Eva Noblezada in the London production of ‘Miss Saigon.” (Photo: Matthew Murphy via The Broadway Blog)
Cameron Mackintosh announced today that his acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg’slegendary musical Miss Saigon – a recent smash hit in London – will return to New York at its original home, The Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway) beginning performances Wednesday, March 1. The original production of Miss Saigon opened at the same theater on April 11, 1991 and played there through January 28, 2000.
Directed by Laurence Connor (Les Misérables, School of Rock), the Broadway return of Miss Saigon will feature its American stars, Jon Jon Briones as The Engineer and 20-year-old Eva Noblezada as Kim, who created these roles in the West End to great acclaim.
Even Noblezada as Kim in the London production of ‘Miss Saigon.’ (Photo: Michael Le Poer Trench and Matthew Murphy via The Broadway Blog.)
Ms. Noblezada was discovered three years ago by the Miss Saigon casting team at the National High School Musical Theater Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards in honor of the legendary James Nederlander, who passed away last week. Opening night for Miss Saigon will be Thursday, March 23. MISS SAIGON will play a limited engagement through January 14, 2018 before launching a North American tour later in the year. Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks.
Cameron Mackintosh said, “It’s hard to believe that it has been 25 years since Miss Saigon first opened in New York, but if anything, the tragic love story of the show has become even more relevant today with the conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. This new production, directed by Laurence Connor, takes a grittier, more realistic approach than the original production while still delivering the power and epic sweep of Boublil and Schönberg’s tremendous score. ”
“Of all my shows, Miss Saigon is the one that I have received the most requests from the public to bring back, and I am thrilled that Broadway audiences will get to see this tremendous new production that audiences and critics in London have embraced since it opened in 2014,” continued Mackintosh. “And I am delighted that our wonderful London stars, Jon Jon Briones and Eva Noblezada, will be bringing their stunning performances across the Atlantic. Audiences who can’t wait will get a preview of the scale of this wonderful production at forthcoming screenings of the Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary Performance which was filmed live in London, in selected screens across America on September 22.”
A scene from the London production of ‘Miss Saigon.’ (Photo: Michael Le Poer Trench and Matthew Murphy via The Broadway Blog.)
The new London production of Miss Saigon opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim. Dominic Cavendish in The Daily Telegraph wrote, “This thrilling new production spills out beyond the theater and speaks directly to the times we live in – magnificent performances.” Dominic Maxwell in The Times called the production “thrilling, soaring and spectacular.”
The reviews for its stars were also raves. David Benedict in Variety wrote, “In an astonishing stage debut, Eva Noblezada gives a thrilling performance as Kim, with poise, power and a superb voice.” And Dominic Maxwell in The Times said Jon Jon Briones plays the Engineer with “brilliant, avaricious charm.”
