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TMP stages touching ‘Miss Saigon’

By Krista Curry

Loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly,” the wildly successful musical from Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boubil, “Miss Saigon,” ran 10 years both in London and New York. The musical is an ambitious project for Tacoma Musical Playhouse (TMP). Directed and choreographed by Jon Douglas Rake with music director Jeffrey Stvrtecky, they have managed to competently scale it down from the $10.9 million Broadway production.

“Miss Saigon” opens at a seedy nightclub during the Vietnam War, where American soldiers go for the Vietnamese prostitutes. Kim (April Villanueva), a scared 17-year-old, is beginning her job as one of the girls. Her virginal attitude and appearance catches the attention of Chris (Aaron Freed), an American, whose friend John (Scott Polovitch-Davis) buys her for the night for Chris from the girls’ pimp, The Engineer (Michael O’Hara).

It seems to be kismet – Chris and Kim fall immediately and madly in love. Circumstances of the war soon separate them, and Kim is left behind – with their unborn son. Three years later, she is still dreaming of being reunited with Chris and hoping for a better life for their son Tam (Brian Goodnite or Peter Belen). The Engineer sees the half-American Tam as his ticket into America, so he manages to arrange for them to leave Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).

The show is a pop opera and vocally demanding. Thankfully, every soloist in TMP’s production is more than up to the challenge – and all give convincing acting performances as well. “Miss Saigon” sometimes borders on melodrama, but the actors’ sincerity manages to keep it fairly authentic.

Villanueva has a lovely voice, soft and lyrical. Her Kim is hopeful and determined, and it is easy to become emotionally invested in her journey. All of her songs are beautiful and heartfelt – particularly touching is “I’d Give My Life For You,” her song to her son. Freed’s voice is also excellent; his tone matches the sweetness of the character perfectly. His plaintive solo in the first act (“Why God, Why?”) is a highlight due both to his wonderful voice and sincere delivery.

Polovitch-Davis gives an excellent performance and his “Bui Doi,” a song lamenting the children they had left behind in Vietnam, is vocally effortless and emotionally affecting. As the intimidating Thuy, Kim’s promised husband, George Ngo earns sympathy in what could be a simply villainous role.

As The Engineer, O’Hara commands the stage. His singing voice is powerful and he easily carries his numbers. He provides much-needed comic relief throughout the show, yet he is not only a comedic character. The Engineer is alternately slimy, cunning, powerful and pathetic, and O’Hara plays each trait beautifully. During the second act, a delighted murmur arose from the audience each time he appeared onstage. “The American Dream” is quickly identifiable as the showstopper even before the dancing girls in sparkly costumes appear – O’Hara shines.

“Miss Saigon” does have its faults – there are a few too many similarities between itself and “Les Misérables” (many of the creative team behind “Les Misérables” were also behind “Miss Saigon”), and the tragedy of the story does indeed seem like borderline melodrama. Still, the production is quite solid, the choreography unique and fascinating (particularly in “The Morning of the Dragon”) and the cast excellent. And – as should be assumed with TMP productions – the orchestra sounds fantastic.

“Miss Saigon” runs through May 4 at the Narrows Theatre located at 7116 Sixth Ave. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Additional matinees are April 26 and May 3 at 2 p.m. For tickets or more information, call (253) 565-6867 or visit www.tmp.org.

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