By Tracey Dee Rauh
Managing Editor of Features
There are feel-good musicals that leave theatergoers with a foot-tapping, care-free kind of sentiment. And then there are those of a rarer sort, that leave viewers pensive, perhaps sad, and maybe even a little bit shocked by what they’ve witnessed.
“Miss Saigon” is of the latter genre. This powerful, emotionally jarring production directed by Paul Dobie at John Lane’s Ogunquit Playhouse will haunt ticket holders long after curtain call.
Having opened on Broadway in 1991 and garnered 11 Tony Award nominations, “Miss Saigon” is inspired by Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly.” That the score, effects and overall ambience harken to “Les Miserables” is no coincidence, as the plays share composers Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil, who collaborated with Richard Maltby Jr. to create “Miss Saigon.”
Beyond its incredible operatic score, the great genius of the production lies in its insight into the conflicting psyches and perspectives of the lead and supporting characters, who individually navigate the fallout of Vietnam as survivors in that country and soldiers who have returned to America.On a broader stroke, “Miss Saigon” is a hard-hitting reminder of how the destruction of war ripples from individuals, to families, to communities, societies and on and on.
Set in 1975 shortly before the Fall of Saigon, the story begins with the brief love affair of Kim (Jennifer Paz), a naive Vietnamese bar girl, and Chris (Gregg Goodbrod), an American G.I. It ends with their tragic reunion years later, prompted by Tam, the 3-year-old son Chris learns he left behind.
On the journey between these two points, viewers come to empathize with Kim, who tenaciously grips the hope that Chris will one day return for her and Tam and give them a better life in America; Chris, the traumatized soldier who upon returning home desperately needs to get on with life despite his heartbreak; Ellen (Amanda Rose), his confused and jealous American wife; and even Engineer (Raul Aranas), the French-Vietnamese club owner on a relentless search for a ticket, any ticket, to United States citizenship.
The quality of the production in Ogunquit cannot be overstated. Short on dance and fluff, “Miss Saigon” requires bold direction, high-quality voices and acting, and impressive effects. All are delivered here — right down to the renowned, signature helicopter scene.
In a Saturday, Sept. 24, matinee performance, Paz didn’t miss a line nor a note as Kim, the 17-year old for whom Chris falls during a particularly raucous night at Engineer’s sleazy club, Dreamland.
Goodbrod is believable and compelling as Chris, somewhat shaking the venue with his booming vocals and impressive range, most breathtakingly in “Why God, Why?” Duets between the two deliver highlights of the production, in numbers like “Sun & Moon” and “Last Night of the World.”
Aranas as the delightfully deceptive and self-interested Engineer is a welcome distraction from the play’s heaviness. He hits a high-note in the show-stopper, “The American Dream.” And a review of this production would be remiss without mentions of the formidable performances of Rose as Ellen, and Nik Walter as the American G.I., John.
The Broadway run of “Miss Saigon” ended in 2001 after 4,092 performances. This makes “Miss Saigon,” the last show of the season at The Ogunquit Playhouse, a particularly special opportunity for theatergoers here.
This is a timeless story, for while it’s set in Vietnam, it’s also the story of all war — including the current prolonged conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as Dobie reminds in his Director’s Notes.
“Whether justified or not, war is always messy, with cruel consequences,” he writes. “Those who forget history are bound to repeat it. … Sometimes it’s up to the arts to remind us of the truth.”
IF YOU GO
What: “Miss Saigon.”
Where: The Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main St., Ogunquit, Maine.
When: Through Sunday, Oct. 23.
How: For tickets and show times call 207- 646-5511, or visit http://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.
