M BUTTERFLY NEW YORK
Plays /
M Butterfly New York
M Butterfly New York Tickets
We didn't find anything nearby, but here's what's happening in other cities.
No events
There aren't any events on the horizon right now.
Adobe Stock
M Butterfly New York Tickets
M. Butterfly New York Tickets
The 1988 play M. Butterfly tells the intriguing story of the subversive relationship between French diplomat Rene Gallimard and the mysterious Chinese opera singer Song Liling. Unaware that all-female opera roles are actually played by men, Gallimard falls in love with Liling and then struggles to cope with all of the trouble it portends. The play is a very loose adaptation of the famous 1904 Giacomo Puccini opera Madama Butterfly. However, the story is actually based upon the real-life story of a French diplomat and Chinese opera singer that began during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. M. Butterfly comes to the stages of New York for a special performance.Passion, Power, Revenge
M. Butterfly is the creation of Chinese-American playwright and opera librettist David Henry Hwang. He rose to fame in his early 20s with the Obie-winning 1980 play FOB (which stands for Fresh Off the Boat). He then went on to write Golden Child, The Dance and the Railroad and the Elton John-scored Disney musical Aida. Hwang cites playwrights like Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Sam Shepard and Ntozake Shange as major influences on his own work. Following the failure of his 1986 play Rich Relations, Hwang read about the real-life account of the French diplomat and the Chinese opera singer and adapted it to the contours of Puccini’s opera. Hwang took some liberties with the story. For example, the real-life diplomat was much younger — and his story far less dramatic and tragic — than the made-up Gallimard. Once pre-production ended, M. Butterfly made its world premiere in Washington, DC for a limited engagement. A few months later, it transferred to Broadway’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre, where it ran for 777 performances between 1988 and 1990. John Lithgow, BD Wong and Rose Gregorio starred in the opening show. The Broadway production took home three Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Direction and Best Featured Actor of a Play, out of seven total nominations. It was also a Finalist for the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play was commercially successful, but it also touched a cultural nerve. This led directly to a 1993 David Cronenberg film starring Jeremy Irons and John Lone. In 2017, M. Butterfly had its first major Broadway revival at the Cort Theatre. It was led by Tony-winning director Julie Taymor (The Lion King and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark).Where can I buy M. Butterfly New York tickets?
M. Butterfly New York tickets are available at StubHub, a leading source for live events.When is M. Butterfly coming to New York?
There are currently no plans for additional performances following the end of its run at the Cort Theatre in midtown Manhattan. If you want to know when it will appear again, then you should keep an eye out at StubHub for future updates to the M. Butterfly New York schedule.Who is part of the cast?
The cast for the 2017 revival starred Clive Owen as Rene Gallimard, Jin Ha as Song Liling, Enid Graham as Agnes, Celeste Den as Comrade Chin and Murray Bartlett and Michael Countryman both playing multiple roles.What can I expect from a performance of M. Butterfly?
M. Butterfly is a serious, thought-provoking and evocative three-act play that explores stereotypes, exoticism and culture — particularly the relationship between sex and imperialism and the desire of one country to dominate another. Hwang — who, despite his American upbringing, was often perceived as a foreigner by others — was partly inspired by his own experiences to write the play. Due to the serious subject matter, M. Butterfly is largely recommended for mature audiences.How long is the running time?
M. Butterfly lasts for approximately two hours with a single intermission.Which plays are similar to M. Butterfly?
If you enjoyed a performance of M. Butterfly, then you might want to check out another play by David Henry Hwang, Golden Child, which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play.Back to TopEpic events and incredible deals straight to your inbox.