the words are easy to read, if the harmony is understandable. 

It’s a very interesting process for these young students to experience. They spend months alone in a room in front of their computer or with a piece of staff paper writing their composition.  Their faces light up when they hear a roomful of 60 people transform that music off the page.  It’s utterly amazing when that happens!”

Pasadena Master Chorale holds five concerts a year. Its 2016-2017 season began on December 11 when the group sang Handel’s ‘Messiah’ at First Congregational Church in Pasadena. On January 15, PMC performed Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Oratani Theatre in Downtown L.A.  Brahms Unbound follows on April 22 and 23 at the Altadena Community Church. On June 10 and 11, PMC will be back at the Altadena Community Church to sing two pieces: Heinrich Schutz’s ‘Musikalische Exequien’ and Gabriel Faure’s ‘Requiem’. The season ends on June 25 at the Neighborhood Unitarian Church in Pasadena with a ‘Listening to the Future’ concert.

Financial support for PMC comes from the L.A. County Arts Commission, Pasadena Community Foundation, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, the City of Pasadena, and through various fund raising efforts.                 

While PMC has come far since Bernstein founded it, there are more things he wants to accomplish. He wants to one day be able to purchase a building to house their education program, for students to come in five days a week after school, with a staff of people who can provide training – from individual voice lessons to music theory – and who will encourage students to have their own choral group with leadership.

“It’s limitless what you can do and realize what difference you can make in one kid’s life … not just with choral music, but for them to have a place to belong,” Bernstein states wistfully.