Why did Miss Saigon close when it did?

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 5/11/05 at 7:19pm

Just asking, because it was only a couple of months away from the ten-year mark, right?

[MusicMan]

Posted: 5/11/05 at 8:58pm

Everybody dies.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/11/05 at 9:11pm

I saw an interview with Cameron Mackintosh that Debbie Gibson gave as part of an "on the aisle" 30 minute countdown to SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE on Pay-Per-View and Cameron said that like CATS he felt that the show had a fantastic run and wanted it to close on top instead of lingering on and on and losing appeal... those are his words not mine... :-/

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/11/05 at 9:44pm

Unfortunately I was one of the few people who couldn't understand why it stayed open as long as it did.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/11/05 at 10:54pm

No, I do feel that it was an important show to have on Broadway. Damn, the one long-running show with Asian actors and I was too young to be in it (or too old to be Tam). Thank goodness for Lea Salonga is all I'm saying.

~Steven

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 5/11/05 at 11:00pm

The music I think, exceeds the majority of musicals ever written (in greatness); however the subject matter of the show is such that you feel numb at the end. Even someone like me who adores the show; I would choose to see some other show rather than this one because of the way it makes me feel at the end.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 5/11/05 at 11:11pm

"The music...exceeds the majority of musicals ever written (in greatness)..."

A statement that could make the baby Jesus cry.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 12:32am

It just seems like they were SO close to ten solid years, why stop then.

I recently saw the tour in Fort Worth, and it was phenomenal, especially Kim. I was very irritated, however, that the show just ended...couldn't we atleast get like a This Is the Hour reprise to sum it up, and not just dim the lights so that I see Kim get up and walk off stage?

[Racetrack]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 12:43am

I was never able to see it on Broadway, but luckily enough I recently saw a local production done here and loved it. I knew the story and what happened in the end, but I still love the story. I personally never felt numb at the end(sure I cried, but didn't feel numb) and felt incredibly entertained.

I have to say I like the ending with Chris and everyone. The last person we saw the lights on was Tam which made the impact of the story hit home a little harder. In the production I saw I could actually feel bad for Chris, which I'd never been able to really experience before. And I liked that.

Sometimes some things just have to end. I say if you're lucky enough to catch the tour or your theatre does a more localized production go see it.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 1:36am

Hmm, someone needs to talk to the lighting guy/gal if you can see Kim walk away at the end.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:12am

rentaholic... I'm quite sure you saw the same production we had in Seattle. I had several friends in it.

I personally found the show uninspired... not the production, but didn't care for the music at all. It just seemed like Les Miserables re-hashed.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:26am

I have the same problem with the show, DayDreamer. And the show also sounds similar to itself. They recycle the same damn melody for like every plot moving confrontation song.

[phantom_tenor]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:28am

....just a bad version of les mis, with inferior book and lyrics

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:40am

Les Mis? Don't you mean M Butterfly?

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:44am

It's the M Butterfly story... but the music was done by the same people that did Les Miz... and you can tell.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 2:58am

Ah, I see. Thanks, DayDreamer.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 3:14am

Why is it a bad thing to be able to tell when two shows had the same creative team?

[mikewood]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 8:57am

One problem I had with Miss Saigon when I finally saw it was the "Dust of Life" song...I don't the Vietnamese phrase in front of me. It was kind of a heavy handed political song that broke into the ebb and flow of the play. Thing was i was seeing more than 25 years after the fall of Saigon. The absolute youngest Vietnam war baby was 25, almost 30 now. It's a nice song but if Miss Saigon ever comes back...some of course will say "God forbid"...they need to tone the "save the children" stuff.

[mikewood]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 8:59am

Aside from the doomed prostitute with a heart of gold with a child to raise, what does Les Miz and Miss Saigon have in common?

er, uh...never mind.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 9:28am

I loved the show too. I first saw it at Westchester Dinner Theatre last summer, and I'll honestly say I bawled more at the end than I think I did for any other work of fiction I've read/seen. But I agree it didn't make me feel numb, I still really love the show, and really enjoyed seeing it a second time as the nonequity tour in DC. I have the OLC highlights CD and it's one of the few CDs I think I could listen to over and over without getting sick of it.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 10:58am

I had no objection to 'Bui Doi' - it was at the top of the sedcond act, so I didn't feel it badly affected the flow. And it fits in with the story as well - the whole motivation for the Kims actions at the finale in fact

Even taking that song as a 'save the children' rant - Vietnam isn't the only country America has invaded. Even if the Vietnam war babies are now grown up, it's entirely possible that a similar situation could come to light in Iraq?

[mikewood]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:26am

I have no problem with the song itself...just its use as a heavy handed political message...complete with an overly long montage of children in their late 20's and 30's now.

Don't remove the song, remove the political agenda. The emotional resonance will last longer.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:41am

"A statement that could make the baby Jesus cry."


Thats why I put "I think" in front of my statement, cause it's what I think. Not what you think.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:46am

Was I right to say Ruthie was the last Ellen on Broadway?
btw, just curious, anyone seen her in the show?
My CHICAGO the musical group!!!

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 5/12/05 at 11:53am

Don't worry Eponine. I don't think MusicMan has ever made a single positive statement on this board, ever.