Music theatre history Essay

Miss Saigon is the tenth-longest cartroad Broadway musical cutdy in music theatre history, according to Hernandez (2009). much(prenominal) was its victory that it has toured all over the world since its opening day in April 1991 (Broadway Musical Home n. d. ). The plot of the hightail it is simple enough, a naval brutal in love with a young Vietnamese call girl while in Vietnam, serving in the Vietnam war (Music Theatre international n. d. ). He fathers her child but does non discover it until a some years later when he has a nonher family from coming back to the States (Music Theatre International n. d. ).In the play, he was forced to choose mingled with his legal wife and the womanhood he loves (Music Theatre International n. d. ). The composer of the songs in the musical is Claude-Michel Schonberg, the lyricists are Alain Boubil and Richard Maltby Jr. and the librettists are Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubil (Broadway Musical Home n. d. ). My let Over a decad e ago, I was fortunate enough to reckon a proceeds of Miss Saigon on Broadway with the original discombobulates. These casts were Hinton Battle, Barry K. Bernal, Liz Callaway, Kam Cheng, Willy Falk, Jonathan Pryce, Lea Salonga.I understand that Salonga and Pryce are Olivier and Tony award winners for their performances as Kim (the Vietnamese girl) and the conduct (the pimp) for this musical. tail then, I was so overwhelmed by the production. I thought the cast was marvellous Salonga was so good, so very convincing as Kim. She had much(prenominal) a powerful congressman, constant and unwavering, so pleasant to listen to. I was peradventure 10 or 11 when I saw that original production on Broadway, and it was an amazing experience. At the time, I could not fully cop the seriousness of the issues being tackled in the script.I just knew I like listening to the songs and I bought a CD to believe the play. When I was spend in Houston, Texas last February, I was fortunate enoug h to have the opportunity to see Miss Saigon again. I do not quite remember the Broadway actors who have played it, and to be honest, I have did not relent close attention, I simply wanted to see the reproduction of that Broadway play I remember from long ago. A quick search on Google tells me that this reproduction played at The Hobby Center for the Performing humanities was directed by Bruce Lumpkin.Kim, is played by Melinda Chua, Chris (the Marine) is played by Eric Kunze and Joseph Anthony plays the Engineer (BWW News Desk 2010). Having listened to the original casts CD of the play, the new cast vicious short of the vocal prowess I have come to love. As such, I was underwhelmed by the casting and their singing despite their various(prenominal) accomplishments in their craft. Salonga was just too strong a performer for me and her voice was perfect, in my opinion. The songs Sun and Moon and Last Night of the World did not have the certain charm they used to have with that rep roductions performance.What I am thankful for for this reviewing is that I fully understand now what Miss Saigon is all about. I remember the story from memory and I knew it had a tragic ending. However, this second watching of the film helped open my eye to the grave issues involved in the play. First, it talked about the horrors that war elicit do, peculiarly to the innocent. Kim was orphaned because of the war and being an orphan forced her to work in a night club where all sorts of horror bath be imagined. A third world country like Vietnam, would not missy the chance to serve the opposite for some good money.One detail scene that was intriguing for me was during the opening acts when the girls at the night club were competing to be Miss Saigon, the winner will be auctioned off to a Marine and the winner of such contest begged the Marine she was auctioned to to take her back to America, where she can live a better life. The Marine there refused. It shows how America is su ch the dream land for the third world country people. America that was their enemy in the war, who was killing their men in its continuous search for imperialism.Kim, in that night club met Chris, another Marine. Kim and Chris spent the night together, Chris was touched by the innocence of Kim and he tried to give her money so she can get away from the night club. Kim did not pass judgment the money, even for her tip off for spending a night with Chris. She was a virgin and she did not accept the money because, essentially she liked the experience and perhaps because she was developing feelings for Chris. Basically, Kim and Chris fell in love but Chris had to leave but before go away he promised Kim that he will come back and marry her.This of course, did not happen because of a series of events that thwarted their love. Chris married another woman and before the play ended, he was forced to choose between Kim and his wife, he chose his wife. Kim committed suicide and such was th e ending to this wonderful musical play. Such love story was poignant, evoking feelings of melancholy.References BWW News Desk. (2010). TUTS Announces Their MISS SAIGON Cast, Show Opens 2/9. BroadwayWorld. com Dallas.Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http//dallas.broadwayworld. com/article/TUTS_Announces_Their_MISS_SAIGON_Cast_Show_Opens_29_20100115 Broadway Musical Home. (n. d. ). Miss Saigon. Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http//www. broadwaymusicalhome. com/shows/misssaigon. htm Hernandez, E. (2009). Long Runs on Broadway. Playbill. com. Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http//www. playbill. com/celebritybuzz/article/75222-Long-Runs-on-Broadway Music Theater International. (n. d. ). Miss Saigon. Retrieved 21 July 2010 from http//www. mtishows. com/show_detail. asp? showid=000156