Pacific Overtures

Micheline Wu on the choreographic process of Pacific Overtures In my opinion, to be a musical theater choreographer is to be a dance historian and movement anthropologist. Dance in musicals is more than aesthetic entertainment. Whether it’s 1962 in Baltimore, 1906 in Oklahoma, or 1853 in Japan, the movement must clearly demonstrate the time and place of the story.

We talked with Janie Howland, the scenic designer of Pacific Overtures! What Lyric Stage shows have you worked on before? JH: I’ve been working at the Lyric Stage for 25 years. I’ve done at least two shows a season. So, it has to be at least 50 and a few more—maybe 60. In fact, I did my first professional show

We talked with Lisa Yuen, who portrays Reciter, Shogun, Storyteller, and Emperor in our upcoming production of Pacific Overtures! What Lyric Stage shows have you worked on before? LY: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, and Kiss of the Spider Woman What you about of Pacific Overtures? LY: Spiro Veloudos and music director Jon Goldberg

We asked all of our directors this season the question “why?” Here are the answers from the director of our upcoming show, Pacific Overtures! Why Pacific Overtures? It's one of the final major Sondheim musicals that I haven't done (Passion and Merrily We Roll Along are the others.) As we are taking a hiatus from Sondheim musicals, Overtures seems fitting.