Miss Saigon is a stage musical written by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on the 1904 opera Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini, and it shares a similar story about a sad love story between an Asian woman and an American man who leaves her. The setting of Miss Saigon is moved to Saigon in the 1970s during the Vietnam War. Instead of a marriage between an American lieutenant and a geisha, the story follows a romance between a United States Marine and a seventeen-year-old South Vietnamese bargirl.

The musical first opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London on September 20, 1989, and ended after 4,092 performances on October 30, 1999. It later opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre on April 11, 1991, with a record advance of over $39 million. The musical was performed in many cities and toured worldwide. Before the 2014 London revival, it was reported that Miss Saigon had set a world record for the most tickets sold on its opening day, with sales exceeding £4 million.

Miss Saigon was Schönberg and Boublil’s second major success after Les Misérables in 1985. As of January 2026, Miss Saigon remains Broadway’s fifteenth longest-running show.

Background

The musical Miss Saigon was inspired by a photograph that Schönberg discovered by accident in a magazine. The photo showed a Vietnamese mother saying goodbye to her child at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. The child was boarding a plane to the United States, where the child’s father, a former American soldier, could offer a better life. Schönberg described the mother’s decision to leave her child as "The Ultimate Sacrifice," an idea that plays an important part in the story of Miss Saigon.

Key events in the show include the evacuation of the last American soldiers from Saigon by helicopter as Vietnamese people left behind shouted in sadness, the celebration of the new communist government’s victory, and a busy nightclub scene during the time of the country’s defeat.

Synopsis

In April 1975, at a place called "Dreamland," a bar and brothel in Saigon, Kim begins her first day as a bargirl just before the end of the Vietnam War. Kim is a 17-year-old girl from a poor farming family. She is taken in by the Engineer, a French-Vietnamese man who owns the club. Backstage, other girls prepare for the night’s performance and tease Kim for being new ("Overture / Backstage Dreamland"). U.S. Marines, who know they will soon leave Vietnam, party with Vietnamese sex workers ("The Heat Is on in Saigon"). Chris Scott, a soldier who dislikes the club scene, is encouraged by his friend John Thomas to go with a girl.

The girls compete for the title of "Miss Saigon," and the winner is given away in a drawing to a Marine. Kim’s innocence catches Chris’s attention. Gigi Van Tranh wins the title and asks the Marine who wins the drawing to take her to America, which annoys him. The showgirls think about their hopes for a better life ("Movie in My Mind"). John buys a room for Chris and the inexperienced Kim ("The Transaction"). Kim is nervous but dances with Chris, who tries to pay her to leave the club. When the Engineer interrupts, thinking Chris does not like Kim, Chris agrees to go to Kim’s room ("The Dance").

While watching Kim sleep, Chris asks God why he met her just before leaving Vietnam ("Why, God, Why?"). When Kim wakes, Chris tries to give her money, but she refuses, saying it is her first time being with a man ("This Money's Yours"). Moved by learning Kim is an orphan, Chris offers to take her to America with him, and they fall in love ("Sun and Moon"). Chris tells John he will take time off to be with Kim. John warns Chris that the Viet Cong will soon capture Saigon but agrees to help cover for him ("The Telephone Song"). Chris meets the Engineer to trade for Kim, but the Engineer tries to add an American visa to the deal. Chris threatens the Engineer with a gun and forces him to honor the original agreement for Kim ("The Deal").

The bargirls hold a "wedding ceremony" for Chris and Kim ("Dju Vui Vai"), with Gigi toasting Kim as the "real" Miss Saigon. Thuy, Kim’s cousin, who was promised to her at age 13, arrives to take her home. Thuy is now an officer in the North Vietnamese Army and is angry to find Kim with a white man ("Thuy's Arrival"). Thuy and Chris argue, drawing their guns. Kim tells Thuy their arranged marriage is over because her parents are dead, and she no longer loves him because of his betrayal. Thuy curses them and leaves ("What's This I Find"). Chris promises to take Kim to America with him. Chris and Kim dance to the same song as on their first night ("Last Night of The World").

In 1978, a street parade celebrates the third anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification and the defeat of the Americans ("The Morning of The Dragon"). Thuy, now a government official, orders his soldiers to find the Engineer, who has been working in rice fields as part of a re-education program. Thuy wants the Engineer to find Kim. It is clear Kim and Chris have been separated during the three-year time jump. Kim hides in a poor area, still loving Chris and believing he will return. Meanwhile, Chris is in bed with his new American wife, Ellen, when he wakes from a dream shouting Kim’s name. Ellen and Kim both promise their love for Chris from opposite sides of the world ("I Still Believe").

The Engineer takes Thuy to where Kim is hiding. Kim refuses Thuy’s marriage offer, not knowing Thuy’s soldiers are waiting outside. Thuy calls in his soldiers, who tie up Kim and the Engineer, threatening to send them to a re-education camp ("Coo-Coo Princess"). Thuy then allows the Engineer to leave. Kim again refuses to go with Thuy and introduces Thuy to Tam, her three-year-old son from Chris. Thuy calls Kim a traitor and tries to kill Tam with a knife. Kim shoots Thuy to protect Tam ("You Will Not Touch Him"). Thuy dies as the parade continues nearby ("This Is the Hour"), and Kim flees with Tam.

The Engineer laments being born Vietnamese and wishes to go to the United States ("If You Want to Die in Bed"). Kim tells the Engineer Tam’s father is American ("Let Me See His Western Nose")—thinking the boy is her chance to leave Vietnam. He tells Kim he is now Tam’s uncle and will help them reach Bangkok. Kim promises to give Tam a better life, and the three leave on a ship with other refugees ("I'd Give My Life for You").

In Atlanta, Georgia, John works for an aid group that helps children born during the war find their American fathers ("Bui Doi"). John tells Chris Kim is still alive, which relieves Chris after years of nightmares. John also tells Chris about Tam and urges him to go to Bangkok with Ellen. Chris finally tells Ellen about Kim and Tam ("The Revelation"). In Bangkok, the Engineer runs a sleazy club where Kim works as a dancer ("What A Waste"). Chris, Ellen, and John arrive to find Kim. John finds Kim dancing and tells her Chris is in Bangkok. John tries to tell Kim Chris is remarried, but Kim interrupts, excited to learn Chris has arrived. She tells Tam his father has come, believing they will go to America with Chris. Seeing Kim happy, John promises to bring Chris to her ("Please").

The Engineer tells Kim to find Chris herself, doubting Chris will come ("Chris Is Here"). Kim is haunted by the ghost of Thuy, who taunts her, claiming Chris will betray her as he did when Saigon fell. Kim has a painful memory of that night ("Kim's Nightmare").

In the memory, Kim recalls the Viet Cong approaching Saigon. As the city becomes chaotic, Chris is called to the embassy and leaves his gun with Kim, telling her to pack. When Chris enters the embassy, the gates close as orders come from Washington to evacuate Americans immediately. The Ambassador stops Vietnamese from entering the embassy. Kim reaches the gates, part of a crowd of frightened Vietnamese. Chris calls to Kim and tries to go to her. John stops Chris by punching him. Chris boards the last helicopter leaving Saigon as Kim watches from outside, still loving him ("The Fall of Saigon").

In 1978 Bangkok, Kim joyfully wears her wedding clothes ("Sun and Moon [Reprise]") and leaves the Engineer to watch Tam while she is gone. She goes to Chris’s hotel room and finds Ellen. Ellen reveals she is Chris’s wife. Kim is heartbroken but confirms to Ellen that Tam is Chris’s son. She pleads for Ellen to take Tam to America with them, but Ellen refuses, saying Tam needs his real mother and wants her own children with

Production history

Miss Saigon first opened in London at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on September 20, 1989. It played there until October 30, 1999, with a total of 4,264 performances. Nicholas Hytner directed the show, Bob Avian designed the musical staging, and John Napier created the scenery. In December 1994, the London production became the longest-running musical at the Theatre Royal, breaking the record previously held by My Fair Lady.

Lea Salonga played the role of Kim and won the Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award for her performance. Jonathan Pryce portrayed The Engineer and also received the Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award for this role. Simon Bowman originally played the character of Chris.

The musical opened on Broadway in New York at the Broadway Theatre on April 11, 1991, and closed on January 28, 2001, after 4,092 performances. Nicholas Hytner directed again, Bob Avian handled the musical staging, John Napier designed the scenery, Andreane Neofitou and Suzy Benzinger created the costumes, and David Hersey designed the lighting.

In May 2014, a new production of Miss Saigon began in London at the Prince Edward Theatre as part of a revival to celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary. Cameron Mackintosh produced the revival, and Laurence Connor directed it. The official opening was on May 21, 2014.

On September 22, 2014, a special 25th anniversary gala was held. After a regular performance, Lea Salonga, Simon Bowman, Jonathan Pryce, and other original cast members joined the current cast for a special finale. The finale included songs such as "This Is the Hour," "The Movie in My Mind," "Last Night of the World," and "The American Dream." The London revival closed on February 27, 2016, after 760 performances.

In November 2015, it was announced that the London production would move to Broadway in March 2017 for a limited run until January 15, 2018. The revival featured Eva Noblezada as Kim, Jon Jon Briones as The Engineer, Alistair Brammer as Chris, and Rachelle Ann Go as Gigi. Other cast members included Katie Rose Clarke, Nicholas Christopher, and Devin Ilaw. The show played at the same Broadway Theatre where it first opened. Preview performances began on March 1, 2017, and the official opening was on March 23. The final performance was on January 14, 2018, after 24 previews and 340 performances.

Miss Saigon has been performed in at least 25 countries and translated into 12 languages. Special theaters were built in Tokyo, Stuttgart, and The Hague to host the show.

A production in Toronto opened on May 8, 1993, at the Princess of Wales Theatre. It starred Ma-Anne Dionisio as Kim, Kevin Gray as The Engineer, H.E. Greer as Chris, Rufus Bonds Jr. as John, and Charles Azulay as Thuy. The show closed on April 30, 1995. Norm Lewis later joined the cast as John.

The musical opened in Sydney, Australia, on July 29, 1995, at the Capitol Theatre. It starred Joanna Ampil as Kim, Peter Cousens as Chris, Cocoy Laurel as The Engineer, Milton Craig Nealy as John, Darren Yap as Thuy, and Silvie Paladino as Ellen.

In 2009, Miss Saigon was performed outdoors in Bømlo, Norway, from August 5 to 16. A Bell helicopter was used during the production. A 2013 production at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, included a new song called "Maybe," which replaced "Now That I've Seen Her." This song was later added to the 2014 London revival.

In 2023, a revival of Miss Saigon took place at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. It starred Joanna Ampil as Kim and Jessica Lee as The Engineer. The production was nominated for three What's On Stage awards.

The first U.S. tour began in Chicago, Illinois, in October 1992. The show traveled to cities that could accommodate its large production. It later played at venues such as the Wang Center in Boston, the Broward Center in Florida, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and others. Cameron Mackintosh said, "Corners haven't been cut. They've been added. There are only a dozen theaters in America where we can do this."

A second U.S. tour started in Seattle in early 1995 and ended in Buffalo, New York, in August 2000. It played in major cities across the U.S. and Canada, including Honolulu, San Francisco, Toronto, Boston, Chicago, and West Palm Beach. The tour originally starred Deedee Magno Hall as Kim, Thom Sesma as The Engineer, and Matt Bogart as Chris.

After the London and Broadway productions closed, the original London staging toured six major venues in Britain and Ireland from 1999 to 2003. The tour included stops in Manchester, Birmingham, Southampton, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Dublin. In 2004, a smaller-scale version of the show was created to fit smaller theaters, and this tour ran from 2004 to 2006.

A non-Equity North American tour ran from 2002 to 2005, playing at venues such as the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Gainesville, Florida.

Following the 2014–2016 London revival, a new UK and Ireland tour began in July 2017 at the Curve in Leicester. It later toured to Birmingham, Dublin, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Southampton, and Manchester.

Another U.S. tour started in September 2018 at the Providence Performing Arts Center. It closed early in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August 2024, a new revival of Miss Saigon opened in Singapore at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, and ran until September 29, 2024.

A new UK tour, produced by Michael Harrison Entertainment in partnership with Cameron Mackintosh, will begin in October

Casts

• Kim: Joanna Ampil, Ma-Anne Dionisio, Naoko Mori, Jamie Rivera, Monique Wilson, Carla Guevara Laforteza
• Chris: John Barrowman, Graham Bickley, David Campbell, Peter Jöback, Jérôme Pradon, Glyn Kerslake
• The Engineer: Hilton McRae, Jon Jon Briones
• Ellen: Gunilla Backman, Ruthie Henshall
• Gigi: Lorraine Vélez

• Kim: Rona Figueroa, Joan Almedilla, Deedee Magno Hall, Jennie Kwan, Jennifer Paz, Annette Calud (a/t)
• Chris: Jarrod Emick, Eric Kunze, Peter Lockyer, Will Chase, Tyley Ross
• The Engineer: Raul Aranas, Wang Luoyong, Alan Muraoka
• John: Keith Byron Kirk, Norm Lewis, Matthew Dickens, Billy Porter, Curtiss Cook (u/s)
• Ellen: Tami Tappan, Anastasia Barzee, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, Ruthie Henshall, Christiane Noll, Andrea Rivette (u/s)
• Thuy: Jason Ma, Yancey Arias, Michael K. Lee, Welly Yang

• Kim: Deedee Magno Hall, Jennifer Paz
• The Engineer: Kevin Gray
• Chris: Will Chase, Eric Kunze, Peter Lockyer, Steven Pasquale, Greg Stone, Will Swenson
• John: Norm Lewis
• Ellen: Anastasia Barzee, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, Andrea Rivette

• Chris: Luke Evans
• Ellen: Kerry Ellis

• Ellen: Siobhan Dillon
• Gigi: Natalie Mendoza

Controversies

Hubert van Es, a Dutch photographer who captured the most famous image of the fall of Saigon in 1975 (showing people climbing a ladder to a CIA helicopter on a rooftop), considered taking legal action when his photo was used in the musical Miss Saigon.

Miss Saigon has faced criticism for not accurately representing Asian people and for having racist or sexist themes. In the original production, white actors playing Eurasian or Asian characters used makeup and special creams to appear more Asian, which upset many people who compared this practice to a type of offensive performance called a "minstrel show." Although there was a search for Asian actresses to play the role of Kim, there was no similar effort to find Asian actors for other major roles, such as the Engineer and Thuy.

Angelica Pao, an American scholar, noted that in the West End of London, the producer, Cameron Mackintosh, made an effort to cast Asian actresses for Vietnamese women roles to add authenticity. However, he allowed white actors to play Vietnamese men. Yutian Wong, another American scholar, pointed out that when Miss Saigon first opened in London in 1989, British critics did not criticize the casting. The controversy began later, in 1990, when the musical moved to Broadway in the United States, where there is a larger East Asian population than in the United Kingdom.

When the show moved to New York City, the Actors' Equity Association (AEA) refused to let the white actor, John Pryce, play the role of the Engineer, a Eurasian pimp, in the United States. Playwright David Henry Hwang and actor B.D. Wong wrote letters protesting Pryce's casting, saying it was disrespectful to Asian people. AEA stated that casting a white actor to look Asian was unfair to the Asian community and limited opportunities for Asian actors in major roles. However, AEA faced criticism from some groups, including the British Actors' Equity Association, who argued that the Engineer’s character was Eurasian (French-Vietnamese), and Pryce was not being discriminated against because of his race. Additionally, Pryce was considered a "star" in Europe, which allowed him to return to Broadway without an American casting call. After pressure from Mackintosh, the public, and some AEA members, the decision was reversed, and Pryce performed in the Broadway production.

When the show moved from London to Broadway, another issue arose about the actress Lea Salonga, who is Filipina. AEA initially wanted to give priority to American actors, preventing Salonga from returning to the role. However, Mackintosh could not find a suitable replacement for Salonga after holding auditions in several cities. An arbitrator later allowed Salonga to continue in the role.

Later versions of Miss Saigon have faced boycotts from Asian actors.

People around the world have criticized the musical for being racist and sexist. D Hideo Maruyama, a Fulbright Hayes Scholar, said, "It’s time to see the real Vietnam, not the version shown in Miss Saigon." Mai Neng Moua, an American artist and activist, shared her experience protesting the show in 1994, saying it was racist, sexist, and offensive to Asian Americans. Vietnamese American activist Denise Huynh described feeling physically ill from the stereotypes in the show.

Sarah Bellamy, co-artistic director of the Penumbra Theatre, said that Miss Saigon uses people of color, tropical settings, and costumes to support a narrative about white dominance and control.

Yutian Wong described Miss Saigon as promoting the idea that Asia is weak and serves as a place for the West to exploit. The show does not mention how the Vietnam War harmed many Vietnamese people or how women were forced into prostitution to survive. In 1999, when the show closed in London, a new advertising campaign showed an Asian woman in a military jacket, which Wong said linked Asia to prostitution.

Karen Shimakawa, an American scholar, argued that the relationship between the Marine Chris and Kim in the musical was meant to show that the Vietnam War was justified. Chris treats Kim as someone to protect, not as an equal partner. Ellen explains to Kim that under American law, she is Chris’s wife, and Kim accepts this without question, which Shimakawa said shows that Vietnam is seen as a place for Western people to enjoy.

Richard Fung, a Trinidadian-Canadian critic, wrote in 1994 that if Miss Saigon were the only show about Asian women and men, it would not be a stereotype. However, repeated use of such stereotypes in films, TV, and plays harms the self-esteem of Asian Americans, especially women.

In 2019, the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin, planned to host a touring production of Miss Saigon and scheduled a panel discussion to share Asian American perspectives on the musical’s portrayal of Asian characters. The panel was later postponed.

Critical response

The critic Michael Feingold from The Village Voice did not like the musical Miss Saigon. He called it "not believable," "unoriginal and not enjoyable," "a way to make money without real value," and even worse.

In contrast, Frank Rich from The New York Times reviewed the original Broadway production and said the musical was "exciting and traditional entertainment." He noted that it had "rich and beautiful music," "impressive performances," and "emotional moments." Rich mentioned that the lyrics were sometimes "not very deep" and the characters of Chris and Ellen were "not clearly defined." However, he believed that the strong music and the main actors' performances made the audience overlook these problems.

Awards and nominations

The show received awards and praise but did not win the Best Musical Award at the 1989/1990 Laurence Olivier Awards. Instead, it lost to Return to the Forbidden Planet in London.

When the musical opened on Broadway in 1991, it was highly anticipated as the best musical of the year by critics and audiences. It set several Broadway records, including selling $24 million in advance tickets, offering tickets priced at $100, and repaying investors in less than 39 weeks.

In 1991, Miss Saigon and The Will Rogers Follies each received 11 nominations for the Tony Awards. According to The New York Times, both shows were considered strong candidates for the Best Musical Tony. However, some theater professionals believed Miss Saigon, which had previously been performed in London, might face criticism due to the large amount of attention it received and the efforts by its producer, Cameron Mackintosh, to bring its two foreign stars—Mr. Pryce and Lea Salonga—to perform the same roles on Broadway that had won awards in London.

Although Miss Saigon lost to The Will Rogers Follies for major awards, Lea Salonga, Jonathan Pryce, and Hinton Battle each won awards for their performances.

Film adaptation

On October 21, 2009, it was reported that a movie version of the musical was in the early planning stages. Producer Paula Wagner was working with the original musical producer, Cameron Mackintosh, to create a film version. The movie was said to be filmed in Cambodia and possibly in Ho Chi Minh City, which was formerly called Saigon.

Cameron Mackintosh said the film version of Miss Saigon would depend on whether the movie version of Les Misérables was successful. In August 2013, director Lee Daniels shared hopes of starting work on a movie adaptation.

On February 27, 2016, during the closing night of the Miss Saigon London revival, Mackintosh suggested that the movie was almost ready to begin production. He said, "Soon, the movie won't just be in my mind." Additionally, the 2014 25th anniversary performance of Miss Saigon in London was filmed for a cinema showing in autumn.