American Dream, Miss Saigon Australia

[chimpanzeemayweather]

Leo Valdez is far better than Jonathan Pryce

[Waxingbeauty]

this was NOT the original australian cast... this was the revival done many years later without the helicopter, or the car....

The Original that took place at the capital theatre sydney had everything the london and broadway shows had, actually more they had real viet and pinoy staring

[Coley8]

Regarding the car, the show was playing in Melbourne at the time, this ceremony was on in Sydney. I guess the expense of shipping it 800 km wasn't worth it.

[sparklondon7]

Anyone Know Mr Leo Valdez's e-mail or twitter.His friend  Mr Lee sangho(Korean journalist) 20yrs ago memories in London... looking for him. Please contact @leesanghoC in tweeiter.^^

[sparklondon7]

35sdf

[alonmerlin]

ouch thats one gay bugger

[djgilleke]

Willem Nijholt, the dutch engineer is just the best, although this one is also good.

[Chaserpeach]

that comment about Miss Bagdhad, ooooooo, too soon?

[BrokenSprocket]

@Chaserpeach by no means too soon. Just awfully weak. Even in 2007.

[Chaserpeach]

@BrokenSprocket true

[slipknotman422]

dont forget, this was played at the Australian's version of the Tony's, so I'm sure they use a Cadillac for the real version

[ildr2003]

He is the perfect Engineer! 

[richieinca]

@ijmartan ... Please. He's definitely no Jonathan Pryce .. that's certain. He doesn't even come close.

[Squeezer99]

@richieinca he's much better.. ;)

[richieinca]

@Squeezer99 Not even close.

[BigBobboBump]

@stephaniemontalvo Saw him at Princess Of Wales Theatre in 1995,and you are correct-he was unbelievable!

[erciasico]

perfect!

[bryesq]

HORRIBLE.  No Cadillac????

[richieinca]

@bryesq Agreed ... Obviously the Aussies couldn't afford one. Pfft!

[whowhatwhenwhere97]

@richieinca This awards ceremony was in sydney, but the production was playing in melbourne so the car was down there.

[dippydai]

The worst thing they ever did with this scene was get rid of the cadilac and put in that stupid screen, boooooo

[whowhatwhenwhere97]

@dippydai the screen was only there because they had no set pieces because it was a performance at an awards ceremony

[dippydai]

@whowhatwhenwhere97 I've been to see this show 4 times and the first 2 they had the car and the 2nd 2 they had this screen. That's had they went on to do the tours :-(

[Shoe3003]

Kevin Grey was the best Engineer, bar-none.

[orionblaze000]

i LOVVVEEE IIITTT

[otwist]

i agree- the dutch version has more 'pizzaz'!!

[pietjenederland]

This one was good, but please check out the Dutch one. it might be hard to understand but I think it is far better, try it!

Search for: Willem Nijholt Miss saignon

Thank you

[lozzapozza]

Hahahahha what an absolutely FANTASTIC performance!!!!!!!!!!!! Just perfect!!!!!!!!!

[GameMaster255]

Heh, Miss Baghdad..

[kate23iou]

i went to a performance of miss saigon recently it was absolutlely fab the guy who played the engineer was born to play that role. He was brilliant

[rhojski]

Excellent Performance!!

[mangofrank35]

I am PASSIONATELY in love with Jonathan Pryce, but Valdez really seems to have perfected the balance of sleaze and pathos for this character.

[jdb618]

This guy isn't bad - but no one beats Pryce.

[lloy0076]

I saw Mr Valdez do this live in Australia, three times; sure I'd love to see Mr Pryce do it but this guy is one great actor and singer.

[dancingflame24]

Ha lolz! i saw this exact performance in that theatre on a class trip. its funny, at the end of the show this guy got the most applause. To be fair he probably was the best act, certainly for this song anyway.

[cutenhette4real]

he's awesome!

[wildevil]

He's brilliant. Thank God for individual styles in performance. Leo owned this one

[savethewhales27]

i don't like him doing it , i prefure CLOC theatre doing it!!

[tinysantos]

who do you think you are to say that what leo did was over the top? at least sing the or learn the technical aspect of the song, try it dude. thickface, no talent!!!!

[savethewhales27]

ummm i didn't say it was over the top!! learn to read!!!

[hueypham04]

i don't know if i saw an understudy but i think there was a different guy in sydney, he looked sleazier.

[monorailblue]

hahaha I love the statue of liberty in the background!

[tommybaby124]

remember guys, this is at an awards ceremony. This isn' t the actual show.

[dkgilmorejunkie]

hes overdoing it...this is a very hard number to to, because its er very fine line between hiting it and mocking it..Im not impressed ( ill guess people vill start hitting me with the negative thumbs now, but check out jonathan pryce /sp? and se the subtle difrence that makes alle the diffrence...)

[Squeezer99]

i don't think he's "overdoing" it..i like this one very much..and i don't like jonathan pryce too much..^^

[augustluck13]

maybe i'm biased, but I like our version better :/ it was definitely good though.

[vader5001]

I have to say the crack about Ms. Bagdad was hysterical!

[newrochellephoenix]

The irony is that Ill bet that they could one day write such a show!

[phantomdaae1981]

He's awesome:-) I wonder, though, why it's changed from him saying he'll crown "Miss Chinatown" to "Miss Tinseltown."

[kaeyoh]

Has anyone ever done a serious engineer? I'd like to hear a version of this song that had a more realistic, subtle, and desperate tone. Anyone know a version like that?

[tazykat1]

Mine

[Smotsie6]

Try the dutch one, look for "Willem Nijholt Miss Saigon"

[ildr2003]

I think this how you portray the Engineer. A character with intense greed, a tinge of desperation, and ambition. He played it perfectly by putting some comedic accent in it too!! The emotion is just varied, it's great!

[chelseaduthie1995]

I saw this in Adelaide it was AMAZING!

[books0from0boxes]

This was the best show I have seen in a long time in Brisbane, I loved it! Leo Valdez made it, he got all the laughs!

[xChanntall]

Very good performance!

[RutgerRaateland]

One of my most favorite songs! Bravo Leo for your great performance!

[imadaytripper21]

this guy knocks my socks off! the role of the Engineer is cool. he is so vile he gives me the chills, haha

[islawmagalaw]

jonathan pryce is effortless on his portrayal but leo's interpretation is more dynamic and funny, hence, the impact on the audience is greater. great job leo valdez!

[Courty127]

Yea best musical ever...Hey, lksherr, d'you reckon you could get the song 'If You Want to Die In Bed'? 'coz that's one of the coolest songs in the musical.

[bemer65351]

Yep some dream we have lived...we are 53 trillion in debt and rising...

[newrochellephoenix]

ours-for 10 per cent down!

[markymarkthemark]

amazing!!! i love this song and the musical

[simplyandrooo]

amazing!!!!

[ickimanea]

I watch Miss Saigon last night very well done go Leo

[TRWolf]

Leo Tavarro Valdez!! I saw him in the UK when he still wore the long black wig, he's amazing!

[10073734]

Saw Miss Saigon in Perth last week... my first stage show... it was brilliant and I want to see it again!

[JazzyJean]

Leo Valdez, a co- FIlipino is very good , yes. However, I still find Johnathan Pryce's performance as effortless. The role looks so light and convincing with J Pryce's performance. It's nice when you see the act not being acted out too much. =)

[angelinthefarm]

Bravo Leo!!! 12 curtain calls for you!

[jacline28]

i saw him playing miss saigon last year in Brisbane! lol

[choopetah]

grabeh tlga tung saigon natoh!!!!

i play the role of engineer in our version of saigon in our school!!,, this is one of my referrence!!!

[robroypart2]

Oh, and he was in the 2000/2001 Manila run of Miss Saigon too, with the incomparable Lea Salonga-who played Kim for 3 months(saw it twice)

[robroypart2]

No one does "Engineer" better than Leo Valdez's,(sorry Jonathan Pryce).Its easily to believe why Cameron Mackintosh revered him as "my Engineer".He was consistently good in London,Sydney, the UK tour,and now, the Australian tour .I do hope to see more of him in the musical theatre world in the future.I heard he did a good Valjean in Repertory Philippines's 1993 production of Les Miserables.. paging claude -michele, alan Boublil, et al!

[Reeal15]

I would say that him and JP tie for my second favorite, but my absolute favorite is Kevin Gray. (from the Toronto, L.A., and "Complete Recording" casts)

[cjrich1968]

Saw Leo in Sydney Miss Saigon in 2007. Just brilliant.

[Reeal16]

He is very good, and the orchestra is amazing as well.

As for the host, I'm still not sure if he is hilarious, or if he should burn in hell. (i'm not sure if it was an innocent joke at the fact that now we are in another war (if so it was very clever and funny) or an insult at the U.S.)

[ildr2003]

Wow, Leo Valdez nailed that one big time! I never thought that he could stage-act like that also. He really changed a lot....

[Beljora]

The best part about the American Dream is there's just so much for the actor to play with. Every performance of it is different and displays the actor's ability. But I'll always be partial to the line 'But, shit, you need a visa to get in!"

[Reeal15]

Yeah, my school might do it in a few years (actually it is the high school but I will be there in a couple years) and if I could sing or act and if I wasn't planning to play my sax in the pit orchestra (if they use the full orchestra) I would audition, but on account of I suck and can't sing/act I won't do it, but it would be a very fun part to play.

[andrewalipato]

ang galing!!!

what an awesome performance!!!

[littlejessyblondie]

I saw this 2 nights ago. He was brilliant!

Awesome enthusiasm n voice!

[arnellbamba]

galing mo leo !

[theystoleallmynames]

they guy was SO GOOD

[gillgrissom24]

I Was lucky enough to see him in Melbourne in the new 2007 tour of Miss Saigon. I've been trying to find a video of him. THANK YOU FOR POSTING!

[ilovetheatertoo]

he's good!

[synchro101]

This was fantastic, but I miss the car...

[garoover1]

What a great oboe player!

[jonlabs00]

i was surprised to hear a different leo valdez...he sounded so different form his balladeer voice. but it's a very good thing.

[Lilithia]

I love him as the Engineer!

[KimmissSaigon]

brilliant, its great being able to see the american dream performed at such a high standard, just like the uk version!!!!! i was a bit dissapointed how they didnt bother to change the engineer's hair in the video!!!!!!!!:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!

[ConsuelaHoneydew]

I know what you mean about the hair, that was kinda bodgy. But I was blown away by this when I saw it live. It's easily the best part of the musical.