SC 54th Season • 516th Production JULIANNE ARGYROS STAGE / MARCH 4-25, 2018 Marc Masterson Paula Tomei ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR David Emmes & Martin Benson FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTORS presents CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND by Lauren Yee featuring songs by Dengue Fever Takeshi Kata Sara Ryung Clement David Weiner Mikhail Fiksel Se Hyun Oh COSTUME DESIGN LIGHTING DESIGN SOUND DESIGN SCENIC DESIGN Andy Knight Joshua Marchesi Joanne DeNaut, CSa Bryan Sommer DRAMATURG PRODUCTION MANAGER CASTING STAGE MANAGER Music Director Matthew MacNelly Directed by Chay Yew Carolyn & Bill Klein Samuel & Tammy Tang Honorary Producer Honorary Producer CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND was commissioned by South Coast Repertory as part of SCR’s CrossRoads Initiative, with funding from the Time Warner Foundation. This play is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award. Developed with support from The Ground Floor at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, CA. Cambodian Rock Band • South CoaSt RepeRtoRy • P1 CAST OF CHARACTERS (In order of appearance) Duch ................................................................................................................... Daisuke Tsuji Chum ............................................................................................................................ Joe Ngo Neary/Sothea ................................................................................................ Brooke Ishibashi Ted/Leng ............................................................................................................ Raymond Lee Rom/Journalist ................................................................................................... Abraham Kim Pou/S-21 Guard ........................................................................................................... Jane Lui SETTING Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 2008, 1975 and 1978. LENGTH Approximately two hours and 15 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. PRODUCTION STAFF Assistant Stage Manager ............................................................................................. Kathleen Barrett Fight Choreographer ......................................................................................................... Ken Merckx Associate Costume Designer ..................................................................................... Kathryn Poppen Assistant to the Set Designers ....................................................................................... Natalie Nagar Stage Management Intern ............................................................................................. Amber Goebel Video Installation and Programming ........................................................................ Lilly Bartenstein Light Board Operator .......................................................................................................... Sean Deuel Sound Board Operator ................................................................................................... James Busker A2 .................................................................................................................................. Rachel Deering Automation Operator ....................................................................................................... Ben Morrow Deck Crew ..................................................................................................................... Sam Maytubby Dresser ....................................................................................................................... Anna de la Cour Wig and Makeup Technician .............................................................................................. Alissa Goetz Hair Stylist ....................................................................................................................... Shelley Mosley Additional Costume Staff .................................................................................................... Alexis Riggs Language Coach ............................................................................................................... Tina Tao Lim ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Di Glazer, Celine Glasman James, May Adrales, Joshua Kahan Brody, Vichet Chum, Rithy Hanh, Benjamin Kamine, Kristin Leahey, Josh Mills, Yana Morgulis and Bob Dylan and Special R. “Uku” “Tokay” “Family Business” “One Thousand Tears of a Tarantula” “Cement Slippers” “Sni Bong” “Tooth and Nail” all written by Dengue Fever. All Dengue Fever songs administered by Ellipsis Music Corp. (ASCAP) and Pentagon Lipservices (BMI) on behalf of CHHOM CHIMNEY • 1 ARMED CRAB PUB • FOOLISH MORTAL PUB • NOON KEY MUSIC • S W O P SONGS • TROLL UNDER THE BRIDGE Dengue Fever music and information are available from http://denguefevermusic.com “The Times They Are A-Changin’” Written by Bob Dylan Copyright © 1963, 1964 by Warner Bros. Inc.; renewed 1991, 1992 by Special Rider Music. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Please refrain from unwrapping candy or making other noises that may disturb surrounding patrons. Videotaping and/or recording of this performance by any means whatsoever are strictly prohibited. Electronic devices should be turned off or set to non-audible mode during the performance. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the theatre. Photos may be taken before and after the show, and during intermission, but not during the performance. Show your appreciation for the play and scenic designer: #CambodianRockBand @_miyasama_ @se.hyun.oh P2 • South CoaSt RepeRtoRy • Cambodian Rock Band The Sound Before the Silence by Andy Knight ing Vietnam increased, English-lan- country’s far-left communist revolu- guage rock and roll became popular. tionaries—whom he nicknamed the n 1953, after 90 years as a French Throughout the 1960s and early “Khmer Rouge”—he lost the support protectorate, Cambodia won its ’70s, Cambodian musicians recorded of urban Cambodians, who disap- independence and the Southeast Khmer-language covers of foreign proved of his government’s corrup- Asian country became the songs. But as a whole, Cambodia’s tion. Finally, in March 1970, while Sih- Kingdom of Cambodia. In rock was far more than a mere anouk was in France, General Lon Nol I1955, general elections were imitation of the and Prince Sisowath Sirik Matak, both held. Prince Norodom Siha- Western high-ranking government officials, or- nouk, who had abdicated as form. Artists chestrated a coup with the unspoken king in pursuit of a political composed permission of the United States. The career, and his newly es- and recorded Kingdom of Cambodia was now the tablished party, Sangkum original songs Khmer Republic. Reastr Niyum (People’s that addressed During the five years that fol- Socialist Community), tri- national con- lowed, Cambodia was enmeshed in umphed; the Sangkum cerns and chal- a civil war as the U.S.-backed Lon Nol party won every seat in lenged con- government fought the tenacious Parliament and the Khmer Rouge. But in Prince was appointed Phnom Penh, Cambo- prime minister. The Si- dia’s capital, the music hanouk era had begun. persevered. The sounds The Prince en- of rock and roll would visioned postcolonial not be quieted—not by Cambodia as a modern the U.S. bombs dropped nation. He sought to on eastern Cambodia in improve the country’s the name of the Viet- infrastructure and to nam War, nor the ram- foster a strong national pant corruption within identity, which often Lon Nol’s government, meant harsh punish- nor the growing num- ment for far-left dissi- ber of Khmer Rouge dents. To Sihanouk, modernity also temporary attitudes; guerilla fighters. required cultural relevance and the and both covers and Then, on April arts and entertainment boomed in original pieces com- 17, 1975, the Khmer Cambodia during the 1950s and ’60s. bined Western-inspired Rouge breached But the country’s music enjoyed a melodies with a distinct- Phnom Penh, and particular renaissance—for it was dur- ly Cambodian sound. The the music finally ing this era that rock and roll came to music’s unique identity stopped. The war Cambodia. was also embodied in its was over and the Even before the arrival of rock greatest stars. Singers such victors swiftly instituted their and roll, Cambodia’s popular music as Ros Serey Sothea and Sinn vision for a new society. Over the next had incorporated foreign influences. Sisamouth appealed to a wide audi- four years, approximately two million While the country was still a protector- ence with a modern sound that was Cambodians would be exterminated ate, folk musicians integrated Western complemented by traditional looks by the Khmer Rouge, including 90% of instruments into their ensembles and and performance styles. Other artists, the country’s musicians. Latin beats into their songs. By the such as Pen Ran and Liv Tek, epito- But miraculously, many of their 1960s, the youth in urban Cambodia mized the term “rock star” with their recordings survived. were hooked on yé-yé music, French unrestrained, raucous performances. Photo: Baksey Cham Krong, considered by many to be pop named after the common refrain By 1969, Cambodia was on the Cambodia’s first rock and roll band. Albums, top to bot- “yeah, yeah.” Then, as the United brink of a new political era. While Si- tom: the cover of a 45 rmp with Sinn Sisamouth and Ros States’ military presence in neighbor-