Miss Saigon- Page 4

[darkfacegood]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 9:56pm

Mattbrain...

"that show will hold a very special place in my heart"

I think anyone who's been involved with this show feels the same way...I know I do!

[chino]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 10:20pm

"Meera Popkin was Lea Salonga's immediate successor in the West End while Monique Wilson continued as the alternate Kim. I think Popkin is Malaysian, but I could be wrong."

Really? All the while I thought that Monique took over the role! Wow! Well, I would love to see Monique to be Kim but she's quite old now for the role.... A Filipina named KC Concepcion could possibly do the role...

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:29pm

I'm familiar with KC Concepcion but I'm not sure she has the vocal range to tackle Kim.

[chino]

Posted: 7/8/08 at 11:53pm

You know what, I watched a video of her singing, I have to agree with you...

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 1:20am

i would rather that they cast an unknown as KIM... like they do what they did with lea salonga... go on a worldwide search for the newest star... you can't really stunt cast this show... i guess possibly Chris...

and going back... and i've said this in many posts... miss saigon is such an underrated show... yes underrated NOT overrated... people focus waaaay too much on the helicopter scene (which is definitely needed and when a director REALLY understands the scene can be quite an amazing emotinoal scene)... it's such an emotional show about a woman's journey... so very intimate... regional productions are doing it with the helicopter and it's not grand... maybe because they use smaller stages and stuff... anyways... another thing... this show is all about perfomances... if you get really bad actors and no chemistry with the leads.. th show will be awful and will lose all intimacy and poignancy... i've seen people so wonderful in the roles that you forget some of the cheesey lyrics because you actually BUY what they are saying... for example.... SUN AND MOON has such generic lyrics... but whenever i see two actors who get that this song is about falling in love pretty much instantly then you get what they are saying to each other... which moves right into the telephone song... cheesy song but it's all about Chris' emotional status.. he's so in love that he's like a child at chistmas... (hence the lyrics)... and like i've said... i'v seen horrible actors in the role and it was like... wow this song is kinda lame... sorry for rambling... get what i mean?

and on a side note... i had a friend in college... he was 18 and he told me that he saw an ad in the paper wanting Asians for a musical... so he went and he was embarrassed becaus he found out when he got there they were casting for TAM in Miss Saigon... apparently he didn't catch that... he felt like such an ass! hahaha

[BWNUT]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 1:10pm

The actor in this thread's title is one of the few Chrisses I've seen who was able to completely sell to the audience some of those lame, banal, cheesy lyrics IMHO.
Updated On: 7/9/08 at 01:10 PM

[darkfacegood]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 3:58pm

wow eatlasagna that's pretty embarrassing for your friend lol.

speaking of embarrassing moments...has anyone ever heard of any performance mishaps or screwups?

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 7:52pm

i didn't see this mishap but i have it on audio tape and my friend told me what happened... essentially during the nightmare sequence when KIM (here played by deedee magno) runs up to the gate and sings "i must get in there listen anyone, pleaes tell my husband look i have his gun"... deedee basically runs up to the gate and knocks herself out for a few seconds because all you hear is "i must get... then quiet... gun"... quite interesting to listen to...

oh and i have the infamous recording of the ensemble member who on closing performance says after the wedding ceremony song "i don't really like that song"... it was funny.. you could hear some of the audience members laugh...

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 9:08pm

- Eric Kunze was one amazing Chris on Broadway and he hasn't aged at all. The MUNY production will be another hit.

- Norm Lewis (Broadway) and Ronn Smith (Manila) were amazing as John.

- KC Concepcion does not have the vocal chops for Kim. She can sing but not powerful enough to belt the high notes nor can sustain it.

- Kim's Nightmare is the highlight of the production so, it cannot be omitted. The ending of the segment is quite powerful -Sun and Moon Reprise.

I was fortunate to see the farewell performance on Broadway with Lea Salonga, Will Chase, Luoyong Wang, Ruthie Henshall and Mike Lee. Probably the best performance ever and something I will never forget. The ensemble was on fire and there were so much emotions that night.

For the revival, it would be fine to cast unknowns. But for Buidoi's sake, no stunt casting!

Updated On: 7/9/08 at 09:08 PM

[darkfacegood]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 9:38pm

eatlasagna...

I was sitting in the 6th row and I heard that slip loud and clear. I remember people talking about it at the cast party but I can't remember who it was that said it lol.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 10:00pm

It was Cristina Ablaza.

[AKDPerformer]

Posted: 7/9/08 at 10:30pm

I don't see a revival happening anytime within the next 3 years but I hope and cross my fingers all the time that this amazing show will be bought back to life someday.

[Colle]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 8:46am

If she can sing and act as well as she dances, I can see Katee Shean(current contestant on "So You Think You Can Dance")being in a future production(community or revival) of "Miss Saigon."

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 10:31am

Like I said, I'd love to see Kim played by an actual Vietnamese girl.

[BWNUT]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 12:49pm

Judging from the "Making Of MS," Mackintosh and co. saw a lot of Vietnamese girls but none made the grade, mostly for limited vocal prowess.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 12:53pm

I just remember the one Vietnamese girl who was actually a boat person. She didn't have the vocal chops and they decided that she also didn't look "innocent" enough. Which is fine.

Still, there has got to be some young Vietnamese girl out there who can sing Broadway-style.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/10/08 at 2:47pm

MISS SAIGON was my 1st broadway show! Of course, I LOVE IT! It was my FIRST TIME. I saw it on May 2, 1992- with almost all the ORIGINAL CAST with Lea Salonga!

Knowing me, I always bring my camera (its my signature!) I have a photo of that SPECIAL DAY!!! Ever since I got hooked up on Broadway! 16 years later.. I think I have seen almost 2,000 shows on Broadway!!!

"Without Miss Saigon, there will be no J*! "


My first Broadway show
May 2, 1992 Sunday


BTW- I still have my Miss Saigon 1992 Playbill, just saw it the other day. I will scan it later and post it!

J*






Updated On: 7/10/08 at 02:47 PM

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 7/11/08 at 10:18pm

Do post the pictures from playbill!!

[jdizzel009]

Posted: 7/12/08 at 4:30am

I want it to i luv the music and now im dying 2 c the show

[changinandhow]

Posted: 7/16/08 at 11:26pm

The rest of the MUNY cast was announced...

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119530.html

"The cast will boast Francis Jue as The Engineer, Ma-Anne Dionisio as Kim, Eric Kunze as Chris, Josh Tower as John, Michael K. Lee as Thuy, Kathy Voytko as Ellen, Sam Poon as Tam, Joanne Javien as Gigi, Billy Bustamante as the Assistant Commissar, Francis Cruz as the Owner of the Moulin Rouge and Tracy Baker as Schultz."

[Colle]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 9:30am

Wow! Ma-Anne Dionisio is returning to the role of Kim. I wish I could travel to St.Louis, I loved her in Les Mis.

[NDR]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 4:15pm

So wish I could go see it at MUNY!

[ShowOff2008]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 5:52pm

WELL WHY USE OUR IMAGINATION AND BE CREATIVE WHEN WE CAN USE PROJECTIONS FOR THE ENTIRE SHOW!

UGH WY DONT WE JUST SHOW A MOVIE VERSION

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/17/08 at 11:15pm

Whaaaat? Sorry, couldn't hear you over all the shouting!

[erineloise]

Posted: 7/18/08 at 1:00am

I'd love to see it done again on Broadway, but I don't understand why everyone would want to see the same production as last time is was on Broadway. I guess I just don't understand that. The beauty of theatre, to me, if it really is good theatre, is that it can be seen a million different ways by a million different people. There is no right or wrong way to do a show. But it seems like with musicals more than straight shows, people are afraid to branch out and stray from the original.

I personally love Saigon and think a revival on Broadway is due soon!