The Western Playhouse production of “Miss Saigon” at Missouri Western State University July 4-13 will honor America and its military veterans in several ways.
“This is a show that really resonates with members of the military,” said Tee Quillin, artistic director of Western Playhouse. “We see this as an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to those who have served in defense of our freedoms.”
Veterans and active duty military personnel will receive free admission to each performance. The complimentary tickets can be reserved by phone at 816-271-4452 or in person at the Potter Hall Box Office. Veterans will also be briefly recognized prior to each show.
In addition, a special display commemorating the Vietnam War will be set up in the Potter Hall Art Gallery, just outside the theater. “Miss Saigon” is set during the final days of the war, as U.S. personnel evacuated South Vietnam’s capital city. The display will include a timeline of key dates and events during the war.
As a final patriotic touch, there will be a free fireworks display following the July 5 performance, provided by Heartland Health. The fireworks show begins at 10 p.m. Hot dogs, soda and beer will be available for purchase on the Potter Hall lawn.
“Miss Saigon” is a retelling of the Puccini opera “Madame Butterfly,” with the setting relocated to 1970s Vietnam. A young American soldier meets and falls in love with a young Vietnamese girl but is forced to leave her and their unborn child behind when the U.S. Embassy in Saigon is evacuated. Three years later, he returns to Asia for a reunion with his war bride and the son he’s never met. The musical ran for more than 4,000 performances in London’s West End and another 4,000 on Broadway.
Show times are 7 p.m. July 4, 5, 6, 12 and 13, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 7. Tickets are $21 plus tax except for military members and veterans. Tickets are currently for sale online at www.westernplayhouse.com. They are also available by phone at 816-271-4452 or in person at the Potter Hall Theater Box Office.
“Miss Saigon,” with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from the original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, additional material by Richard Maltby Jr., orchestrations by William D. Brohn and originally produced on the stage by Cameron Mackintosh, is licensed by Music Theatre International by arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh Ltd.
Western Playhouse was founded in 2012 as a unit of the Western Institute at Missouri Western. It is a resident summer theatre company utilizing professional actors. The actors will arrive in St. Joseph in early June and rehearse daily to prepare for the production.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.