LIHU‘E — Jason Blake has every intention of raising the theatrical bar on Kaua‘i with his upcoming production of the hit musical “Miss Saigon.” “It’s the most professional cast that’s ever been put together from people who already live on
LIHU‘E — Jason Blake has every intention of raising the theatrical bar on Kaua‘i with his upcoming production of the hit musical “Miss Saigon.”
“It’s the most professional cast that’s ever been put together from people who already live on Kaua‘i,” said Blake, who has spent the last two years on the production. “It’s going to be a great show.”
“Miss Saigon” will open May 17 and run for two weekends at the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center in Puhi.
Based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly,” the musical similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover, according to a release for the event. The setting of the plot is relocated to the 1970s Saigon during the Vietnam War, and Madame Butterfly’s story of marriage between an American lieutenant and Japanese girl is replaced by a romance between an American GI and a Vietnamese bar girl.
Created by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil — the masterminds behind “Les Miserables” — “Miss Saigon” is the 11th longest-running Broadway musical in musical theater history.
Blake, who saw “Miss Saigon” on Broadway in 1991, said the story is both emotional and touching.
“You have the time of your life and then you could be crying within the first 10 minutes,” he said. “It kind of opens up the wound of Vietnam.”
While he doesn’t consider it R-rated, Blake said “Miss Saigon” is “racy.”
The show culminates in a show-stopping production number called “The American Dream,” in which female cast members are “dolled up” like Hollywood starlets as The Engineer, a glorified pimp, dreams of building a life in America, according to Blake. The deal-making Engineer ends up enmeshed in a love story, trying to hitch a visa into the U.S.
As for the music, Blake described it as “epic” and “enchantingly beautiful.”
“There are five to 10 songs that, if you like musicals, stay with you forever,” he said. “It’s really a modern American opera, but it has mass public appeal.”
The production will feature a group of professional Kaua‘i-based singers, including Kaua‘i High School graduate Juno Apalla starring as the lead role of Kim; long-time Kaua‘i resident Stephen Pinzer as the sleazy but likable Engineer; and Robert Carrasco, a new island resident with Broadway and national tour credits, playing the role of American G.I. Christopher Scott.
Other featured Kaua‘i favorites include Thom Newman, Dolly Kanekuni, Daphne Sanchez, Pua Laa Norwood, Bud Soria and more.
“There’s never been a collection of voices like this together on Kaua‘i,” said Blake, adding that everyone in the show has sung at the professional level.
In addition to a star-studded cast, Blake said he spared no expense on costumes, set designs and special effects.
“The pieces are all in place,” he said. “Is there still work to be done? Absolutely. It’s a huge show.”
The original Broadway production of “Miss Saigon” was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Three of its lead characters won Tony Awards, including Lea Salonga, who was made famous for her role as the original Kim. In February, Salonga performed in front of a sell-out crowd at KCC.
Performances of “Miss Saigon” will be held May 17, 18, 24, 25 and 26 beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $65 per person and can be purchased at select ticket outlets, online or at concierge desks. A portion of the profits will benefit disabled veterans on Kaua‘i.
The production is produced by Blake, directed by Brenda Turville and choreographed by Carol Culver.
If the five-show debut is a success, Blake has plans to make the production a weekly event at KCC.
Information: www.missaigonkauai.com or email info@misssaigonkauai.com.
