‘Saigon’ on stage

I have been fortunate to attend quite a few shows at the theater. I have always loved going to musicals the best. For some shows I go in with a fresh slate, knowing only the basic details. Others I have seen before or am familiar with the source material.

“Miss Saigon” was one musical I was introduced to during my college years. It wasn’t on stage; however, it was through the music. One of my college roommates shared her copies of “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Misérables” with my twin sister, Trish, and I. But she didn’t stop there. She told us if we liked those musicals, we had to listen to “Miss Saigon.” It is written by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, the same writing team as “Les Mis.”

She was right. Both Trish and I became obsessed with the soundtrack. Hearing the voices of the theater greats Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce was enough to draw you in. We dreamed of seeing it on stage some day, only to discover it had taken a hiatus.

Last fall, I heard of a U.S. revival tour of the show. I eagerly awaited the tour schedule to see if the show would make a stop close enough for me to attend.

When the dates at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Neb., were announced, I was giddy with excitement. I immediately clued Trish in on the dates, and she blocked out that weekend in her calendar. We were not going to miss our chance.

What made the location even better was I was able to see one of my best friends, Kate, in the process. She was thrilled when I asked her to go with us and even invited us to stay with her while we were in town. I knew it was going to be a great weekend.

When June 1 finally arrived, Trish, Kate and I were at the theater ready to see “Miss Saigon” unfold before us. “Miss Saigon” is set during the end of the Vietnam War, just prior to the United States’ departure. The story revolves around a young Vietnamese girl who falls in love with an American soldier.

First, I must say Emily Bautista was brilliant as Kim. She is the anchor of the entire story, and Bautista blew me away with her talent and command of the stage. “Miss Saigon” is a love story, so it would be nothing without a strong male in the role of Chris. Anthony Festa was perfect for the role. He had great chemistry with Bautista and made you truly invest in their story.

The Engineer is not my favorite character, but he is arguably the biggest character of the entire show. Red Concepción plays this crazy, selfish person perfectly. Even though I don’t like him as a character, the plot wouldn’t happen without him.

The music was phenomenal, of course, just as I knew it would be after years of listening to it. One of the notable differences was for the character of Ellen (Stacie Bono). In the revival, she sings a song called “Maybe” in the second act which replaced the song “Now That I’ve Seen Her” from the original production. I loved it. It was a beautiful song and set a slightly different tone for the character. Ellen’s character is in a tough spot; she’s “the other woman” after all. But this “Maybe” song highlights more of the potential heartbreak as Chris must choose between her or Kim. Beyond that, there were a few minor lyric changes here and there, and if I hadn’t been so familiar with the original cast recording, I wouldn’t have even noticed.

I loved seeing the staging of the show. A mind can only picture so much. It exceeded my expectations. When the helicopter comes on stage in Act 2, I was in awe. I knew it was coming, but seeing it live was more than I could have ever imagined.

“Miss Saigon” is a tragic tale filled with “what ifs” and sacrifices. I am so thankful I was finally able to see this show live on stage. It was an unforgettable performance.

Contact Pam Pratt at
pampratt@newtondailynews.com