>>>
>>> FROM
>>> FROM THE CREATORS OF THE LEGENDARY MUSICAL, MISS SAIGON
IS+@ NOW ON TOUR.
A YOUNG VIETNAMESE WOMAN FALLS
IN LOVE WITH AN AMERICAN G.I.,
JUST BEF+@ORE THE FALL OF SAIGO
ALL UNDER THE WATCHFUL GAZE OF
THE +@NIGHTCLUB OWNER KNOWN AS
THE ENGINEER.
THE ENGINEER. THE AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL IS
CURRENTLY PLAYING AT BASS
PERFORMANCE HALL.
PERFORMANCE HALL. +@
PERFORMANCE HALL. WE GLADLY WELCOME RED, WHO
PLAYS THE ENGINEER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. I
HERE. I LOVE THIS SHOW, BY THE WAY.
I ALREADY TOLD +@YOU THAT.
I AM PE+@AKING OUT.
THE LAST TIME A NATIONAL TOUR
OF MISS SAIGON TOUCHDOWN IN
FORT WORTH WAS ACTUALLY 20
YEARS AGO, WHICH I DID NOT
BELIEVE.
BELIEVE.
BELIEVE. TELL US ABOUT THIS NEW TOUR.
>> THIS IS COMING TO YOU
STRAIGHT FROM BROADWAY. +@
WITH NEW DIRECTION BY LAWRENCE
CONNOR.
CONNOR.
CONNOR. IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A
LITTLE GRITTIER AND DARKER, BUT
+@
LITTLE GRITTIER AND DARKER, BUT +@I DESCRIBE IT AS BEI+@NG MORE
TRUTHFUL TO LIFE, YOU KNOW.
THE TIMES.
THE TIMES. I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
EFFORT TO REALLY SHOW THE DARK
SIDE AND THE DARK SIDE OF BEING
IN A WAR.
IN A WAR.
IN A WAR. >> SUPER AUTHENTIC.
>> AS AUTHENTIC AS WE COULD.
>> SO, YOU ARE FROM MANILA, THE
+@
>> SO, YOU ARE FROM MANILA, THE PHILIPPINES.
PHILIPPINES. EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE
THIS AUTHENTIC, SOUTHEAST
ASIAN, PLAYING THIS ROLE?
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT IS A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY. IT IS ONE OF MY DREAM ROLLS.
>> SURE.
>> SURE.
>> SURE. >> THERE IS A LOT OF, LIKE, I
GUESS SOUTHEAST ASIAN VALUES
THAT ARE SHOWN IN THE SHOW THAT
I FEEL VERY CONNECTED WITH.
PROBABLY NOT THE ENGINEER.
HE HAS UNSAVORY METHODS.
BUT KIM, HER QUIET FORTITUDE+@
AN+@D THE STRENGTH THAT SHE HAS
I DO CONNECT WITH THAT AS A
SOUTHEAST ASIAN.
SOUTHEAST ASIAN. >> WAS YOUR FAMILY LIKE, YOU
WANT TO BE AN ACTOR?
YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?
BROADWAY?
BROADWAY?
BROADWAY? >> MY PARENTS WERE ACTUALLY
ACTORS, THEATER ACTORS IN THE
PHILIPPINES BEFORE THEY HAD ME.
>> THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
>> IT'S GREAT, BUT THEY HAD TO
STOP.
STOP.
STOP. THEY ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF
ME.
ME.
ME. +@
ME. >>
ME. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. YOU MENTIONED THE E+@NGINEER, S
DO YOU SEE THE ENGINEER AS A
VILLAIN?
VILLAIN?
VILLAIN? >> I THINK THE REAL VILLAIN IS
+@
+@ WAR
+@ WAR THROUGH THE WH+@OLE SHOW.
WE TRIED TO MAKE IT SO YOU SEE
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. WHEN YOU SEE THE SHOW, THE KIND
OF PEOPLE THAT WAR CREATES AND
THE KIND OF LENGTHS THAT PEOPLE
GO THROUGH TO SURVIVE.
BUT THE ENGINEER, YES, HE HAS
SOME VERY QUESTIONABLE METHODS.
HE IS JUST A PRODUCT OF HIS
ENVIRONMENT AND HE SINGS ABOUT
IT TOWARD THE END A LITTLE BIT.
SO YEAH, I DON'T THINK HE IS SO
MUCH A VILLAIN AS HE HAS LEARNED
A VERY DIFFERENT WAY TO
NAVIGATE THE WORLD.
>> AND HE IS LONGING FOR THIS
AMERICAN DREAM.
AMERICAN DREAM. WHAT HAS DISCOVERING AMERICA
BEEN LIKE FOR YOU?
>> FOR ME IT IS GREAT.
I HAVE BEEN ON TOUR WITH THE
SHOW FOR A YEAR.
ALMOST OVER A YEAR NOW AND I
HAVE SEEN APPARENTLY MORE OF
AMERICA THAN MOST AMERICANS.
I AM GETTING A CRASH COURSE IN
AMERICA AND IT IS FANTASTIC.
THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GREAT AND
THE RECEPTIO+@N TO THE SHOW HAS
BEEN AMAZING.
BEEN AMAZING. >> YOU HAV+@E BEEN ON TOUR FOR
THREE YEARS.
THREE YEARS. I SAID WHERE DO YOU LIVE AND HE
SAYS KIND OF EVERYWHERE.
>> I WAS ON THE UK TOUR IN THE
SAME ROLE, SO I DID THAT FOR
OVER A YEAR AND A HALF.
THEN THEY ASKED IF I WANTED TO
DO THE U.S. TOUR AND I SAID
SURE.
SURE.
SURE. >>
SURE. >> AND SOME OF YOUR CAST MATES
HAVE FAMIL+@Y MEMBERS ACTUALLY
THE VIETNAM WAR?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. WE HAVE THREE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE
ON THE SHOW.
JACKIE, AND FRANCESCA.
+@ I THINK JACKIE'S PARENTS OR
GRANDPARENTS WERE ACTU+@ALLY
SURVIVORS OF THE WAR.
>> IT MUST BE EMOTIONALLY
CHARGED FOR YOU ALL TO BE THERE
AT THE SAME TIME.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. WE HAVE HAD VETERANS COME SEE
THE SHOW AND ALSO VIETNAMESE
PEOPLE COME TO SEE THE SHOW.
YOU KNOW IT IS AN EMOTIONAL
NIGHT FOR EVERYBODY.
>> IT IS A WONDERFUL SHOW.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, MISS
SAIGON PLAYS AT BASS
PERFORMANCE HALL IN FORT