Arcadia Stage’s production of the 1989 play Miss Saigon took place in the Arcadia High School (AHS) Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Mar. 12-14. This showcase featured the Advanced Theatre Class and selected students from the Intermediate Theatre Class. Selling out all of their tickets, the actors of Miss Saigon delivered a performance that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.
Directed and adapted by Theatre Director Mr. Steven Volpe, Miss Saigon follows the story of a young couple; Vietnamese woman Kim and American General Issue (GI) Chris. Separated by the fall of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the ‘70s, years later they finally reunited. Miss Saigon, with its dramatic storyline, delivered a shocking and emotional ending to the audience.
“I really liked Miss Saigon! Everything from the lighting to the sound effects, I could really see how much effort everyone put in,” said freshman Nainika Ravula.
Behind the scenes, Stagecraft students worked tirelessly to create props, costumes, and sets. Their hard work made sure the shows ran smoothly.
“On Miss Saigon we had 56 in our Beginning Class and 52 in the Advanced Class to help build the show. From the Advanced class we had 49 students work the Show. They were led by our Head Stage Manager Andre Lu who had 2 Assistant Stage Managers who led the 11 Crew Leads that led the Crew,” said Technical Director Mr. Keith DeLuca.
“I think the best part of being in stagecraft is building the sets, talking and making new friends, working on shows behind the scenes while it’s happening, hanging up lights during tech, and just seeing how the build finishes as each day passes,” said Stagecraft member freshman Mu Xuan Li.
In preparation for this show, the actors went through months of constant run-throughs. Even with rehearsals beginning right after school and ending late at night, they say it was definitely worth the memories they made along the way.
“Being able to be around all of my friends, and just being able to talk and bond with them, was my favorite memory of being a part of this show,” said Intermediate Theatre student sophomore Jacey Yeung, who played a Vietnamese soldier, a member of the ensemble, and a vendor.
One highlight from this production was the helicopter scene during the second half of the show. Constructed by Stagecraft students, its realistic sound effects and lighting brought the scene together, setting a tense and dramatic scene for this part of the show.
“The helicopter was made by cutting out wood pieces for different sides and sections, then painted. We used wood glue and nails to put everything together. There was a rope chain to hang it to the bar on top of the curtains, and we released it when it came to that scene,” said Li.
“My favorite thing about this play is that it has a lot of moving parts, which makes it really cool because you can watch the stage change so quickly in just a few seconds,” said Yeung.
