Photos: First Look At THE WATERMELON PRINCE: THE MUSICAL At The Saigon Opera House

Director and Choreographer Spencer Liff and Music Director Doug Katsaros spent four weeks in Vietnam working side by side with Vietnamese artists to create and stage The Watermelon Prince: The Musical, culminating in its world premiere at the historic Saigon Opera House on October 3 and 4. Check out the photos!

Inspired by the beloved Vietnamese legend of Mai An Tiêm, the Broadway-style musical brought American musical-theater experience together with Vietnamese performers, musicians, and creatives in a first-of-its-kind theatrical collaboration.

Central to that collaboration were Co-Choreographer Nguyễn Tấn Lộc and Associate Director Lê Hoàng Giang, who worked closely with Liff and Katsaros throughout the rehearsal process. Together, the creative team developed the production in Vietnam rather than importing an existing Western musical, building an original work around Vietnamese source material, culture and artistic traditions.

Performed entirely in Vietnamese, The Watermelon Prince brought the language and craft of contemporary musical theater to a story that has been part of Vietnamese culture for generations. The production combined original music, choreography, theatrical storytelling and a live orchestra incorporating Vietnamese instruments, creating a work intended to feel both culturally rooted and theatrically expansive.

The musical follows Mai An Tiêm, an adopted prince who is banished with his wife, Princess Mỹ Linh, to a barren island. Their perseverance, faith and hope ultimately lead to the legendary discovery of the watermelon.

The world-premiere cast featured Denis Đặng as Mai An Tiêm, Myra Trần as Princess Mỹ Linh, Huỳnh Kiến An as King Hùng, Phạm Yến as Queen Thi Thi, Trọng Nhân as Prince Khang, Trương Bảo Như as the Mystic, and Tâm Hoàng as the Rich Merchant.

The production's visual world was created by Vietnamese Scenic Designer Trần Hồng Vân, whose richly detailed sets brought the era of the Hùng Kings to life while weaving Vietnamese motifs and cultural imagery throughout the stage.

Also traveling from the United States for the premiere was Tom McCoy, an Emmy-nominated producer and Executive Producer of McCoy Rigby Entertainment, which has produced Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Broadway, international and national touring productions. McCoy joined members of the creative team in addressing the cast and guests following the performance, and shared, 'I was blown away by this show! This show should come to the United States! Spencer Liff is a rock star. Let's do it again! Let's bring it to America!'

Across its two performances, The Watermelon Prince: The Musical played to full houses at the historic Saigon Opera House, welcoming government dignitaries from Vietnam and abroad, members of the media, and prominent figures from Vietnam's entertainment industry. Invited guests included People's Artist Trịnh Kim Chi, actress Diễm My 9X, actor Trương Thế Vinh, singer Nguyễn Trần Trung Quân, director Lê Hùng Phương, television producer Dược Sĩ Tiến, music producer Dương Đình Trí, and representatives from Sun Group's entertainment division, among other notable guests.

Produced by Happy Sunshine Entertainment, The Watermelon Prince delivered a fresh and exciting approach to musical theater in Vietnam. The production earned praise from audiences and media for its seamless scene transitions, fluid staging, visually compelling set design, live orchestra, and the ensemble's exceptional singing and dynamic dancing, all of which brought the ancient Vietnam kingdom to life.