Jen Paz & Eric Kunze reprise roles in Miss Saigon

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:31pm

Jennifer Paz, Eric Kunze, Bonifacio Deoso and Misty Cotton reprise their roles in Miss Saigon at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

“Miss Saigon” opens with previews that run through Friday, May 2. Opening night is Saturday, May 3, with an 8 p.m. show. Closing night is Sunday, May 18, and matinees will take place Saturdays and Sundays.

The Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center is located at 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd. in Redondo Beach.

http://www.civiclightopera.com/saigon.html



Pictures & article

Updated On: 5/1/08 at 10:31 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:34pm

Wow. It's like a 10 year reunion...

[lite2shine]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:38pm

I know, Eric is .. like 40 yrs old now?? That's one friggin' old GI.

Edit: okay he was born in 1971. Still he's an old GI.
Updated On: 5/1/08 at 10:38 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:42pm

I'm sure if you sit a few rows back you won't be able to tell.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:45pm

Doesn't matter how old the actors are, it's whether they can look the part....and they do. Check the pictures. Eric, Jen, and Bones did not age at all. :)

Updated On: 5/1/08 at 10:45 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 12:37am

Jennifer Paz was my first Kim back in 1995, and she looks great. However, the "Asians don't age" myth is just that.

(I didn't even get carded today when I bought Port. And I've been of legal drinking age for almost 10 years. )

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 12:43am

I have tickets for Mother's Day!

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:28am

I'm glad for Eric!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 10:54am

Wow! I saw them both in the 1st US Nat'l Tour of MISS SAIGON 13 years ago! That was 1995.

Jennifer Paz was the evening performances Kim; Eric was a Chris understudy (who went on quite a bit) and Raul Aranas was The Engineer. Aranas shortly left the tour and joined the Broadway production (as The Engineer).

I remember that the 1st US Nat'l Tour caused some controversy due to its immense size (I belive the tour was actually 'bigger' than the Broadway production) and many Broadway-ites felt the tour was being cast with better actors than the Broadway production. It appeared to be the first time that the touring version of a musical was much better than its Broadway incarnation. I recall that Cameron Macintosh released an 'in our defense' statement stating that more people see the touring versions of musicals therefore he wanted the touring version of MISS SAIGON to not only be identical if not better than the Broadway incarnation of the show. He didn't want tour audiences to be slighted with a reduced or modified version of the show but the ultimate version possible. Due to all this, the tour never played less than a 3-month run in each city. It took days to transport the sets to each city. The last time a tour of this magnitude took place was the 1st US Nat'l Tour of SUNSET BLVD. (it took 10 days to dismantle and transport the sets to the next city).

Updated On: 5/2/08 at 10:54 AM

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 12:50pm

I remember Kevin Grey, he was great! I didn't know he passed away. When did this happen?

[Calvin]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 1:08pm

Wait...what?!

[Miss B. L. T. Down]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 1:12pm

Are you sure you aren't confusing Kevin with Francis Ruivivar who passed away several years ago? Also, Kunze was married to a former Kim alternate? Who? I know Peter Lockyer was but Kunze?

[Neverandy]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 2:00pm

Kevin Gray is very much alive.
Last I heard, he was playing Scar on the tour of Lion King.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 7:18pm

Jen Paz was my first KIM in 1995 in LA... then i saw her like 10 years later when she took over KIM in the non-equity tour and she was even better then 10 years earlier... then i saw her here in san diego do a regional show after she left the non-equity version and i did not like her performace... maybe it was the venue (i personally hate the starlight theater... those damn airplanes get old fast).... i really want to see this production but a part of me wishes i could see another KIM... oh well... and i didn't care for Bones when i saw him on the 2NT... his accent REALLY bothered me... oh well...

and i must say... i loved the saigon 1NT set.. that this was massively huge... apart of me wishes that was used on broadway...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 7:22pm

http://www.presstelegram.com/lifestyle/ci_9122574

Did Jennifer Paz play Fantine in a regional production, or was this a reporter's mistake? I know she understudied Eponine on Broadway but never went on.

[otis33]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 7:23pm

I don't think Eric has been married.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 7:26pm

Lizziecurry... are you sure she never went on as Eponine? i remember my friend seeing her on broadway when she went on and he said she was OK...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/2/08 at 7:34pm

I'm not really sure where I heard that, but it was a long time ago -- then again, maybe it was one of those misconceptions that gets passed down.

[Colle]

Posted: 5/4/08 at 10:04am

Jennifer was Kim when I saw the non-equity tour, and I thought she was really good. Apparently, some people think she still looks young enough to pull off Kim. More power to her. If by chance Jennifer ever did go on as Eponine, I would like to hear more details. It sounds like, if ever did get to play Eponine, it was rare.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 5/4/08 at 10:50am

I saw this and I can't believe Eric Kunze is still going to play Chris. I remember his Marius opposite Lea Salonga's Eponine from 1993. This is one old G.I.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 5/4/08 at 12:18pm

Yup, I saw Kevin Gray as Scar.

Never had the chance to see Jennifer Paz in the non-equity tour. I always saw Jennifer Hubila. Who was quite fantastic, actually.

[Laviebohemeb]

Posted: 5/4/08 at 12:19pm

Fabulous.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/4/08 at 12:58pm

"Miss Saigon was the first major role for Paz. "I actually left school to do the show," she said. "It was an amazing opportunity - I was a theater major [at the University of Washington] - and it was either finish the theater program or get to play this dream role. So I toured with the first national tour for 31/2 years."

After that, she appeared in Les Miserables on Broadway, then went to Singapore, where she starred in The Fantasticks with Kay Cole, who was the original Maggie in A Chorus Line."

[Civic Light Opera]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:13am

here are photos of the non-aging. click link

http://www.civiclightopera.com/DOWNLOADS/photos/SAIGON.html Updated On: 5/5/08 at 01:13 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 1:14am

I love it!

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