Jen Paz & Eric Kunze reprise roles in Miss Saigon- Page 2

[maggiwun2]

Posted: 5/5/08 at 8:14am

Thanks for posting those pics, they're great! I met Eric a few months ago after a performance of Whistle and he looked to be in his 20's to me. I could hardly believe he was 37. He is very young in mind, body and spirit. I was so impressed I started a fansite for him: www.erickunze.blogspot.com

[BWNUT]

Posted: 5/6/08 at 5:38pm

Saw this opening night, and it was a pleasant suprise. I usually lower my expectations for regional productions but this one was impressive. It even felt and looked bigger and more polished than the 2NT (with Joan Almedilla as Kim and a hologram helicopter). This one has a "real" copter and cadillac. Jennifer and Eric actually fit their roles perfectly. They were convincing as young Kim and Chris despite their age, and I think their age worked to their advantage later on as the grown-ups. And finally, a Thuy who actually looked and sounded Vietnamese (can't remember the actor's name), and still intelligible and surprisingly sympathetic.

Reviews:

http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_9122602
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-saigon6-2008may06,0,2243253.story
http://www.presstelegram.com/lifestyle/ci_9160998

Updated On: 5/6/08 at 05:38 PM

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 12:20am

Joan Almedilla never did the 2NT... and the 2NT never had the hologram.... that was the non-equity tour... unless Joan did the 2NT but i'm pretty sure she didn't... LizzieCurry would you know?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 12:29am

I'm pretty sure she didn't, but I don't have a chronological list on me. I did at one point (yes, really!). Probably on my old computer at my parents' house.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 12:54am

Joan Almedilla performed Kim on Broadway and at Muny with Eric Kunze. Jen Paz did the tour with the holographic helicopter.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 12:59am

But before that she was on the 1NT.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 1:17am

Joan Almedilla was never on the 1NT. Trust me.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 4:04am

just because i feel like being a nerd and i'm bored...

the first national tour Kims were...

Jennie Kwan (the girl from California Dreams)... her alternate was Jennifer Paz or Hazel Ann Raymundo...

Jennifer Paz then took over and then somehwere Melindua Chua (the final alternate KIM on broadway and the previous main KIM until Lea came to close the show) became her alternate... and then Melanie Mariko Tojio (Peter Lockyer's wife) was also alernate... weird because my playill from Los Angeles lists Melanie as the alternate but the souvenir book lists Melinda as the alternate...

towards the end of the LA run, Cristina Paras became main KIM... after that i don't know the rest of the KIMS of the 1NT..

as for the 2NT... Deedee Magno was the main KIM for a long time with Alex Lee Tano (Lea Salonga's alternate on broadway when she made her first return to the show) as the alternate then eventually Cristina Paras became main KIM

here's where i get mixed up... Elizabeth Paw (alternate KIM on broadway) became main KIM with Kristine Remigio (who soon became an alternate on Broadway to deedee) was alternate

Kristine took over main with Kym Hoy as alternate... then Kym became main with Mika Nishida (played gigi on the tour previously) as alternate or Michelle Nigalan (broadway KIM understudy) as alternate

Mika Nishida then closed the company as the final KIM with Michelle Nigalan as the alternate...

non-equity... Jennifer Hubilla as main KIM with Karen Alvarez as alternate... Jennifer Paz then became main KIM when Jennifer H. left for the UK tour... Laurie Cadevida became alternate.... after Jen Paz left Laurie closed the tour as main KIM with someoe else as alternate that I'm forgetting...

anyone can correct my mistakes... but yeah... i'm bored and can't sleep... haha

take a look at this link if you're bored too...
Kims in MISS SAIGON

[choitoy]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 6:30am

I never got to experience Jennifer Paz in anything yet. I'm still a little upset that I didn't get to see her in Evita when she did it at the Village Theatre (I went on Tuesday, a.k.a. alternate night).

I also never got her in the Miss Saigon tour (I got the alternate Christina Paras to Deedee Lynn Magno).

Goot luck to her in re-tackling the role (kinda like Lea Salonga when she revisited Les Mis...)

[EVIE]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 11:39am

Eric is gorgeous...can't wait to see him in Evita.

[BWNUT]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 2:00pm

Sorry...not really sure which cast/tour it was.. all I remember is it was at the Pantages in LA with a cheesy and cheap-looking holographic copter with Joan Almedilla.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 3:06pm

Exciting!!!

They look great and I miss this show. I'm happy for this.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 3:12pm

So I assume that Jen Paz was able to get her equity card back.

She gave up her equity card to do the non-equity tour of Miss Saigon and when she was done she landed another equity job which would have entitled her to join AEA again but they denied readmittance and were trying to keep her out. I never heard anything about that being resolved.
Updated On: 5/7/08 at 03:12 PM

[maggiwun2]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 6:26pm

BWNut, lucky you! I won't be able to catch this one, but am hoping to see Eric in Miss Saigon in St. Louis in July. I was disappointed that he was mentioned in the reviews. I know it's not a flashy role, but I love his voice and I'm hungry for more info. Can you expand your review a bit? Maggi

[choitoy]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 7:14pm

re Tom1071:

I don't know if this helps, but Jen Paz was listed as part of Actor's Equity in the regional production of Evita that she did in Seattle with Village Theatre back in Sept/Oct of 2006 in the program credits.

[maggiwun2]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 7:48pm

BWNut, I meant to say "he WASN'T mentioned in the reviews". Sorry, typing too fast.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 8:29pm

BWNUT - the Kims that performed at the Pantages during Mackintosh's "scaled down new US tour" from June 16, 2004 to June 27, 2004 were Jennifer Paz (Principle) and Jennifer Hubilla (Alternate). Joan Almedilla didn't perform at the Pantages or at that tour at all. Joan only reprised the Kim role at the regional production at the Muny.

Updated On: 5/7/08 at 08:29 PM

[Neverandy]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 8:44pm

It was a pretty big deal when she did that tour and then tried to re-join. They came down pretty hard on her IIRC. Although I can't remember exactly what the final outcome was with her case, re-joining after such a large infraction usually involves a letter denouncing your actions,and some sort of fine. When Barry Williams left the Union to tour with Sound Of Music, I think he paid 50 grand to get back in, and he had to take an ad out in Backstage denouncing what he did.
I remember when I read at the time that Jen was doing the Tour I figured that she was transitioning away from performing and this was a way to make some money. But to try to re-join after turning your back on the Union really takes some brass ones! It basically undermines everything the union stands for.

[BWNUT]

Posted: 5/7/08 at 8:49pm

maggi -- Here's a lay person's capsule review: Never seen Eric before but I thought he was great. Chris is not as flashy a role as the Engineer, but he made it very appealing. He had great chemistry (romance/sexual tension:]) with Jen. Great rendition of Sun and Moon and Last Night of the World. His voice has an amazing range and complemented Jen's very well. Acting-wise, you could feel his confusion and anger with "Why God Why? and was just devastating in "The Confrontation." He and the whole cast deserved the SO and Bravos at the end.
Updated On: 5/7/08 at 08:49 PM

[maggiwun2]

Posted: 5/8/08 at 5:47pm

BWNut, thank you so much for the reply. I'm so glad to read that. He's always wonderful in everything I've seen - it must because it's not a flashy role that he wasn't mentioned. I'm looking forward to the St. Louis production. Hope it's as good as this one seems to be. Maggi

[Civic Light Opera]

Posted: 5/9/08 at 1:10pm

More reviews out... Miss Saigon is a hit again!!!

http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_9161283?IADID=Search-www.dailybreeze.com-www.dailybreeze.com
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-saigon6-2008may06,0,3712736.story
http://www.stagehappenings.com/Carol_Segal/reviews/missaigon.php
http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/other_news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003800639
http://stagescenela.com/html/miss_saigon.html
http://www.easyreadernews.com/story.php?StoryID=20033471
http://www.tbrnews.com/articles/2008/05/08/stepping_out/step6.txt

[NDR]

Posted: 5/9/08 at 2:08pm

About the Paz leaving equity to do the non-equity tour, I know they have contracts now that allow equity members to go on tour with non-equity tours. Was this instance before the initiation of this type of contract?

Maybe that is why they have that type of contract now. If an actor/actress isn't getting work elsewhere at the time, I really don't see an issue with them doing a non-equity show. They have to make a living and equity sure isn't going to pay their bills.

I wish I could see this production. It looks really good.

I think the LA times review is a bit harsh - the whole "If you are coerced into it, you may enjoy it" stance. I still don't see how in the world people get so caught up about the helicopter. IT IS NOT ABOUT THE HELICOPTER! And if you think it is, you need to be checked for ADHD (not meant to offend anyone).

The helicopter comes out in Act 2 and is only onstage for less than 2 minutes. Oye! I guess Wicked should get rid of the bubble, and the Defying Gravity lift; and Hairspray better get rid of the Ultra Clutch bottle, Lion King better get rid of the large animal costumes, etc. I mean come on critics - get over yourselves - if large scale items distract you that much from the beautiful love story and struggles of war there is something very wrong with your head.

I LOVE Miss Saigon - can you tell?????

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:26am

so i saw the show over the weekend.. it's probably the 30th time i've seen the show (i'm a miss saigon nerd... and hey we all have that one show we are obsessed with... this is mine).... anyways... it was great show... just a few things that bothered me or i liked....

1) Not about the show but... i hate going to regional shows and having to sit through what feels like 30 minutes of the manager talking about the season and how we should all subscribe... geez it's so reptitive... and i hate how people gasp that they are doing a show like Oklahoma for the millionth freaking time!

now for the show

2) it bothered me that the director said this was the definitive miss saigon... that takes balls to say someting like that... even saying new york people have come down to see it, making it seem like it's a huge deal... well the sets and costumes were pretty much rented from the Fullerton Civic Light Opera which won several LA Ovation awards a couple years ago... and if it wasn't rented then well they pretty much copied it!

3) good to see Kim get the final bow

4) Bonifacio Deoso, Jr. as Thuy- sorry but ive seen this guy waaay too many times in the role and i don't think he's all that great that critics make him out to be... in fact he was also the Thuy in the Fullerton prodction so they took that too!

5) Kevin Bailey as the Engineer- i still think this role should be performed by an Asian person... despite the fact that it's Eurasian, it's just hard for me to see a white guy pretending that he's half asian... so it ws odd hearing him sing "why was a born of a race... etc.)... i probably woudn't have minded so much also if the guy didn't completely ruin the role for me... he played the Engineer completely one note... like he didn't even bother to act the role... this is a great role for anyone to play because it has a lot of stuff going on with it... this guy played it like was frat boy thinking it's cool to pimp women and get some money... argh! i also hated how he pretty much sang the role like it was some classical opera or musical!!!!! he literally ended every verse or line singing the ending note longer than i would like (did that make sense?) and like the LA times review said... this guy sure does know how to ham it up... no wonder the audience liked him... geez... he was HORRIBLE

6) Jen Paz was awesome but i'd still like to see someone else perform the role for a change... i have seen her about 10 times in the role... i need a ne KIM

7) Eric Kunze was pretty damn good and didn't look old at all

I'm still a firm believer that THE HEAT IS ON IN SAIGON is not some dance number... although it wasn't horrible like in some verions i've seen... i hate when the marines dance... looks so horribly cheesy... the girls can dance but when they turn it into some big group thing... i can't deal with it

9) this is a show that NEEDS to always keep moving... i know it's hard because it's not broadway caliber staging and money... but i hate when Last Night of the World there is no music going into MORNING OF THE DRAGON.... i get that they have to clear the sets but it kinda ruins the moment...

10) along with that... i hated when the audience clapped after Please, Sun and Moon Reprise, John and Chris' dialogue before What a Waste and the Confrontation Sequence. To be more specific, I'm so used to those songs just going directly into the next scene... and clapping after it just ruins it for me... but what made it worse was that there was no clapping for all these songs, but the damn orchestra pretty much WAITED or clapping... there would be one spattering of applause then it's like the condcutor waited for more applause to start the next scene... completely ruined the dramatic moment for me...

11) i thought it was pretty funny that when KIM killed herself the woman next to me clapped because she guessed the ending!!!! hahaa.. hilarious...

12) matinees are full of every old person in the world... but i guess most of you all knew that! HAHA!

OK... i'm pretty sure I have more complaints but I'm too tired to write more.... And I know i'm picky but hey... it's my favorite musical of all time and i just love it so much that i want the show to be done well... like i said earlier... we all have that show we love so much...

Overall a worthy production of miss saigon that i truly loved and enjoyed despite the complaints... next time i just don't want to hear that this is the definitive version of the show because i'll scrutinize it more!

and and ANOTHER side note... when i left the theater i recognized the guy who was sitting behind me... so i had to get a good look.. and sure enough as i was leaving the theater... it was Sam Anderson... for all you LOST lovers out there it was Bernard!!!! GOO LOST! Season Finale this Thursday!!!!! oh and i overheard him say how much he LOVED the show!

[observer2]

Posted: 5/21/08 at 5:36am

are you a professional critic? actor? singer?

outside of having seen the show so many times, have you had the opportunity of actually being in it?

one thing i've noticed about borderline and full-on know-it-all fans of a show--i'm guessing you're one for miss saigon--is that they tend to focus on the negative aspects more because of plain overload from watching it too often. i see that you even mentioned something about hating audience response (which is, ARGUABLY, something nobody has no control over)and orchestra rests between scenes!

despite the tweaks and changes from the original broadway versions these smaller versions incorporate, shouldn't we be more supportive of them since they are the ones that perpetuate the life of these blockbusters?

i find it amusing and ironic that you cushion your blows by utilizing the 'i-like-it-overall-but' tactic when the main content of your tirade is an itemized list of negative comments about the show that does not reach your rigid broadway ideals.

not everyone had the privilege of watching it on broadway. so, in effect, the closbc show could very well be the definitive version for these people who aren't as blessed as you to see it 30 times.

leave the criticizing to the professionals!





Updated On: 5/21/08 at 05:36 AM

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 5/21/08 at 8:30am

I love this show and miss it terribly, so I'm glad to have it back in a way. I wish I could see it

Good to read reviews

I hadn't really heard much about Jen Paz and her ordeal. Thank you to everyone who filled me/us in