FLOWER DRUM SONG Reunion for George Lee at World Premiere of Jennifer Lin's TEN TIMES BETTER

Backstage Pass with Lia Chang
FLOWER DRUM SONG Reunion at World Premiere Screening of Jennifer Lin's Documentary TEN TIMES BETTER about Asian American Dance Pioneer George Lee
Ten Times Better, a documentary directed by Jennifer Lin, tells the extraordinary story of GEORGE LEE, a child prodigy and refugee who was plucked out of ballet school by George Balanchine to perform in The Nutcracker 70 years ago. He went on to an illustrious career in ballet and on Broadway, including the groundbreaking Flower Drum Song. But then Lee disappeared from public life until Lin tracked him down in Las Vegas, where he works five days a week as blackjack dealer. He is 88 years old.
With the film recognizing Lee’s place in dance history, cast members from the 1958 Flower Drum Song including Pat Suzuki, Jose Ahumada, Helen Funai, Mae Wong and Paula Chin were in the house to celebrate at the world premiere screening as part of the Dance on Camera film festival at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center on February 10, 2024.
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer, activist, documentarian and an Award winning filmmaker and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Lia is also the host and Executive Producer of BACKSTAGE PASS WITH LIA CHANG, an Arts and Entertainment and Lifestyle program that airs on Sundays at 6:30pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, Spectrum 56/1996 and streams on MNN2. Lia was recently profiled on Asian American Life. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. www.liachang.com www.liachangphotography.com