Fan Casting Wang Chi-Yang in Flower Drum Song

A Chinese opera actor and immigrant to San Francisco, Wang Chi-Yang runs the Golden Pearl Theater in Chinatown. The oldest friend of Mei-Li’s father, Wang lost his wife on their journey to the U.S. and has raised his son alone. Though he first clings to his mission to perform traditional Chinese opera, he later embraces the razzle-dazzle of American show biz, renaming the theater “Club Chop Suey” and performing as “Sammy Fong.”