Jon Jon Briones News

Summer Strallen (The Sound of Music, Top Hat), Anton du Beke (Strictly Come Dancing), Dianne Pilkington (Mamma Mia!, Wicked) and cast members from Miss Saigon head a glittering line-up of West End stars in THE PHILIPPINE DREAM - a one-off Gala at the Leicester Square Theatre on Sunday 17 August to raise money for abandoned and abused orphans in Manila. A special guest host for the evening will be announced shortly.

Below, BroadwayWorld brings you high definition highlights from the exciting new production, starring Eva Noblezada, Alistair Brammer, Jon Jon Briones and more!

Iconic Tony Award-winning original star of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's MISS SAIGON, Lea Salonga, interviews one of the headliners of the new West End revival of the hit mega-musical, Jon Jon Briones, as part of a new interview.

London's pre-summer late afternoon weather is drizzly and drab outside the Prince Edward Theatre on May 29, 2014, but inside the lavish Julie Andrews suite, where BroadwayWorld.com (BWW) is invited to have a cosy chat over a cup of tea with Rachelle Ann Go, MISS SAIGON's Gigi Van Tranh, the late spring showers that day seem continents away.

The Il Divo 'A Musical Affair' tour played the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto on Wednesday night, and after the show, BroadwayWorld Toronto Senior Editor Alan Henry was able to go backstage and chat with a BroadwayWorld favorite - Lea Salonga. Salonga is, of course, best known for originating the role of Kim in Miss Saigon (the west end revival had its opening last night), and being the singing voice of two Disney princesses - Mulan and Jasmine. She is joining Il Divo on their international tour.

MISS SAIGON made its highly anticipated return to London last night, May 21, 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year. Check out photos from the curtain call, and party below!

Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's MISS SAIGON makes its highly anticipated return to London tonight, May 21, 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year. Let's see what the critics had to say...

What did BWW:UK's reviewer think of the epic musical's return to London after its lengthy absence? How do the new cast perform the famous score? And are those special effects as stunning as ever?

MISS SAIGON will make its highly anticipated return to the West End tomorrow, May 21, 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year. Scroll down for several new production photos in anticipation of tomorrow's opening!

London's West End has been abuzz for weeks about the highly anticipated return of Miss Saigon, featuring a new 25th anniversary production, directed by Laurence Connor, who's helped bring us new productions of other Cameron Mackintosh shows including The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables in new stagings.

Miss Saigon, one of the epic mega-musicals of the 1980s, returns to London next month. After its original record-breaking West End run, the new cast has the task of reinventing the show for a new generation. Are they nervous? 'I'm just happy to be here!' says Jon Jon Briones

Originally from the Philippines, Miguel Braganza II, Walter Terry scholar in the dance performance and choreography program at Harvard University in the '80s, and assistant to Tony Award-winning director John Dexter in the original Broadway production of 'M. Butterfly' from 1988-1990, joined the cast of the U.S. and international productions (Germany, Canada, UK, and Portugal) of Cameron Mackintosh's megamusical 'Miss Saigon' for 14 years: a feat that made him feel so blessed, and has prompted him to donate his time, talents, and resources by teaching young and up-and-coming artists, build libraries, and promote arts programs both in New York and in the Philippines to this day.

Miss Saigon, currently booking for performances through to Saturday 25th October 2014, will make its highly anticipated return to the West End on Saturday 3 May 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th anniversary year. Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's epic musical has played in 300 cities in 15 different languages, winning awards around the world since the sensational record-breaking run at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane 25 years ago. This epic love story tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with an American GI Chris--but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. Meet the full company below!

Cameron Mackintosh has announced that Korean star Kwang-Ho Hong will play 'Thuy' in his forthcoming new production of MISS SAIGON. This now completes the casting for the show which makes its highly anticipated return to the West End onSaturday 3 May 2014 at the Prince Edward Theatre, in the musical's 25th Anniversary Year. MISS SAIGON is currently booking for performances through to Saturday 25th October 2014. To watch a special video about Kwang-Ho Hong, please go to www.miss-saigonvideo.com/press

DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING? international concert tour headliner Lea Salonga ("Les Miserables"), sans the show's other two lead stars David Harris ("Legally Blonde") and Marie Zamora ("Les Miserables"), met with the press yesterday, January 22, at Maxims Hotel at Resorts World Manila. Instead, Salonga was joined by the new additions to the cast Jon Joven ("Miss Saigon"), Leo Tavarro Valdez ("Miss Saigon"), Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo ("Miss Saigon"), and Carla Guevara Laforteza ("Miss Saigon") who will perform with Salonga, Harris, and Zamora in the Manila leg of the concert set Wednesday, January 29, and Thursday, January 30, at 8 p.m. at Resorts World Manila's Newport Performing Arts Theatre.

It has been a tough year for us, Filipinos, but we were able to rise above the challenges and showed the world how strong and resilient we are. We wish that for the coming new year our hearts be filled with love and compassion for everyone. BroadwayWorld.com has recently surveyed some of our friends in the Philippine theater industry about their New Year's wishes!

In response to the devastating typhoon and its aftermath in the Philippines, producers Patty Onagan and Ronn Goswick have announced A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena Playhouse, a one-night-only event on Wednesday, December 18 at 7:30pm. Proceeds will support the American Red Cross' Typhoon Appeal and its efforts to assist overseas as the people of the Philippines begin to recover and rebuild. Check out the photos below!

In response to the devastating typhoon and its aftermath in the Philippines, producers Patty Onagan and Ronn Goswick presented A Relief Benefit Concert for the Philippines at The Pasadena Playhouse, a one-night-only event on Wednesday, December 18, 2013. Proceeds will support the American Red Cross' Typhoon Appeal and its efforts to assist overseas as the people of the Philippines begin to recover and rebuild. Check out photos from the concert below!