Love can be transformative, affecting your life long after you and that special someone have parted ways. It’s what we learn from these experiences and how we use that knowledge that is at the core of the new musical, “Waterfall,” premiering at the Pasadena Playhouse on May 29 for a run through June 28.

“Waterfall,” based on the novel “Behind the Painting” by Siburapha, tells the story of an affair between a Thai student and an American woman. Set in the 1930s as the Thai monarchy is falling and Japan is about to enter the war, the tale also explores politics, culture and the impact of relationships.

“(The student) meets this real-life American woman for the first time, who happens to be the wife of the Thai diplomat that he is supposed to be escorting while in Japan,” said “Waterfall” director Tak Viravan. “She makes him sees the beauty of the world and the beauty of his roots, his own culture and in turn makes him appreciate the things around him. It makes him become a better person.”

Viravan is a leading figure in Thailand’s theater scene. He has directed 14 musicals and plays, including the musical “Behind the Painting,” from which “Waterfall” has been adapted. He’s also produced several shows on Broadway.

“Waterfall” features book and lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and music by David Shire. It is choreographed, and co-directed, by Dan Knechtges and the cast includes Emily Padgett, Thom Sesma, J. Elaine Marcos and Bie Sukrit.

Sukrit plays the student in his 20s, while Padgett is his 35-year-old lover married to a much older man.

“I think this role is just right for (Padgett),” Viravan said. “Her emotional love and her sincerity of emotions, she’s the Katherine we’ve been looking for. She and Bie have great chemistry together and that’s very important for a love story to work.”

New York City resident Padgett, who has been in “Side Show,” “Grease,” “Rock of Ages” and “Legally Blonde” on Broadway, has mutual admiration for Viravan.

“He’s so respected in Thailand, he’s such a huge deal there. He’s very collaborative. He lives to workshop things and try new things. This is his baby and he definitely has a vision,” she said.

Viravan also has the wisdom to have surrounded himself with a top-notch creative team to ensure the show will work for American audiences as well as its previous incarnation in Thailand, Padgett added.

She calls her character Katherine the “Western Wind,” as she is a force of nature who comes into a younger man’s life and makes him believe that despite his humble beginnings he can change the world.

“She is a New Yorker, she’s a socialite, she’s an artist. She’s just the most fun to play. She’s full of life and sees the beauty in everything,” Padgett said. “I think of her as the girl at the party who stays til the end and maybe goes on the roof, takes her shoes off and watches the sun rise, and that’s OK.

“Katherine is such a relatable character because she loves hard and she makes mistakes and she’s charming. I think having that kind of dynamic in this Thai show is going to be great for American audiences.”

In the book “Behind the Painting” and the movies, as well as Viravan’s 2008 musical, all of the characters were Thai. In this adaptation, Viravan wanted to connect with an international audience. The basic love story is universal, so the key was in the characters.

“When we changed the leading lady to be an American, that changed a lot and opened up into a whole new world of the difference of cultures, the difference of understanding the perception of the world and being able to open yourself to different kinds of beauty,” Viravan said.

Adding to this tale of romance and enlightenment is a lush musical score and a visually appealing set that includes a working waterfall. All this makes for a production boasting a classic feel blended into a modern presentation.

“I want the audience to just come and be taken on a journey,” Padgett said. “This is an epic love story where every character throughout the show changes in a dramatic way from beginning to end. It will be such a beautiful escape for audiences.”