Posted on: Friday, February 18, 2005

The saga of 'Miss Saigon'

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Shawna Masuda, left, as Kim; Sam Hesch, center, is Chris; and Joey Caldarone plays The Engineer in a scene from "Miss Saigon," performed by Army Community Theatre, at Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter. Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Laine Yoshioka, left, Joey Caldarone, center, and Fran Gendrano revisit the Vietnam War era in "Miss Saigon" directed by Vanita Rae Smith, at Richardson Theatre. Army Community Theatre is the first community group nationwide to perform the Broadway blockbuster.

'MISS SAIGON' A musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg; produced by Army Community Theatre Premieres at 7:30 p.m. Thursday; repeats at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, through March 12 Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter $14-$25 438-4480, squareone.org/ACT

Passion, betrayal, the power of the human spirit and the tragedy of war — searing emotions and soaring melodies converge in "Miss Saigon," the watershed musical that breaks new ground when the Army Community Theatre becomes the first community group nationwide to stage the show, starting Thursday at Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter.

"Saigon" updates Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" story and sets it against the turmoil of the Vietnam war. Its operatic score enables a multi-ethnic cast to bask in the emotional relationship between an American soldier and a Vietnamese girl.

It's a production that has featured numerous Islanders in its 15-year history, on Broadway and in national touring companies.

And it remains the show that has embraced and launched dreams of the working actors and dancers from Hawai'i. The original production also boasted a former Honolulan, Willy Falk, who originated the role of Chris, the soldier who falls in love with Kim, the young Vietnamese woman; Falk earned a Tony Award nomination for the role. (Coincidentally, Falk has been in town for the Hawaii Opera Theatre's just-concluded "Susannah" production.)

The first Asian to play The Engineer — the late Francis Ruivivar — also had Hawai'i ties: Ruivivar attended school here and was the brother of Society of Seven co-founder Tony Ruivivar.

"It's a show that everybody has wanted to do, and it's bigger than anything we've ever done," said Vanita Rae Smith, who's directing. Dream big, and sometimes the dream comes true — Army got the orders to roll this one out, after all.

At a rehearsal Monday night, there was tension and joy — and energy to spare. Smith huddles with her scenic designer, Tom Giza, about how to make a multimillion-dollar Broadway original still look like a million — on a dime. They kibitz, trade notes, contemplate nip-and-tuck improvements. All part of the battle plan to bring the biggie to life.

The 'Aiea high school senior tagged as Kim, who practically knew the score backward and forward at auditions, stretches her arms during a photo shoot. She giggles; ensemble players laugh; there's a spirit of 'ohana.

The military man who will portray Chris waits at stage left, looking nervous; a manipulating Engineer, who oozes sleaze and charm, gestures across to a buddy. The musical conductor, with the passion to inspire unpaid volunteers as if it were the New York Philharmonic, plays the practice piano.

Another rehearsal, as the countdown to opening night continues.

SHAWNA MASUDA
Kim

When Masuda, 18, heard that the Army Community Theatre was planning to stage "Miss Saigon," she latched on to the orchestral music and started practicing. By audition time, she knew most of the songs. "I knew she was very emotional," said Masuda of the heroine. "But I had help from my family."

Her dad is a Vietnam vet "and he often spoke of his experiences, and I saw photos he had," said Masuda, an 'Aiea High School senior. "For the mother part of Kim, I asked my mom to explain feelings so I could better understand motherhood."

She particularly savors the moments with the two youngsters who portray Tam, the offspring of Kim's relationship with Chris, the soldier. "They're just fabulous kids." (Brandon Tiny Pave and Ty Yamashita alternate as the 2-year-old Tam; Alex Humerickhouse plays Tam at age 6).

So Masuda has been living, breathing and dreaming Kim.

"I wake up to her songs; when I'm doing dishes, I hum her songs; sometimes, my parents say, 'Enough, already.' "

She does get embroiled in the emotions of the play. And what brings her back down?

"Homework," she sighs with a slight scowl.

VANITA RAE SMITH
Director

"This cast seems to love what they're doing, and when you love a piece, it makes your work easier," Smith said, smiling at her theater troops. She's ready for a hard night's work.

She originally hoped Ronald Bright would direct the Hawai'i community theater premiere of this legendary production, but "Ron was committed to a church project, so I decided to take it on."

The rights to do the show include the script and a CD recording that simulates the sound of the helicopter. Everything else has to be manufactured ingeniously, to recreate the original without the high-cost price tag.

Smith's maneuvers include added visuals: an opening scene, with a rice field "moment," and a boat that transports Kim from Saigon to Bangkok at the end of the Act I. Neither was included in earlier productions.

The script doesn't specify actual numbers in the cast. "You could have 24 Marines. Or 12. Or eight. I believe the original production had a cast of 50, but I settled for eight Marines, eight Viet Cong, eight girls," said Smith, who makes less seem like more when players take multiple roles.

She magnifies the story of the orphan through a poster silhouette of the little boy instead of the customary "Miss Saigon" logo of the helicopter set against the sun.

SAMUEL HESCH
Chris

Hesch, 32, is a full-timer in the Army National Guard.

"I've wanted to play John or Chris, ever since there was a 'Miss Saigon' search here by a German production company," said Hesch.

He'll portray Chris, the GI who falls in love with Kim. And he's changing the landscape for the production — because of his ethnicity.

"Chris normally is played by a white actor," he said. "I'm half German, half Melanesian. Born and raised here; Pearl City High School."

He's typical of the colorblind casting at ACT.

"When you read the synopsis of the play, Chris is an American GI who falls in love with a Vietnamese woman, and you can leave (race) up to interpretation. It doesn't state Caucasian."

What sails out of his mouth is a sweet and romantic voice becoming of a Chris. A tenderness emerges as he ponders parallels in his and Chris' life.

"He's a soldier and I'm a soldier. He's a romantic. Me, too. His character never gives up. I don't either."

JOEY CALDARONE
The Engineer

Caldarone saw "Miss Saigon" after it first opened on Broadway in the early '90s. When Army Community Theatre was auditioning for the play, he was reluctant to try out.

Caldarone, 28, wound up with the part of The Engineer.

"Basically, what I saw was a lovable character, not all sleazeball, a guy who is kinda hated, but still well-liked," said Caldarone, who adds to his drama credits this plum role. "I think the love people have for him is the same you have for a character in a Mafia movie," he said. "It's love — with some fear."

And Caldarone can relate to The Engineer; his brow dances with excitement as he talks. He even bought bling-bling during a recent Las Vegas trip to accentuate his gaudy, pimp-like costume.

"I'm involved in a lot of business ventures; I'm not saying I'm a greedy person, but I love doing business, and I like wheeling and dealing like The Engineer," he said. "I'm not typecast, really, because I'm ethical in my business dealings."

He has a real estate license. And dabbles in interior design; "I'm just opening a showroom in Kapahulu, with Chinese antiques and art. I'm an artist, too.

"I think I have that certain personality to do character roles and this is a character role," said Caldarone. "And I get to do 'American Dream,' " he said of one of the score's memorable tunes.

KEOKI KERR
John

Kerr is a KITV-4 reporter who's not likely to quit his day job.

But when he saw "Miss Saigon" in London in 1990, he became intrigued by the role of John.

"He was a really sympathetic character who got his friend in a mess. With the enormity of the problem, he did something about it — so he's kind of a good guy," said Kerr, looking very military in his sergeant garb. "His big song is 'Bui-Doi,' the dust of life. It's so powerful, so moving; I really had to do the part."

Kerr is no stranger to theater or opera, or to the annual Gridiron Show, when he assembles with fellow journalists from print and broadcast to poke gentle fun at the news and newsmakers.

With its Vietnam link, "Miss Saigon" also has significance on his home front.

"I was born in 1967 and I have two uncles who served in Vietnam, so I remember vividly (the war)," he said.

"For me, theater is good stress, an escape from the day-to-day stories that relate to work. Getting into character, working on the vocals and staging, is an escape into a different, creative world."

TOM GIZA
Set designer, technical director

"Miss Saigon" is Giza's 102nd show, but his first with Smith as director; she normally is a producer. "I've worked with her for 18 years, so we pretty much know each other's styles," he says with a sigh of relief.

For "Saigon," Giza has the monumental task of replicating a helicopter that "flies." He needed a car for The Engineer.

So he relied on some creative backstage magic, keeping a watchful eye of shifting scenery on stage.

"The car is a golf cart with car body parts on it," said Giza, eyes lighting up like one of the bar signs in the show. "The helicopter was built to resemble a real chopper, but the blades really are an upturned (upside-down) fan. When you hear the sound of the chopper, the screaming of the people, the music from the orchestra, and a hazer pumping out smoke — plus 600 watts from a headlight, shining into the audience — you have the feeling of the real thing."

Neither car nor chopper were ready Monday night, but a collapsible 20-foot boat not in any other production was shuttled onstage.

The original production had a mammoth statue of Ho Chi Minh. That was impossible (too large, too expensive). The remedy? An image of the statue projected onto a mammoth screen that was earlier bought and stored at Schofield Barracks.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.