2017.032.001 Oral History Interview with Patrick Adiarte April 14, 2003

 

Patrick Adiarte is a Filipino American actor and dancer born in 1943. Patrick played Prince Chulalongkorn in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical, “The King and I” in 1956, and Wang San in the 1958 production and 1961 movie version of “Flower Drum Song.” In this interview, Patrick discusses “Flower Drum Song” and his acting career. He goes into particular detail about Flower Drum Song’s casting process and his recollection of opening night. This interview is one of a series of 18 interviews that author David Lewis Hammarstrom conducted in 2003 as part of research for his book, Flower Drum Songs: The Story of Two Musicals (2006).

0:17 - How Patrick feels about “Flower Drum Song,” 1958 version of play, having an agent, not recalling, getting an audition, being an understudy, “The King and I,” Gene Kelly, movie, Broadway stage of “The King and I” at six years old, First impression of Gene Kelly, Patrick’s mother, looking the part, being cast, Kelly being a director

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5:25 - Reading the script, having a reaction to the script, dancing background, mother being a dancer, strong dancing background, playing in San Francisco, opera, getting cast for “Flower Drum Song," Richard Rodgers, hospital, remembering the first time he read through the script, Gene Kelly’s comments about the script

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5:42 - Hollywood people, being terrible at auditioning, choreographing the movie

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12:09 - Audition for movie, dancers being called first, “Chop Suey”, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Rodgers and Hammerstein being quiet, being scared, being corrected by Rodgers and Hammerstein

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19:30 - Asian cast, not working in the theater before, ballet dancers, one of the first Asian shows, Broadway musical, once show opened, being too young to remember opening of show, audience liking it, Patrick not remembering specifics, there being a non-Asian understudy, not being Asian enough

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24:29 - Reaction to opening, show going to New York, opening night, being nervous, cast party, cast being fun to work with, first show for a lot of people, Pat Suzuki

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30:00 - Not identifying as Asian, Filipino, show being an accurate reflection of culture, Chinatown, being a performer, favorite numbers, dancing, generations, one big number, finale, Gene Kelly

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35:31 - Packed show, movie, Pat Suzuki, wanting someone prettier, choreography being different on stage vs. movie, “Chop Suey,” movie being similar, personality of Kelly

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41:59 - Drummer and pianist

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