By Lynda Lacayo
The legendary Cameron Mackintosh’s “Miss Saigon” is on tour with all the splendor of its Broadway revival. It began playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on October 1 with sensational pageantry, including the helicopter landing on stage and an international cast of 42 multitalented performers. Among the outstanding company is Red Concepcion, leading the first-rate company as “The Engineer.”
It has been 28 years since “Miss Saigon” first appeared on Broadway and its producer Cameron Mackintosh says of the once-controversial show about war and love, “It is still relevant today because of the tragic love story at the heart of the show and innocent people being torn apart by war all over the world.”
“Miss Saigon” is the story of a young Vietnamese woman, Kim, who is torn apart by the war and forced to work in a bar owned by a cunning character known as The Engineer. She meets and falls in love with an American soldier, Chris. They are ripped apart by the fall of Saigon. Pregnant with Chris’ son, she endures hardships until eventually, with the help of the Engineer, she and her son flee to Bangkok.
Much like the Puccini opera “Madame Butterfly,” upon which the musical is loosely based, it is the tragic tale of doomed romance between an American lover and a blameless Asian woman.
Filipino actor Red Concepcion, who landed the principal role as The Engineer, had never seen the show prior to landing the part. He explains, “Miss Saigon has been really big in the Philippines since forever because the very first Kim, Lea Salonga, is Filipina. As a child I grew up listening to its music with my family who had the very first cassettes. We would play the tapes, but because I was a kid we’d skip over The Engineer’s parts. The lyrics aren’t exactly kid friendly.”
Because of his background, Concepcion auditioned, believing he was familiar with the story. But he was surprised and a bit overwhelmed with the importance of his character. He says, “On the first day of rehearsals, Kim and I, with a couple others, were asked to just sing through the show. I was really in shock because I didn’t realize how big the role of The Engineer was. I thought, ‘OMG, how am I going to do this?’ I had my head in my hands during break, thinking, ‘I won’t be able to do this,’ but it turned out to be a plus that I wasn’t familiar with the scale of the character. I was able to take a fresh look at The Engineer and create my own take on him. It’s such a great role and I’m having fun playing The Engineer. The Engineer is pivotal to the plot of ‘Miss Saigon.’”
As Concepcion says, “The Engineer serves a lot of archetype roles. He’s the narrator and the antihero, although I don’t see him as a villain but more as a product of war and the ways in which it pushes people into what they eventually become. Yeah, he’s the bad guy who does some unsavory things and makes unscrupulous choices because that’s all he knows, having come from the background of life in a war-torn country. I feel the real villain is war. It changes people. The show is still so impactful because it’s a good reminder of the perils and evils of war. Audience are reminded to do anything they can to make sure it never happens again.”
The Engineer is sleazy and cunning, corrupt to the core, yet he’s somehow likable. Concepcion wrestled with how to make The Engineer simpatico for audiences.
He says, “The Engineer is such a despicable character that making him likable was one of the challenges I had approaching the role. Sure, audiences are supposed to hate him but also to like him. I was juggling how to navigate this and realized he’s a charlatan. He swindles people with the tools at his disposal, wit and smarts, using charm and charisma to manipulate others. When you meet someone who’s charismatic and funny they disarm you, winning your trust. And that was my way into his character. I justify his being likable and such a horrible character simply because it’s just who he is.”
Concepcion as The Engineer, host/pimp and employer of Kim and other down-on-their-luck ladies, has mastered his role, receiving accolades from critics. It has been said that he steals the second act when he sings “American Dream,” with sly cynicism and ribald humor. Another critic claimed, “Concepcion’s Engineer is irremissibly charismatic and endearing, despite embodying the most craven and vile opportunism.”
The Engineer may be a callous scoundrel, but Concepcion does relish playing him. He says, “One of the neat things about playing The Engineer is that I get to wear some really fancy clothes. He’s got a lot more swagger and style than I do. It’s fun to wear the purple jacket with all the bling. When I’m in his shoes I put on his persona. The best part of being him onstage is I have lots of active numbers. My favorite is ‘American Dream.’”
The lyrics to “American Dream,” although outside the kid zone, contain some of what he considers his best lines. But it’s the beautiful duet, “I Still Believe,” sung by Kim (Emily Bautista) and Ellen (Stacie Bono) that touches his heart. For Concepcion, every scene, song and energy-fueled dance number is a highlight of the visually glorious show.
However, the most memorable moment, for me, in last century’s “Miss Saigon” was when the three-ton helicopter with a blade extension of 19’8” in diameter lands on the stage.
The tempestuous scene, in which chain-link fences separate Americans from Vietnamese, freedom from unknown mayhem, is heartbreaking. The musical revival continues to wow audiences with a life-sized helicopter swooping to the rescue of the troops. And it’s just as tear-jerking. Concepcion cautions, “Bring a box of tissues or lots of hankies.”
“Miss Saigon” is filled with epic emotions while delivering all the grandeur and spectacle of Broadway. And because it speaks to far-reaching issues of immigration, the subjection of women, war and America’s place on the world stage, it is still relevant in the 21st century.
The American cultural memory of the Vietnam War is complex. In pop culture it symbolizes American culpability.
Grittier and more honest, Director Laurence Connor’s latest reincarnation of “Miss Saigon” is playing now. For tickets and information, see SCFTA.org, visit the box office at 600 Town Center Dr. in Costa Mesa, or call 909-866-6939.
