Photo by: Alysa Brennan

From the big-spectacle helicopter landing to world-class voices, Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities creates a Broadway-caliber version of the 1989 classic megamusical by the Les Miz creative team of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg. Under Stephanie A. Coltrin's steady direction, the cast, in particular Jennifer Paz and Kevin Bailey, fills the stage with raw emotion, providing the energy required to keep Saigon as fresh as it was nearly 20 years ago.

Based on Puccini's Madame Butterfly, the tragedy revolves around a brief, wartime love affair in Vietnam between Marine Chris (Eric Kunze) and Kim (Paz), a refugee without a home or family who is forced to work as a prostitute in the Dreamland Nightclub for the Engineer (Bailey). Chris and Kim's romance, cut short by the fall of Saigon, forever changes their lives, even as Chris returns home to marry Ellen (Misty Cotton).

Paz, who played Kim in the first national tour, clearly is at home in the role, providing a sense of strength in the character and minimizing the trap some actors fall into of simply making Kim seem delusional. The ever-reliable Cotton adds dimension to Ellen, the most cardboard character. Her powerful vocal duet with Paz in "I Still Believe" is wonderful. But it's Bailey who is the most impressive as the complex Engineer. Bailey injects charisma and charm into the con man, though he always maintains a dangerous and violent edge; his delusional rendition of "The American Dream" is humorously tragic. Harrison White portrays John, Chris' G.I. buddy.

Coltrin maintains an almost hurried pace, but it's effective. And she allows the quiet scenes, such as the musical number "The Movie in My Mind," a chance to breathe. Yes, there is the signature helicopter, which lands on stage. And yes, it's still impressive. But it's the wonderful singing of these beautiful songs that makes this Saigon such a winner.

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