Editing Pacific Overtures (section)

==Productions==
''Pacific Overtures'' previewed in [[Boston]] and ran at [[The Kennedy Center]] for a month before opening on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]<ref name="DAK38">{{cite news | first1 = Jim | last1 = Salicrup | first2 = Dwight Jon | last2 = Zimmerman | author-link1 = Jim Salicrup | date = September 1986 | title = Larry Hama (part 2) | work = [[Comics Interview]] | issue = 38 | page = 39 | publisher = [[Fictioneer Books]]}}</ref> at the [[Winter Garden Theatre]] on January 11, 1976. It closed after 193 performances on June 27, 1976. Directed by [[Harold Prince]], the choreography was by [[Patricia Birch]], scenic design by [[Boris Aronson]], costume design by [[Florence Klotz]], and lighting design by [[Tharon Musser]]. The original cast recording was released originally by [[RCA Records]] and later on CD. This production was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, and won [[Tony Award for Best Scenic Design|Best Scenic Design]] (Boris Aronson) and [[Tony Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costume Design]] (Florence Klotz). The original Broadway production was filmed and broadcast on Japanese television in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1754333/|title=Pacific Overtures (TV Movie 1976)|date=16 August 1976|work=IMDb}}</ref>

[[Mako (actor)|Mako]] later directed and reprised his role of the Reciter in a 1979 production at the [[East West Players]] in Los Angeles. The production featured multiple members of the original Broadway cast reprising their roles, including [[Sab Shimono]], Ernest Harada, and [[Alvin Ing]], with [[Soon-tek Oh]] taking on the role of Kayama. A young [[John Lone]] performed in the production as Commodore Perry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pacific Overtures (East West Players Production (1979)) |url=https://ovrtur.com/production/2883726 |website=Ovrtur |access-date=25 October 2023}}</ref> 
The musical was produced again by East West Players in 1998 as the inaugural performance at the David Henry Hwang Theater. East West Players staged Pacific Overtures for a third time in November 2024, led by Jon Jon Briones and Gedde Watanabe, who was part of the original Broadway production.

An [[off-Broadway]] production ran at the Promenade Theatre from October 25, 1984 for 109 performances, transferring from an earlier production at the [[York Theatre Company]]. Directed by Fran Soeder with choreography by Janet Watson, the cast featured [[Ernest Abuba]] and [[Kevin Gray (actor)|Kevin Gray]].<ref>[http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=2156 ''Pacific Overtures'' Listing] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070923085246/http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=2156 |date=2007-09-23 }} lortel.org, retrieved December 10, 2009</ref>

The European premiere was directed by Howard Lloyd-Lewis (Library Theatre, [[Manchester]]) at Wythenshawe Forum in 1986 with choreography by Paul Kerryson who subsequently directed the show in 1993 at [[Leicester Haymarket Theatre]]. Both productions featured [[Mitch Sebastian]] in the role of Commodore Perry.

A production was mounted in London by the [[English National Opera]] in 1987. The production was recorded in its entirety on CD, preserving nearly the entire libretto as well as the score.<ref name=playrecord>Jones, Kenneth.[https://archive.today/20130131153731/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/90913-Pacific_Overtures_Gets_Recorded_for_CD_Feb._1 "Pacific Overtures Gets Recorded for CD Feb. 1"] playbill.com, February 1, 2005</ref><ref>Wolf, Matt. [https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-10-02-8703140504-story.html "Sondheim Scores Another Hit With the British"] ''Chicago Tribune'', October 2, 1987</ref> Unlike previous productions, this production featured a cast consisting primarily of Caucasian actors and opera singers.

A critically acclaimed 2001 [[Chicago Shakespeare Theater]] production, directed by [[Gary Griffin (director)|Gary Griffin]],<ref>Kleiman, Kelly. [http://www.aislesay.com/CHI-PACIFIC.html Review, ''Pacific Overtures''] aislesay.com, retrieved December 10, 2009</ref> transferred to the [[West End theatre|West End]] [[Donmar Warehouse]], where it ran from June 30, 2003 until September 6, 2003 and received the 2004 [[Olivier Award]] for Outstanding Musical Production.<ref name=pacific>[http://www.sondheimguide.com/pacific.html#Donmar " ''Pacific Overtures'' History"] sondheimguide.com, retrieved February 23, 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.olivierawards.com/winners/view/item98547/olivier-winners-2004/ "Olivier Awards, 2004"] olivierawards.com, retrieved February 23, 2017</ref>

In 2002 the [[New National Theatre Tokyo|New National Theatre of Tokyo]] presented two limited engagements of their production, which was performed in Japanese with English supertitles. The production ran at Avery Fisher Hall, [[Lincoln Center]] from July 9, 2002 through July 13, and then at the Eisenhower Theater, Kennedy Center, from September 3, 2002, through September 8.<ref>Lipfert, David and Lohrey, David.[http://www.curtainup.com/lincolncenterfestival2002.html "Lincoln Center Festival 2002"] curtainup.com, July 13, 2002</ref><ref name=pacific/>

A Broadway [[revival (play)|revival]] by the [[Roundabout Theatre Company]] (an English-language mounting of the previous New National Theatre of Tokyo production) ran at [[Studio 54]] from December 2, 2004, to January 30, 2005, directed by [[Amon Miyamoto]] and starring [[BD Wong]] as the Narrator and several members of the original cast. A new Broadway recording, with new (reduced) orchestrations by [[Jonathan Tunick]] was released by [[PS Classics]], with additional material not included on the original cast album.<ref name=playrecord/> The production was nominated for four Tony Awards, including [[Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical|Best Revival of a Musical]]. The orchestrations were "scaled back" for a 7-piece orchestra. ''Variety'' noted that "the heavy use of traditional lutes and percussion instruments like wood blocks, chimes and drums showcases the craftsmanship behind this distinctly Japanese-flavored score."<ref>Rooney, David. [https://variety.com/2004/legit/markets-festivals/pacific-overtures-3-1200529236/ "Reviews. ''Pacific Overtures''] ''Variety'',</ref>

[[Classic Stage Company]] revived ''Pacific Overtures'' in 2017 for a limited Off-Broadway run, with a new abridged book by John Weidman,<ref name=variety/> new orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, directed by [[John Doyle (director)|John Doyle]], and starring [[George Takei]] as the Reciter. The production began previews April 6, 2017; after opening May 4, the show's run was twice extended, eventually closing June 18.<ref>[http://www.lortel.org/Archives/Production/6315 ''Pacific Overtures''] lortel.org, retrieved June 28, 2018</ref> Staged in one act,<ref>Feldman, Adam. [https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/pacific-overtures ''Pacific Overtures''] ''Time Out'', accessed August 8, 2019</ref> with a 10-member cast in modern-dress, the production excised both "Chrysanthemum Tea" and the instrumental "Lion Dance".<ref name=variety>Rooney, David [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/pacific-overtures-theater-1000003 "Review. ''Pacific Overtures''] ''Hollywood Reporter'', May 4, 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.classicstage.org/season/pacific-overtures/ ''Pacific Overtures''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419202044/http://www.classicstage.org/season/pacific-overtures/ |date=2017-04-19 }} Classic Stage Company</ref> The production earned recognition among the year's ''New York Times'' Critic's Picks, the Top 5 NY Theater Productions in ''Variety'', and Top 10 NY Theater Productions in ''Hollywood Reporter''. The show earned nominations from the Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Lucille Lortel Awards.

In 2023 a new production debuted in Japan as a co-production between the [[Umeda Arts Theater]] in Osaka and the [[Menier Chocolate Factory]] in London. Directed by Matthew White, the production uses Sondheim and Weidman's revisions from 2017. The production played March 8-29 at the [[Nissay Theatre]] in Tokyo, and then April 8-16 at the Umeda Arts Theater. The all-Japanese cast included [[Koji Yamamoto (actor)|Koji Yamamoto]] and [[Yuya Matsushita]] double cast as the Reciter, [[Eiji Wentz]] as Manjiro, and [[Hikaru Asami]] as the Shogun and Madam.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pacific Overtures |url=https://www.umegei.com/pacific-overtures/english.html |website=Umegei |access-date=25 October 2023}}</ref> The production, with a London-based cast including [[Takurō Ōno]] as Kayama and [[Masashi Fujimoto]], played at the Menier Chocolate Factory from November 25, 2023 to February 24, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gans |first1=Andrew |title=Cast Complete for Menier Chocolate Factory's Pacific Overtures Revival |url=https://playbill.com/article/cast-complete-for-menier-chocolate-factorys-pacific-overtures-revival |website=Playbill |access-date=25 October 2023}}</ref>