Heat is starting to rise around the new production of Cameron Mackintosh's Miss Saigon that’s set to debut at the Sydney Opera House in August. Following the announcement that young Australian singer Abigail Adriano will make her mainstage lead debut after landing the coveted lead role of Kim, Opera Australia has announced the full cast.
The casting team spent six months engaging with performers, artists, singers, dancers and acrobats from across all corners of Asia-Pacific in an effort to find more than 40 talented individuals, representing a diverse range of skills, backgrounds and experiences.
Leading the stellar new cast announcements is Seann Miley Moore as the Engineer, Nigel Huckle as Chris, Kerrie Anne Greenland as Ellen, Nick Afoa as John, Laurence Mossman as Thuy, and Kimberley Hodgson in the role of Gigi.
The addition of Seann Miley Moore to the cast is certainly going to pique the interest of fans of the talented and oh-so-fashionable Filipino-Australian singer. You might have spotted them on television (competing in season 12 of the X-Factor UK and in season ten of The Voice Australia), performing the role of Angel in the 2021 revival of Rent, or swanning about Sydney WorldPride.
“This show is Asian excellence and this cast is giving Slay-Asian pride!” Miley Moore said. “Miss Saigon is a story that resonates with so many of us and our families so seeing all of us together, ready to tell this story, is really empowering. The spotlight is now on our community, and we are going to own the stage and tell our truth.”
Completing the company of 42 is Billy Bourchier, Elizabeth Chan, Shannon Cheong, Celine Cleveland, David Duketis, Natasha Dumlao, Gelina Enriquez, Annie-Lenore Hanman, Sara Haruta, Leyton Holmes, Mikaila Imaguchi, Graeme Isaako, Patrick Jeremy, Hamish Johnston, Nicholas Kong, Winchester Lopez, Grady Lynch, Robbie Mejica, Bailey Nathan-Park, Matthew Nguyen, Tetsuya Okubo, Atsushi Okumura, David Ouch, Tony Oxybel, Sam Richardson, Annabelle Rosewarne, Jack Connor Rowan, Trevor Santos, Kara Sims, Asmara Soekotjo, Simon Tichelaar, Tamsyn Thomas, Louisa Vilinne and Sam Ward.
Miss Saigon tells the story of a young Vietnamese woman named Kim, who is orphaned by war and forced to work in a bar run by a notorious character (the Engineer). There she meets and falls in love with an American G.I. named Chris, but they're torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For three years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son.
Miss Saigon is playing from August 17, 2023. Tickets start at $75 and are on sale now.