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- 10. The orchestra - Although small, they produce beautiful waves of sound which really set the mood. During the overture, close your eyes and get in to it. This play takes you into a whole new world.
- 9. The costumes - Wives, if you're dragging your husbands to the show, they will definitely have something to look at. For those of you who seek a real theater experience, pay attention to the symbolism in the costumes, particularly the colors, and their relationship to the characters.
- 8. A big ol' helicopter with rotating blades that picks up soldiers and flies up in to the loft from which it came. This is technically (as in tech-theatre) the most breathtaking moment of the show. That whole flashback scene alone is at least worth the price of the cheap seats.
- 7. Great Singing - This crew has really got the harmonies together. One AbFab song is "The Ceremony," and the character Chris singing, "It's the Prettiest Thing I've Ever Heard." Boy is he right; it's just gorgeous. Other numbers to look out for are "The Morning of the Dragon" and the opening number, "The Heat is on in Saigon." Unfortunately, the acoustics of our little theater did nastythings to their singing.
- 6. Lighting - Perfect. Not a cue off; not a light unfocused. Great effects. Pay attention to the lights during "Movie in My Mind," one of Kim's fellow prostitute's dream of what American life would be like. During this scene, they light up all the prostitutes with pin spots, and it is just heart wrenching.
- 5. Something for everyone - Although some parents might have reservations about sending their child to see a play in which the hero is (oh my god!) a woman and (dare I say it?) a foreigner and (gasp!) a prostitute, there is an opportunity here to learn some REAL family values, like keeping promises. There are plenty of guns and stuff for us real men (Ha!) and even a militant dance-march thing. And while they catch you off guard, they manage to teach a lesson, one that is especially hard for Americans. After all, Chris does say in the show, "Christ, I'm an American! How can I fail to do good?" Hmmm...
- 4. The opportunity to hear a theater full of people all crying and feeling the same emotions as you - it's totally spiritual. And we're not just talking about little silent sobs; we're talking c-r-y-i-n-g (grown manly men included). So look around you; if you know someone, maybe you can make fun of him at work the next day. It's not that the ending is sad (although it is), it's that the emotional roller coaster you're on turns your insides to lime Jell-O. If you don't feel sad at the end of this musical then you've got a problem. E-mail me and I can find a great shrink for you.
- 3. Thom Sesma as the Engineer - Final word: You know you're good when the audience claps whenever you go on stage. True. That man has incredible stage presence and boy can he sing!
- 2. Deedee Lynn Magno playing Kim- She is absolutely incredible as she grows from a tired and scared teenager to a loving mother and determined woman in one act. When she sings "I'd Give My Life For You," you just want to go out and call your mama and thank her for all the sacrifices she made for you. Her soprano voice is brilliant, sad, hopeful, determined and tragic all at once; it's as if she were born for this role. All I gotta say is "You go, girl!"
- 1. The child who plays Tam- a fellow Orlando citizen - cute, innocent, and very convincing in his red Mickey Mouse shirt.
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