News
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December 2005
The US tour version of the show closed this December. Rights are now avalible to perform this musical. go to www.miss-saigontour.com for more info
October 2005
Joanna Ampil news
Joanna Ampil (Kim, Sydney/London/Austrailia/UK Tour and on the CSR) is currently playing Sheila in Hair at the Gate Theatre (www.gatetheatre.co.uk) You can also see her in the current issue of Musical Stages managzine and hear her next week on Theatre Radio (www.theatreradio.com) This Christmas she will be be going to Dublin to performing in their pantomine of Aladdin she also can be seen playing a news reporter in the upcomming BBC2 comerdy "Broken News"
For more information on any of these things visit www.joampil.com
9th June
Kerry Ellis who played Ellen of the UK Tour, performed her last performace today in Cardiff. These past few weeks she has been rehearsing for the role of Fantine in the West Ends Les Miserables. She is will be taking over the role from Joanna Ampil (previous Kim) on the 27th June - Joanna's last performace will be on the 25th.
27th May
Leo Valdez and Ima Castro Returning to Miss Saigon
The prolonged homecoming of Leo Valdez has been rudely interrupted by a call the other day from Cameron Mackintosh for Leo to fly posthaste to London to resume playing The Engineer in the megahit musical Miss Saigon, the same role which Leo has played countless times in more than one decade. "That’s why The Engineer has become like second skin to me," said Leo who has been home for a well-earned vacation for more than one year now.
Leo will leave on June 12 and start rehearsals as soon as he arrives in London. Miss Saigon formally ended in 1999 and is now on tour around the United Kingdom (with other versions being staged in other parts of the world). The tour starts July 4.
Does he still have to rehearse after all these years?
"I have to," Leo told Funfare. "The director is new. Cameron even asked for my measurements because he’s having new costumes made for me. I gained a little weight here."
Because he has a commitment here in November, Leo has agreed to do the musical only for four months. Tapped to again play Kim is Ima Castro (now Mrs. David Shannon, also one-time member of the Miss Saigon cast as Thuy) who is flying to London ahead of Leo.
"It was Jonjon Briones who has been playing The Engineer," said Leo. "Now, it’s Jonjon’s turn to take a vacation."
Leo started playing The Engineer ("My favorite Engineer," said the producer, Mackintosh) in 1995 on London’s West End, later moving to Australia then back to London then to Hong Kong to Singapore to Manila. His last performance was in late 2003.
Asked if he hasn’t grown tired of playing the same role (which he now does with head shaven clean), Leo said, "No, not at all. I’ve always enjoyed doing The Engineer. This time, I will attack the role differently."
But before flying to London, Leo will have a repeat performance of his and Verni Varga’s hit Valentine show The Engineer and the Vamp for two nights (June 10 and 1l) at Onstage in Makati City.
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200505271701.htm
23rd April
CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S MISS SAIGON SELLS OUT AT THE THEATRE ROYAL NORWICH
The Theatre Royal today announced that MISS SAIGON is now completely sold out for it’s run in Norwich. The production has also broken all box office records at the venue with sales topping one million pounds.
With a company of over 50 actors and musicians, Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Boublil and Schonberg’s legendary MISS SAIGON will be the biggest show ever to have been seen on the Theatre Royal’s stage. Peter Wilson, Chief Executive, commented:
“I was thrilled that we were able to bring MISS SAIGON to Norwich. This is the biggest show that we have ever presented at the Theatre Royal and it’s part of our continuing commitment to bring the very best live entertainment to Norfolk. To have sold nearly 38,000 tickets is truly phenomenal and again reinforces our position as East Anglia’s leading venue.”
Set in 1975 during the final days leading up to the American evacuation of Saigon, MISS SAIGON is an epic love story about the relationship between an American GI and a young Vietnamese woman.
Many UK cities, including Norwich, have long wanted to stage MISS SAIGON, but for this to happen a completely new design had to be created, as the original production could not fit on their stages. Cameron Mackintosh developed an entirely new production, which uses cutting edge visual techniques to vividly recreate the streets of Vietnam and Bangkok including, of course, the memorable final helicopter flight from the roof of the American Embassy.
Cameron Mackintosh commented:
“I am so thrilled with our cast, who have received fantastic reviews in every city we have visited. They are so talented and passionate in their story telling of this show. Whether or not you have seen my original production, I am quite sure you will be knocked out by this new presentation”.
MISS SAIGON is at the Theatre Royal from Tuesday 5 – Saturday 30 April and returns may be available on the day of performance. Contact the box office on 01603 630000 for details.
http://www.theatre-royal-norwich.co.uk/site.php?action=news&newsID=13
10th April
Ramin Karimloo, who is currently playing Enjolras in Les Mis in the Westend, today has confirmed that he'll be leaving Les Mis to play the role of Chris in the UK Tour of Miss Saigon. He will debut July 7th in Cardiff.
20h March
UK Tour Cast
Kerry Ellis will be leaving the cast to take on the role of Fantine in Les Miserables.
Others who are said to be leaving the cast soon are Steven Houghton.
24th November
New look for Leo Valdez
from the Manila Bullitin Online
Leo Valdez is back and he’s sporting a new hairdo! Actually, there’s no hair to do on his head. For Leo has shaved his head for that total bald look. And it becomes him. Really, “bagay na bagay sa ‘yo,” we told him during a recent reunion with some friends from London who came over to visit recently.
Even Cameron Mackintosh, the man behind such great musicals as “Les Miserables,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “Miss Saigon” among others, and who gave Filipino talents the big break to work on the international musical stage, was thrilled by Leo’s bald look and he called him the “demonic Yul Brynner.” Cameron has restaged “Miss Saigon” and it’s now showing in small theaters in London. No, he couldn’t cast Leo in such downsized productions, even with his new look and smile that could be menacing.
Leo did “Miss Saigon” in London’s West End for two years (1994-1995), then in Sydney, Australia for one year (1996), then went back to London to reprise his role as The Engineer till the musical closed in 1999. Leo appeared in the Manila production for six months, and another six months in Hong Kong before he went back to London to do a Manchester tour (eight months), Ireland (three months), Edinborough, Scotland (four months) and other places. The countryside tour of “Miss Saigon” took Leo two years to accomplish.
After which he went to the US for a much-needed vacation and tour. And now he’s back but if he hasn’t been visible in social events lately, it’s because “I’m on vacation. I’m resting. I owe myself that much–needed rest and time for my family.” The singer/stage actor has come home a few months ago but he is almost always in Bacolod spending time with his parents. “They’re quite old now, and I missed them a lot when I was away so as much as possible I’d like to be with them now that I can,” Leo said.
The last time we saw Leo was last Aug. 15 when he attended the debut of model-beauty queen material Celine B. Roxas, daughter of his friends Cesar and Linda Roxas (of Northolt, Middlesex, England) who came over to celebrate her coming-out party with relatives. She was very lovely in her Edward Teng gown. Among her well-wishers were some friends from London who had to fly to the Philippines just to attend Celine’s debut.
The well-attended party (with guests numbering almost 300), catered by Cathy A. Belen who was also the organizer attending to everything including the flowers and the hiring of Authentic Noiz Professional sounds and lights (owned by Daniel J. Bonuel) and with a beautiful birthday cake by Irma Yu of Celebration, was held at the Greenmeadows Clubhouse. Leo had to fly from Bacolod and when he arrived at the venue, it was raining hard. He waited outside, in his car, for the rain to stop. That took 15 minutes.
Leo’s making time to attend the debut meant a lot to and touched Cesar (who used to be a stage actor-singer with the Repertory Philippines) and Linda and the debutante of course. They are friends Leo made in London (they were introduced to him by another good friend, Susan M. Almontero, who Leo said, cooks the best kare-kare, something to die for, he added). Too bad he wasn’t prepared to sing that night.
Musical entertainment was provided by the Split Point Band. By the way, it was also the wedding anniversary of Linda’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Magin Belarmino.
The Manila Bulletin Online
11th October
August
Cezarah Campos (Kim - London, Manila and Sydney) will be apperring in Aladdin at Churchill Theater from the 9th of December to the 16th of January.
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