Melbourne audiences will experience Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s award-winning musical Miss Saigon, when it officially opens tonight for a strictly limited 7-week season.
Miss Saigon has returned to Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre 16 years after it was last performed on the same stage, following a successful season at Sydney Opera House where the production received roaring reviews. This Tony and Olivier Award winning production will play in Melbourne until 16th December 2023.
Miss Saigon features a spectacular full 24-piece orchestra and a sensational local cast of 42, representing all corners of the Asia-Pacific and including some of the next big stars of the Australian stage.
Leading the stellar Australian cast is internationally acclaimed performer Seann Miley Moore in the role of The Engineer, joined by 19-year-old newcomer Abigail Adriano and Nigel Huckle as Chris. Along with Kerrie Anne Greenland as Ellen, Nick Afoa as John, Laurence Mossman as Thuy, and Kimberley Hodgson in the role of Gigi.
Completing the company is Billy Bourchier, Gabriel Brasilio, Ellie Chan, Shannon Cheong, Celine Cleveland, David Duketis, Natasha Dumlao, Gelina Enriquez, Annie-Lenore Hanman, Sara Haruta, Leyton Holmes, Mikaila Imaguchi, Graeme Isaako, Patrick Jeremy, Hamish Johnston, Nicholas Kong, Winchester Lopez, Grady Lynch, Robbie Mejica, Bailey Nathan-Park, Matthew Nguyen, Tetsuya Okubo, Atsushi Okumura, David Ouch, Tony Oxybel, Sam Richardson, Annabelle Rosewarne, Jack Connor Rowan, Trevor Santos, Kara Sims, Asmara Soekotjo, Simon Tichelaar, Tamsyn Thomas, Louisa Vilinne and Sam Ward.
Since it first premiered on the West End the epic production has won 70 major theatre awards, including three Tonys and two Oliviers. Miss Saigon has been performed in 15 different languages, in over 32 countries and 350 cities. Boublil and Schönberg’s captivating score includes The Heat is On in Saigon, The Movie in My Mind, Last Night of the World and The American Dream.
The musical tells the story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim, who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For three years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son.
Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Miss Saigon opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim. It then opened on Broadway and a hugely successful US Tour followed with The New Yorker calling it “A Dynamite Broadway revival.”
The Daily Telegraph (UK) wrote, “This thrilling new production spills out beyond theatre and speaks directly to the times we live in – magnificent performances.” The Daily Mail said, “The greatest musical of all-time just got even better!” and The London Times called the production “thrilling, soaring and spectacular.”
Miss Saigon has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler. The new production is directed by Laurence Connor with musical staging by Bob Avian and additional choreography by Geoffrey Garratt.
Production design is by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley based on an original concept by Adrian Vaux; costume design by Andreane Neofitou; lighting design by Bruno Poet; projections by Luke Halls; sound design by Mick Potter; and orchestrations by William David Brohn. Music supervision is by Alfonso Casado Trigo and Guy Simpson.
Miss Saigon
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Season continues to 16 December 2023
Bookings: www.ticketek.com.au
Festival Theatre – Adelaide Festival Centre, King William Road, Adelaide
Season from 2 January 2024
Bookings: www.ticketek.com.au
For more information, visit: www.miss-saigon.com.au for details.
Image: Abigail Adriano as Kim in the Australian production of Miss Saigon – photo by Daniel Boud