Jon Jon Briones News

MISS SAIGON made its highly anticipated return to London last night, May 21, 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year. Check out photos from the curtain call, and party below!

What did BWW:UK's reviewer think of the epic musical's return to London after its lengthy absence? How do the new cast perform the famous score? And are those special effects as stunning as ever?

MISS SAIGON will make its highly anticipated return to the West End tomorrow, May 21, 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year. Scroll down for several new production photos in anticipation of tomorrow's opening!

London's West End has been abuzz for weeks about the highly anticipated return of Miss Saigon, featuring a new 25th anniversary production, directed by Laurence Connor, who's helped bring us new productions of other Cameron Mackintosh shows including The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables in new stagings.

Miss Saigon, one of the epic mega-musicals of the 1980s, returns to London next month. After its original record-breaking West End run, the new cast has the task of reinventing the show for a new generation. Are they nervous? 'I'm just happy to be here!' says Jon Jon Briones

Originally from the Philippines, Miguel Braganza II, Walter Terry scholar in the dance performance and choreography program at Harvard University in the '80s, and assistant to Tony Award-winning director John Dexter in the original Broadway production of 'M. Butterfly' from 1988-1990, joined the cast of the U.S. and international productions (Germany, Canada, UK, and Portugal) of Cameron Mackintosh's megamusical 'Miss Saigon' for 14 years: a feat that made him feel so blessed, and has prompted him to donate his time, talents, and resources by teaching young and up-and-coming artists, build libraries, and promote arts programs both in New York and in the Philippines to this day.

Miss Saigon, currently booking for performances through to Saturday 25th October 2014, will make its highly anticipated return to the West End on Saturday 3 May 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year. Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's epic musical has played in 300 cities in 15 different languages, winning awards around the world since the sensational record-breaking run at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane 25 years ago. This epic love story tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with an American GI Chris--but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. Meet the full company below!

Cameron Mackintosh has announced that Korean star Kwang-Ho Hong will play 'Thuy' in his forthcoming new production of MISS SAIGON. This now completes the casting for the show which makes its highly anticipated return to the West End onSaturday 3 May 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th Anniversary Year. MISS SAIGON is currently booking for performances through to Saturday 25th October 2014. To watch a special video about Kwang-Ho Hong, please go to www.miss-saigonvideo.com/press

DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING? international concert tour headliner Lea Salonga ("Les Miserables"), sans the show's other two lead stars David Harris ("Legally Blonde") and Marie Zamora ("Les Miserables"), met with the press yesterday, January 22, at Maxims Hotel at Resorts World Manila. Instead, Salonga was joined by the new additions to the cast Jon Joven ("Miss Saigon"), Leo Tavarro Valdez ("Miss Saigon"), Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo ("Miss Saigon"), and Carla Guevara Laforteza ("Miss Saigon") who will perform with Salonga, Harris, and Zamora in the Manila leg of the concert set Wednesday, January 29, and Thursday, January 30, at 8 p.m. at Resorts World Manila's Newport Performing Arts Theatre.

It has been a tough year for us, Filipinos, but we were able to rise above the challenges and showed the world how strong and resilient we are. We wish that for the coming new year our hearts be filled with love and compassion for everyone. BroadwayWorld.com has recently surveyed some of our friends in the Philippine theater industry about their New Year's wishes!

In response to the devastating typhoon and its aftermath in the Philippines, producers Patty Onagan and Ronn Goswick have announced A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena Playhouse, a one-night-only event on Wednesday, December 18 at 7:30pm. Proceeds will support the American Red Cross' Typhoon Appeal and its efforts to assist overseas as the people of the Philippines begin to recover and rebuild. Check out the photos below!

In response to the devastating typhoon and its aftermath in the Philippines, producers Patty Onagan and Ronn Goswick presented A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena Playhouse, a one-night-only event on Wednesday, December 18, 2013. Proceeds will support the American Red Cross' Typhoon Appeal and its efforts to assist overseas as the people of the Philippines begin to recover and rebuild. Check out photos from the concert below!

Rachelle Ann Go, who will soon star as 'Gigi' in the highly-anticipated West End return of MISS SAIGON, was invited by original star Lea Salonga to perform at the Philippine International Convention Center. While she was there, Salonga insisted that she give the audience a preview of her performance by joining her in a duet of 'The Movie in My Mind.' Check it out below!

Contrary to an earlier report, young actors Julia Abueva and Tanya Manalang, recently announced to be playing ensemble in the record-breaking West End revival of 'Miss Saigon,' will be covering--not alternating for--the female lead, Kim.

PhilStar.com writes that two Pinay talents will be alternating with the recently announced star Eva Noblezada in the title role of 'Kim' in the West End's MISS SAIGON revival next year. Noblezada will perform four shows a week, with Julia Abueva and Tanya Manalang taking over the rest.

Allegiance - A New American Musical, has been eyeing a Broadway run since it premiered at San Diego's Old Globe last fall. Since then, a New York City reading was held, led by Lea Salonga, George Takei and Telly Leung, all of whom starred in the San Diego production, as well as a recent backers screening in Austin. A production source told BroadwayWorld that ALLEGIANCE is aiming for Broadway, possibly in the spring of 2014, but there are numerous variables including star schedules and theatre availability that need to line up, so there is yet no official plan.

BroadwayWorld.com Awards-Philippines' 2012 Best Actress in a Musical, Rachelle Ann Go, is poised to play the role of Gigi Van Tranh, a disillusioned prostitute, in the highly anticipated 25th anniversary revival production of 'Miss Saigon,' which opens at the Prince Edward Theatre in London on May 3, 2014.

In the video below, meet the company with clips of the actors in action; including a performance of 'I'd Give My Life for You' from the new 'Kim'- Eva Noblezada!

Cameron Mackintosh has just announced principal casting for his forthcoming new production of Miss Saigon. Assembled from around the world, this exciting international cast includes Jon Jon Briones as 'The Engineer', Eva Noblezada as 'Kim', Alistair Brammer as 'Chris', Tamsin Carroll as 'Ellen', Hugh Maynard as 'John' and Rachelle Ann Go as 'Gigi'. Miss Saigon makes its highly anticipated return to the West End on Saturday 3 May 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year.

The Daily Mail writes that Cameron Mackintosh has cast 17-year-old Eva Noblezada -- a Charlotte, NC native -- in the lead role of Kim in the upcoming West End revival of Miss Saigon. Noblezada was discovered by casting director Tara Rubin at the 2013 Jimmy Awards in New York City.