Editing David Henry Hwang (section)

===Return to Broadway===
In the new millennium, Hwang was asked by director [[Robert Falls]] to help co-write the book for the musical ''[[Aida (musical)|Aida]]'' (based upon the opera by [[Giuseppe Verdi]]). In an earlier version, it had failed in regional theatre tryouts. Hwang and Falls re-wrote a significant portion of the book (by [[Linda Woolverton]]). ''Aida'' (with music and lyrics by [[Elton John]] and [[Tim Rice]]) opened in 2000 and proved highly profitable.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/sfo-season-will-feature-francesca-zambello-directed-aida-and-david-henry-hwang-opera|title=SFO Season Will Feature Francesca Zambello-Directed Aida and David Henry Hwang Opera|first=Andrew |last=Gans|magazine=Playbill|date=January 13, 2016}}</ref>

His next project was a radical revision of [[Richard Rodgers]], [[Oscar Hammerstein, II]], and [[Joseph Fields]]' musical ''[[Flower Drum Song]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/celebrate-60-years-of-flower-drum-song|title=Celebrate 60 Years of Flower Drum Song|first=Mark |last=Peikert|magazine=Playbill|date=December 1, 2018}}</ref> The musical, which had been adapted from the novel ''The Flower Drum Song'' by [[C. Y. Lee (author)|C. Y. Lee]], tells a story of the culture clash encountered by a Chinese family living in [[San Francisco]].<ref name=nbc>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/six-decades-ago-flower-drum-song-featured-hollywood-s-first-n899576|title=Six decades ago, 'Flower Drum Song' featured Hollywood's first Asian-American cast|first=Melissa |last=Hung|work=[[NBC News]]|date=August 13, 2018|access-date=February 26, 2019}}</ref> Although the original Broadway production had a successful run from Dec 1, 1958 to May 7, 1960, and a Hollywood film version was released in 1961, some felt the musical had become dated. The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization allowed Hwang to significantly rework the plot even as he retained character names and songs. While his 2002 revision won him his third Tony nomination, the  show, directed by Robert Longbottom, received mixed reviews and ran for only 169 performances and 25 previews on Broadway.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/flower-drum-song|title=Flower Drum Song|publisher=PBS|date=November 18, 2002|access-date=February 26, 2019}}</ref> It later toured nationally.<ref name=nbc/> Whereas the original production of ''Flower Drum Song'' had cast some non-Asians in leading roles, including Caucasians and an African-American ([[Juanita Hall]]), the 2002 production featured an all-Asian cast of actor-singers.