[.ca] Miss Saigon

From Amazon.com:
It's probably best known for raising the stakes for 1980s blockbuster shows by landing a helicopter on stage, but Miss Saigon is also a good show with good music. As a follow-up to their international smash Les Misérables, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (with an assist from Richard Maltby Jr.) adapted the tale of Madame Butterfly to the Vietnam War, realized here by the original 1989 London cast. While it may seem overheated at times, the despair and passion fit the tragic story, and Schönberg's pop-flavored style receives its most appropriate setting. Leading the cast are Jonathan Pryce as the Engineer (a Eurasian character whose casting generated some controversy when the producers wanted to have Pryce, a Caucasian, reprise the role on Broadway), Lea Salonga (in her first major role) as the young Vietnamese bride, Simon Bowman as her lover, and Claire Moore as his American wife (and a young Ruthie Henshall as one of the sweaty bargirls). The songs include the bawdy opener "The Heat Is on in Saigon," "The Movie in My Mind," "Why God Why," the romantic duet "The Last Night of the World," the female duet "I Still Believe," the male chorus number "Bui-Doi," and the Engineer's mocking "The American Dream." The booklet includes photographs and full lyrics. It's also available in a 58-minute highlights version. --David Horiuchi

Puccini Wallows In His Grave:
Again, the same two jerks who sent Victor Hugo's bones rolling are now doing the same favor for Puccini. Not that he wasn't rolling after "Rent" anyways, but now another opera of his, Madame Butterfly, is now reset in Vietnam as a pop opera. Ew. Anybody can write "sung through pop musicals." Why are they so popular? They take no thought to write. Pop is one o short of poop. Get a clue, Schonberg. Knibb High Football rules!

Outstanding, very moving musical!:
Just saw the show at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. Wow! What a great musical! Heart-wrenching story, emotionally-laden songs, powerful performances. The cast was superb! Now, I wish I had seen it when the amazing Lea Salonga was doing Kim. See the show on tour and definitely grab a copy of the original recording!

Outstanding!:
A very powerful and touching musical INSPIRED by M. Butterfly and performed by a first-rate cast. If pop opera were to give Puccini a tribute, this would be the most respectful and the most inspiring production that any topnotch theater can mount. Bravo!

OUTSTANDING!:
One of the best musicals ever produced, featuring one of the greatest musical theater actresses (Lea Salonga) to ever grace the stage!

Absolutely brilliant!:
The musical is powerful and touching while the cast is superb! Lea Salonga performs to perfection one of the most difficult roles ever created in pop musical history. The show is a must-see (U.S. and U.K tours plus productions around the world still ongoing) and the original album a must-buy!

• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: Overture - The Orchestra
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Heat Is on in Saigon
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Movie in My Mind
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Dance - Chris, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: Why God Why? - Chris, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: This Money's Yours
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: Sun and Moon
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Telephone Song
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Deal
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Ceremony (Dju Vui Va - Chris, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: What's This I Find - Chris, Kim,
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Last Night of the Wo - Chris, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Ho Chi Minh City - April 1978: The Morning of
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Ho Chi Minh City - April 1978: I Still Believ - Ellen, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Ho Chi Minh City - April 1978: This Is the Ho - Kim, People, ,
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Ho Chi Minh City - April 1978: If You Want to
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Ho Chi Minh City - April 1978: Let Me See His
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Ho Chi Minh City - April 1978: I'd Give My Li - Kim,
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Atlanta - September 1978: Bui-Doi
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Atlanta - September 1978: The Revelation
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bankok - October 1978: What a Waste
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bankok - October 1978: Please
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Saigon - April 1975: The Fall of Saigon - Ellen, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bangkok - October 1978: Room 317
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bangkok - October 1978: Her or Me
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bangkok - October 1978: The Confrontation - Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bangkok - October 1978: The American Dream - Chris, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bangkok - October 1978: The Sacred Bird - Gigi Dover, Kim
• Miss Saigon, Musical Play/Bangkok - October 1978: Finale - Chris, , Kim