Tragic love story plays out in
Miss Saigon before packed CCT house
Reviewed by Joe Blenkle/Sacramento Stage & Theatre
Greg Stone stars as Chris in the National Tour of Cameron Mackintosh's MISS SAIGON, playing in Sacramento May 13 through June 5. Photo by Joan Marcus
CAST:
The Engineer - Joseph A. Foronda
Kim - Kym Hoy
Gigi - Mika Nishida
Mimi - Kristi Tomooka
Yvette - Joyce M. Bautista
Yvonne - Brenna Quan
Bar Girls - Kim-E J. Balmilero, Moon Hi Hanson, Maryann Hu, Adrienne Sam, Vivian M. Sam, Monette Velasco
Chris - Greg Stone
John - Eugene Barry-Hill
Marines - Hallam Banfield, Michael Scott Bright, Brian Cooper, Feliciano Gonzales, Cliffton Hall, Lonnie L. Henderson, Damian Keenan, Maik Lohse-Paras, Christopher Lee Michaels, Robb Edward Morris, Don Nahaku, Ronn K. Smith
Barmen - Amado Labez Cacho, Manu Narayan, Phong Truong, Niall M. Yoshizumi
Vietnamese Officers - Orville Mendoza, Moni Veluz
Hustlers - Johnny Fernandez, Jee Teo, Harold Yi
Bartender - Peggy Trecker
Thuy - Bonifacio Deoso, Jr.
Embassy Workers, Inhabitants of Saigon, Vendors - The Company
Ellen - Jacquelyn Piro
Tam - Carly Michiko Moran
Assistant Commisar - Amado Labez Cacho
Guards - Johnny Fernandez, Orville Mendoza
Dragon Acrobats - Feliciano Gonzales, Lonnie L. Henderson, Robb Edward Morris
Vietnames Soldiers - Michael Scott Bright, Johnny Fernandez, Don Nahaku, Manu Narayan, Jee Teo, Phong Truong, Harold Yi, Niall M. Yoshizumi
Citizens of Ho Chi Minh City, Refugees - The Company
    Sacramento Light Opera Association always finds a way to top themselves when it comes to closing out the Broadway Series season.
    This year's extravaganza was the hit Broadway musical MISS SAIGON, playing at the Sacramento Community Center Theater through June 5.
    MISS SAIGON tells a deep story for a musical - and for those of us that can remember the Vietnam war, it touches memories of a time filled with deep emotions, both of love and hate, as well as great confusion.
    As MISS SAIGON opens, it's Saigon in the year 1975, and some marines are out for some fun at a local bar run by The Engineer (Joseph Anthony Foronda). The Engineer sells the marines tickets for a contest for "Miss Saigon" - the winner gets whatever prostitute he holds the ticket for and she's crowned "Miss Saigon."
    On this particular night, Chris (Greg Stone) and his buddy John (Eugene Barry-Hill) are in the bar. The Engineer has gotten in a beautiful new girl - Kim - and John decides to buy his buddy this lovely Vietnamese girl for the night.
    Unexpectedly, however, Chris falls in love with Kim and the two are married.
    Tragically the lovers are ripped apart when Saigon falls and the U.S. military are evacuated. Kim is left in Vietnam, while Chris returns to the United States.
    Kim lives a life of poverty in Vietnam and Chris, eventually gives up on trying to find his lost love. He marries a beautiful woman named Ellen (Jacquelyn Piro) and settles down.
    But can life ever be settled after living through such tragic times? Chris is haunted by Kim's memory, but can't bring himself to share his problems with Ellen. John has become a champion of the many children born to Vietnamese women - with American fathers. He discovers that Kim has had Chris' baby and sets out to reunite them with tragic results.
    MISS SAIGON is beautifully done, tugging your emotions every way possible. You share Chris and Kim's happiness, the sorrow of the tragedy that pulls them apart, the love Kim feels for her child, and the hope that she will be reunited with Chris.
    The sets and costumes are fantastic and the cast puts on a show you won't believe.
    All the major cast members were exceptional, but the real show stealer was Joseph Anthony Foronda in the role of The Engineer. The Engineer's main goal in life is getting a visa to the United States and his sometimes serious, sometimes comedic approach to reaching his goal is a common thread throughout the show. He finally settles on using Kim's child - Tam - as the means to reach his goal. He becomes Kim's "brother" hoping the family of an American soldier will be permitted to enter the United States. Even though he is doing it for the wrong reason, The Engineer becomes Kim and Tam's protector until he hopefully finds his dream of becoming a United States citizen.
    If you haven't yet seen MISS SAIGON, do yourself a favor and catch this outstanding musical before it leaves town.
    MISS SAIGON plays May 13 through June 5 - evenings at 8 p.m. and Thursday, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets range in price from $15 to $65 and are now on sale at the Community Center Theater box office, 1301 L Street, Sacramento; the Broadway Series box office, 1419 H Street, Sacramento; and all BASS Ticket outlets. To charge by phone, call (916) 557-1999, (916) 264-5181, or (916) 923-BASS.
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