Miss Saigon at TWH

I have the privilege of being a part of a production I would probably never have the opportunity to perform. I knew little about the show itself before I joined it, but knew the music was challenging, the story was rich and my friend Katrina Ploof was directing. That is all I needed and I jumped to be a part of it!

"Miss Saigon" is a moving piece that takes place during the Vietnam war and tells the story of a soldier and the Vietnamese girl he fell in love with during the war. It seems like a simple enough story, one that has been told many times, but there is something truly moving about the orchestration and humanness of this particular piece. Every night, at the end of the production, I am moved to tears as I sit on the stage with my fell actors and the last notes are played. I know how it ends, but my heart is compelled to care about these people.

And that, my friends, is good theatre.

Photos courtesy of Theatre Winter Haven

This production is in Theatre Winter Haven's stage read series, making this a concert production of "Miss Saigon." For my non-theatre friends, a stage read is a production of a play or musical with minimal additions and everyone has a script or score in their hand. The purpose is to focus on the story of the show, because the sets and costumes and all that other stuff are not a part of a stage read. It is the actors, the script and your imagination that take you into Vietnam in 1975.

Photos courtesy of Theatre Winter Haven

I am playing the part of Ellen, but I won't reveal why my character is important and how she fits into this story. You will have to come tonight to see the production. Tonight is our last show and you should come! Tickets are remarkably reasonable for such a talented cast. We have professional and equity actors who have joined us, as well as many talented individuals who have become beloved standards at Theatre Winter Haven. You will be moved by the piece, entertained by the beautiful voices and walk away with a greater appreciate for life and the love we share as humans.

Photos courtesy of Theatre Winter Haven