A new American play called Cambodian Rock Band is gaining attention from all over the nation at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
According to Oregon Music News, the show was inspired by the actual Cambodian American rock band Dengue Fever. After hearing them live at an event in Long Beach, playwright Lauren Yee became inspired to write a script.
The story delineates the relationship between Chum and his daughter Neary. Chum is a Cambodian American who escaped the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. The play alternates between Chum’s time in Cambodia and Neary’s exploration into her father’s past.
Critics are commending this play for its ability to use comedy and music to drive the story, according to VOA. The shifts between time periods reflect the different generations’ attempts to understand each other.
“I can also say with confidence that it is certainly one of the most talked about plays in our repertory this season,” said CJ Martinez, a public relations and media manager for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
The play is winning awards like the Steinberg/American Theater Critics Association New Play Award and is beginning to show in local theaters all over the U.S. Cambodian Rock Band will play at the Thomas theater in Ashland, Oregon through October. It is scheduled to be performed in La Jolla, New York and Portland.
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