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Cambodian Rock Band

  • Credits

    By Lauren Yee
    Featuring Songs by Dengue Fever
    Directed by Chay Yew
    A Signature Theatre Production
    In Association with Alley Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and ACT Theatre/5th Avenue

  • Location

    Kreeger Theater

  • Run Time

    Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including a 15-minute intermission

“UNIQUELY AND JOYFULLY BEAUTIFUL…provides a long-silenced soundtrack for a country still recovering from historical violence”

— Washington City Paper

It’s 2008 and a father-daughter duo are heading to Phnom Penh; she to prosecute a notorious Cambodian war criminal, he 30 years after escaping then-Communist rule. In a psychedelic theatrical extravaganza set to some of the country’s most popular rock music, including from Dengue Fever, Cambodian Rock Band shines a light on the country’s vibrant ’70s rock scene and how an entire generation of musicians was purged by the Khmer Rouge, as it brings long-buried family secrets back to life.

Support for Cambodian Rock Band is provided by Andrew R. Ammerman and Sue Henry and Carter Phillips.

Arena Stage offers this production in memory of long-time friend and proud Washingtonian Curtis T. Bell.

Cast

KELSEY ANGEL BAEHRENS

u/s Neary/Sothea, Pou/S21 Guard

BROOKE ISHIBASHI

Neary/Sothea

FRANCIS JUE

Duch

ABRAHAM KIM

Rom/Journalist

TIM LIU

Ted/Cadre/Leng

JANE LUI

Pou/S21 Guard

ALEX LYDON

u/s Ted/Cadre/Leng, Rom/Journalist; Fight Captain

JOE NGO

Chum

VI TRAN

u/s Chum, Duch

Creative

LAUREN YEE

Playwright

CHAY YEW

Director

TAKESHI KATA

Set Designer

LINDA CHO

Costume Designer

DAVID WEINER

Lighting Designer

MIKHAIL FIKSEL

Co-Sound Designer

MEGUMI KATAYAMA

Co-Sound Designer

FIVE OHM PRODUCTIONS

Projection Designer

TOM WATSON

Wig Designer

JANE LUI

Music Supervisor & Co-Music Director

MATT MacNELLY

Music Supervisor & Co-Music Director

GRAHAM SCHMIDT

Associate Director

MERRICK A.B. WILLIAMS

Stage Manager

CAROLINE DUFFIN

Assistant Stage Manager

TARYN FRIEND

Rehearsal Assistant Stage Manager

CHRISTI B. SPANN

Performance Assistant Stage Manager

CHARLES M. TURNER III

Production Consultant

SIGNATURE THEATRE

ALLEY THEATRE

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE

ACT THEATRE

5TH AVENUE THEATRE

Photos

Abraham Kim, Joe Ngo, Brooke Ishibashi, Jane Lui, and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Brooke Ishibashi in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Francis Jue in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Brooke Ishibashi and Joe Ngo in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Joe Ngo, Abraham Kim, Brooke Ishibashi, Jane Lui, and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Joe Ngo, Brooke Ishibashi, Abraham Kim, Jane Lui, and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Joe Ngo and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Brooke Ishibashi, Jane Lui, Abraham Kim, and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Joe Ngo, Abraham Kim, Brooke Ishibashi, Jane Lui, and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Joe Ngo, Abraham Kim, Francis Jue, Brooke Ishibashi, Jane Lui, and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Francis Jue in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Joe Ngo and Francis Jue in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Brooke Ishibashi and Joe Ngo in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.
Joe Ngo, Abraham Kim, Brooke Ishibashi, Francis Jue, Jane Lui, and Tim Liu in "Cambodian Rock Band" at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater running July 19 through August 27. Photo by Margot Schulman.

Videos

Cambodian Rock Band In The News

WASHINGTON CITY PAPER

“Lauren Yee’s play provides a long-silenced soundtrack for a country still recovering from historical violence”

BROADWAYWORLD

Interview: Theatre Life with Francis Jue

BROADWAYWORLD

Quiz: How Well Do You Know CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND?

UNPROFESSIONAL OPINION

SEE IT: A resonant “Cambodian Rock Band” strikes the right chords

MD THEATRE GUIDE

“COMPELLING…LUMINOUS…the cast is uniformly excellent”

BROADWAYWORLD

Video: Meet the Cast of CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Arena Stage

DC THEATER ARTS

“WORTH THE WAIT.”

BROADWAYWORLD

Photos: First Look at CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Arena Stage

PLAYBILL

Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band Begins at Arena Stage July 19

TALKIN' BROADWAY

“ASTONISHING…TRANSCENDENT…a remembrance of family and social history that turns into an exorcism of past evils, all to the spirited sound of Cambodian rock music performed live”

DREW MORRIS

“[Lauren Yee] proves to be one of the foremost storytellers of this era”

A THEATRE-GOER'S THOUGHTS

“carefully-crafted characters and committed, authentic performances keep the audience involved” 

WASHINGTON BLADE

‘Cambodian Rock Band’ melds horror with a rock concert

DISTRICT FRAY

Arena Stage’s “Cambodian Rock Band” Fuses Live Music + Theatre for Healing Survivors’ Tale

WASHINGTONIAN

10 Great Things to Do in DC This July

BROADWAYWORLD

Brooke Ishibashi, Abraham Kim & More to Star in CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Arena Stage

BACKSTAGE PASS WITH LIA CHANG

Joe Ngo, Brooke Ishibashi, Francis Jue, Abraham Kim, Tim Liu, Jane Lui and More Set for Lauren Yee’s CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Arena Stage