Army theater to present 'Miss Saigon' next year
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
"Miss Saigon," the Tony Award-winning musical that put a new spin on the "Madame Butterfly" story set against the Vietnam War, will be produced by the Army Community Theatre next spring as the cornerstone production for the theater group's 2004-2005 season based at Richardson Theatre at Fort Shafter.
"I'm so pleased to do this," said Vanita Rae Smith, Army entertainment director and producer of the coup. "It's an Army show, and we should be the ones to do it; it's about the Army, about Vietnam, about war, and we're in a war — and it's a good way for Army and civilian and the general community to work together," Smith said.
Smith will offer free admission to all Army soldiers when the show opens a year from now — playing Feb. 24 through March 19, 2005 — as a goodwill gesture to the military. "With anywhere between 4,000 and 6,000 of our soldiers deployed to Iraq, this will be an opportunity to do something nice for them," Smith said.
Cliffton Hall, who met his wife, Deedee Lynn Magno (who played Kim), in "Miss Saigon's" second national tour 10 years ago, said an Island production offers "awesome, amazing opportunities."
"Hawai'i has a flux of Asian actors who would benefit to have 'Saigon' as a credit," he said. "You can't imagine the bonding that results after doing the show."
Amado Cacho, a Honolulu resident who also toured with the second national company, said the chance to do "Miss Saigon" "is a good thing."
Ron Bright, retired drama director at Castle High School, is in discussions to direct the show and head the production team.
Extensive local casting will be conducted, Smith said. "I want, whenever possible, to use local talent in the show — and that includes our soldier actors, too."
The ACT is the first community theater west of the Mississippi River to secure the rights to the blockbuster, which has been a source of employment and dream fulfillment for a number of Island actors over the years.
Smith said sources in Washington, D.C., are footing the $20,000 tab for the show's royalties, a sizable amount for the Army theater.
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.
