Miss Saigon Philadelphia feat. Kunze, Chua & Martino

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 9:22pm

Miss Saigon, May 17 – July 17, 2011
Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-574-3550

Cast: Bobby Martino (the Engineer), Melinda Chua (Kim), Eric Kunze (Chris), Angelica-Lee Aspiras (Gigi), Philip Michael Baskerville (John), Mel Maghuyp (Thuy), & Kate Fahrner (Ellen).

More info: http://walnutstreettheatre.org/season/facts.php?id=187

Tickets

Updated On: 4/12/11 at 09:22 PM

[rjm516]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 9:30pm

Ah I'm so excited to see this! Glad it's a good long run (compared to other Philly shows). How great that Philly will have that and Next to Normal playing at the same time - it's like I live in NYC! (har har)

Don't know the cast, do you?

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 9:34pm

Next to Normal cast playing at Academy of Music?
Here you go: http://www.nexttonormal.com/tour_cast

For the rest of the Saigon cast: http://www.walnutstreettheatre.org/season/facts.php?id=187

Updated On: 4/12/11 at 09:34 PM

[rjm516]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 9:39pm

Right I meant the Saigon cast you listed! Thanks for the link. I should have been clearer and say I haven't heard of them, so I don't know whether they are good, but I'm sure they are!

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 9:55pm

This looks good!

I wonder who subs Thuy when Mel has to sub as the Engineer?

J.P. Moraga?

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 4/12/11 at 10:23pm

rjm516 - from the cast list, Bobby Martino, Melinda Chua, Eric Kunze, Mel Maghuyop & Jee Teo have performed in Miss Saigon on Broadway and national tours. Melinda Chua and Eric Kunze are both reprising the same roles from Broadway, tour and recent regional productions in Houston & Chicago. Melinda also performed the role of Kim in the New Zealand production.

Yes, they are very, very good! :)

Per the Engineer, the production is re-inventing Miss Saigon, with new sets and costumes including the interpretation. Preview is on May 17, opening night is May 25, with possible extensions.

I wish Philly is nearby...would love to see the new approach.

Updated On: 4/12/11 at 10:23 PM

[dstalksalot]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 12:17am

Melinda is a talent! Been wanting to see her do this role for years, but I have always been in the wrong city at the wrong time.

[sweetTb'way]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 12:24am

I'm looking forward to this - the cast looks top notch! And Miss Saigon has always been one of my favorites.
Just to add on.....Kate Fahrner who is playing Ellen has been Glinda in Wicked & covered Nellie on the LCT South Pacific tour. She just finished playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Engeman Theatre on Long Island.
Can't wait to see this!

[HistoryBoy2]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 5:26am

Ooh, Kunze is at last having a go at Chris? This should be so fresh and amazing!

Posted: 4/13/11 at 7:18am

I'm confused--hasn't Kunze been Chris at least once before--though I think more?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CunTBFrFHx8

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 8:12am

Eric Kunze was a replacement Chris in the original Broadway production. I think he might have also played the role regionally or on tour as well.

I also remember seeing him as Marius in Les Miz.

Think I might head over to Philadelphia to see this.

[HistoryBoy2]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 8:24am

I was of course being sarcastic. Kunze has played about three roles over and over and over throughout his entire career. Chris is one of them.

It's less funny now that I've had to explain it.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 11:51am

Ooh, Kunze is at last having a go at Chris? This should be so fresh and amazing!


LOLOLOLOL

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 4/13/11 at 2:26pm

did someone not tell Jennifer Paz that there was another production going on???

Posted: 4/14/11 at 2:54am

Ha Well I feel pretty idiotic or not catching on. :P

[maggiwun]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 8:51am

To clarify: Eric Kunze has done starring roles in Les Mis, Miss Saigon, Damn Yankees, on Broadway. First national tour of Miss Saigon, two years in the title role national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, the lead in national tour of Whistle Down the Wind, numerous symphony orchestral appearances which include The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Kennedy Center. Regionally, in addition to Saigon and Superstar he has done Godspell, Damn Yankees, Joseph and Evita. In the fall he will be doing a Sondheim show not yet announced. He has a new CD out which has done really well on Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby. A musical is being written for him. As one recent reviewer wrote, he is "at the top of his game".

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 9:48am

I'm waiting to hear about Sacramento Music Circus casting for Saigon this summer. I have a feeling it will be Kunze and Paz....we'll see.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 12:03pm

Not Max von Essen?!

[eiko]

Posted: 4/15/11 at 8:29pm

Yay!
Updated On: 4/15/11 at 08:29 PM

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 4/15/11 at 9:34pm

This show needs to come back to Broadway. NOW.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/15/11 at 10:14pm

Ooh, I've got a friend in the ensemble!

[rjm516]

Posted: 4/15/11 at 10:21pm

I'm so so excited to see this! I am so pleased with Philly's theatre scene in the past few years.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 4/15/11 at 10:27pm

Saw Kunze in a brilliant regional in 2008. Outstanding performance. My only complaint is he sang the show's two cheesy love ballads with this cheesy swaying motion and his eyes closed, lol.

Saw Jen Paz originally in the 1st national tour and again in the same regional in 2008. No complaints. That gal is ageless and her voice soars.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 4/16/11 at 1:56am

oh i saw Jen Paz in the 1st National Tour and then in the non-equity tour and then in two other regional productions... as much as I love her voice I kinda want to see someone else take on the role... give another Asian girl her big break! =)

[TheLadyoftheWood]

Posted: 4/16/11 at 2:04am

I performed in Miss Saigon at the Saint Louis Muny with Eric Kunze and he is a pretty stand up guy. Not too shabby looking either. Loved his voice and he was super sweet to all the cast. Then again that was like 4 summers ago... I hope he gets some news shows or material to perform in, unless he really really likes this show?