Gerald Santos Wraps Up Work on MISS SAIGON Denmark

Manila, Philippines--"Miss Saigon" alum Gerald Santos, who gets the chance to play the role of Vietnamese soldier Thuy more than 600 times, has wrapped up his latest "Miss Saigon" stint with Denmark's Det Ny Teater (The New Theatre), which has staged a non-replica production of the musical, originally produced by Cameron Mackintosh.

"Miss Saigon" in Denmark, acclaimed as "the musical of the year" by BroadwayWorld, ran from Feb. 9 to May 7, 2023. Featuring the famous score by Claude-Michel Schonberg and performed in Danish, with translation revised and added by Kenneth Thordal, the production has starred Linda Arunee Olofsson (Kim), Christian Lund (Chris), Kim Hammelsvang (Engineer), Thomas Hoj Falkenberg (John), Alexandra-Yoana Alexandrova (Ellen), and Santos (Thuy).

Coming from the Laurence Connor-helmed West End revival production of "Miss Saigon," Santos has experienced first-hand how Denmark's non-replica approaches to the material offered a refreshing take on what he was used to, primarily since he toured with the UK and Ireland touring company for several years before this recent casting.

"During the rehearsal process, you would compare the two: Why is it like this? Why is it like that? But, eventually, I realized this is a non-replica production," said Santos in an interview.

"But both productions have strong points on their own. For instance, Det Ny Teater's production is tailored-fit to the Danish audience."

"The depiction of the Vietnam War and my character, Thuy, is more straightforward; in a sense, clearer from the get-go."

Set in the final days of the Vietnam War, "Miss Saigon," inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera "Madama Butterfly," centers on the tragic love story between Chris, an American soldier, and Kim, a Vietnamese bar girl, who was betrothed to Thuy.

The two, Chris and Kim, were separated during the Fall of Saigon but subsequently faced the repercussions of war on their personal lives on opposite sides of the world.

Here, love duets "Sun and Moon" and "The Last Night of the World," and the sardonic song-and-dance number "The American Dream," are sung in Danish, whose pristine clarity was demanded from the actors, especially if Danish is not your first language.

"I'm grateful this production has employed and 'imported' an international cast to stay authentic to the story of "Miss Saigon," Santos said.

"Additionally, I'm assured that they champion inclusivity and equal opportunities, especially among people of color.

"But, yes, they're very particular with your command of the Danish language. They want to ensure the audience would understand what you're saying or singing on stage--they're kind of exclusive that way."

If you missed Santos in "Miss Saigon," he is holding a series of concerts this weekend at the Klaptræet in Helsingor on May 12 (Call Juanits Sand +45 60 80 88 15) and at Jesu Hjerte Kirke in Copenhagen (Call Donabelle Ortiz +45 42 76 65 49) on May 13.

Alexandra-Yoana Alexandrova, who played Ellen in "Miss Saigon," is Santos' special guest.

Photos: Det Ny Teater, Rommel Ramilo

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