The CRIGHTON PLAYERS are offering an awful lot of entertainment at Conroe’s Owen Theatre as pop opera “Miss Saigon” goes into its second weekend at 8 tonight and tomorrow eve, and at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
This is some of the best dancing and choreography the Players have ever accomplished. Choreographer VALERIE DUNHAM put the dances together and fulfills a principal role in the show as well. One of the most impressive dancers is TERIGINA HERRERA, also understudy for the role of Kim that lead singer KELLY PETERS portrays. Although only 17 and a senior in Klein High School, this young woman dances like a star. Thirteen years of dance instruction undoubtedly influenced this, but she possesses abundant aptitude as well. You can hardly take your eyes off her in an oriental street scene where she executes a belly dance of highly skilled proportions.
Incredible dancing weaves throughout the show, as in the ribbon dance in one scene that mesmerized the audience. At the beginning of Act II, “The Morning of the Dragon” scene has a stage full of young Communists, marching in magnificent precision, spawning the feel of underlying oppression. You can almost hear the grinding away of human rights. LYNN PEVERILL’S imaginative costuming prevails throughout the show, but seems most in evidence here. SARA SOLAND provided able assistance. MIKE RAGAN’S sound effects are convincingly realistic; technicians TONY KNEPPER and JEFF ELKINS perfectly execute ROGER ORMISTON’S lighting design.
Music director DAVID ENGLERT put together a dozen musicians who sound like 50 hidden backstage. This may be the best music accompaniment ever for CP, although Englert has done this job numerous times before for the company. This particular score is extremely difficult. If I saved “the best for last,” I couldn’t write about this production at all, because the whole show is breathtakingly done. However, the voices of stars Ms. Peters, CHRIS THOMAS, DAVID KERR, CREG KELLY, and all the backups, rank five-star perfection. The solos, duets and vocal blends which I wholeheartedly endorse, truly are outstanding. I cannot say that I love the lyrics or score (I would never purchase a recording), but it’s perfect for this vehicle, and mesmerized me in my seat during the performance.
Although this is a tragic story, it is not devoid of humor. For instance the cunning Engineer (Chris Thomas) gets off some funny lyrics in more than one scene as he craftily reveals his true character. Two street scenes provide lightness as tourists act like—well tourists, with cameras, gawking, bartering and buffoonery.
When cast members showed up at LILLIAN NIEDERHOFER’S for a First Nighter party after the opening, everybody envied their tee shirts that only cast and crew get to own. Designed by David Kerr, the shirts are maroon with an orangy moon enclosing a helicopter outlined in black that signifies the Vietnam evacuation.
To reserve $20 tickets for “Miss Saigon,” call (36) 539-4090. The show continues on weekends through September 6.
This post was published in the Conroe Courier in the TICKET on AUGUST 21, 2009 and was written by PEGGIE MILLER.
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