Cambodian Rock Band
by Lauren Yee

Name: Cambodian Rock Band
Brand: Lauren Yee
SKU: 9780573707247
Rating: 4.29 (200 reviews)

Cambodian Rock Band Book Cover — Cambodian Rock Band Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

120 mins1970sRole(s) for Asian Actor(s)Unit Set/Multiple SettingsComedy

Awards & Recognition

Drama Desk AwardOuter Critics Circle

Winner! 2020 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play Nominated! 2020 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

Synopsis

Cambodian Rock Band; An epic play/rock concert about a young woman trying to piece together her family history thirty years after her father fled Cambodia.

First performed by South Coast Repertory, California, in 2018.

Press Reviews

"Good old rock ’n’ roll, Cambodian-style. Clap your hands, everybody, and sing along!"
— The New York Times

"A fierce, gorgeous, heartwarming, comedic fairy tale... Yee has made her characters so joyfully and ridiculously human that it’s impossible not to identify with them."
— The Los Angeles Times

"It’s a wonderful, strange, moving, tuneful (even toe-tapping) experience, one like no other!"
— San Diego Gay and Lesbian News

"FABULOUS! The first great play of 2020."
— TheaterMania

"Powerful! A killer Khmer-language rock show."
— New York Magazine

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
CHUM male, 51 and 18, Cambodian	male	—	male, 51 and 18, Cambodian
NEARY female, 26, Cambodian American (also plays SOTHEA)	female	—	female, 26, Cambodian American (also plays SOTHEA)
TED male, 25, Thai Canadian (also plays CADRE, LENG)	male	—	male, 25, Thai Canadian (also plays CADRE, LENG)
DUCH male, ageless, Cambodian	male	—	male, ageless, Cambodian
ROM any gender, 20s-30s, Cambodian (also plays JOURNALIST)	—	20s	any gender, 20s-30s, Cambodian (also plays JOURNALIST)
POU any gender, 20s-30s, Cambodian (also plays S-21 GUARD)	—	20s	any gender, 20s-30s, Cambodian (also plays S-21 GUARD)
THE BAND You can adapt this (and corresponding dialogue) according to your actors’ musical talents, but here’s a possible blueprint:	male	—	You can adapt this (and corresponding dialogue) according to your actors’ musical talents, but here’s a possible blueprint:
CHUM electric bass guitar, vocals	—	—	electric bass guitar, vocals
LENG electric guitar, vocals	—	—	electric guitar, vocals
SOTHEA lead female vocals, tambourine	female	—	lead female vocals, tambourine
ROM drums/percussion	—	—	drums/percussion
POU keyboard, vocals	—	—	keyboard, vocals
DUCH tambourine or cowbell (should he be so moved)	male	—	tambourine or cowbell (should he be so moved)