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Miss Saigon Study Guide I. About Miss Saigon ..................................

Miss Saigon Study Guide I. About Miss Saigon ........................................................page 2 II. The Story of Miss Saigon..............................................page 3 III. Culture and Conflict......................................................page 8 IV. Lovers Divided............................................................page 10 V. The Bui Doi.................................................................page 11 VI. Creating the Musical ...................................................page 12 VII. The War in Vietnam....................................................page 18 VIII. People, Places, Things.................................................page 23 IX. Creating Miss Saigon ..................................................page 25 X. Final Thoughts ............................................................page 26 XI. Quick Takes.................................................................page 27 XII. Resource List...............................................................page 31 Miss Saigon - Study Guide 2 I. About Miss Saigon IN A WORLD THAT’S MOVING TOO FAST IN A WORLD WHERE NOTHING CAN LAST. . . I HAVE FOUND YOU. . . Miss Saigon is one of the most spectacular musicals of our time: the culmination of years of work by the creators of Les Misérables, Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schönberg (with English lyrics and additional material by Richard Maltby, Jr.). Miss Saigon is an epic and tragic story of a young couple in love, caught in a world at war. Miss Saigon begins in 1975, when the conflicting cultures and ideologies of the world seemed to meet violently in one city: Saigon. Cultures clash, ways of life battle on a grand scale. At the eye of the storm stand two lovers: Chris, an American soldier, and Kim, a Vietnamese girl. Their poignant struggle against the forces of war and prejudice is the heart of Miss Saigon’s story. Since many students only confront the reality of such conflicts as images on a television screen or a dry newspaper account, this sweeping musical can help them focus on the ways in which war affects individuals, young people like themselves. The questions, assignments, and background information found in this study guide are designed to encourage students to deal with the ideas and themes found in Miss Saigon through individual and class activities, and to prepare them for a more knowledgeable viewing of the show. Since Miss Saigon can be seen on different levels — as a spectacular musical entertainment, a moving love story, and a biting statement about prejudice and war — this guide covers a broad spectrum of subject areas that can be easily integrated into a wide variety of educational settings. Miss Saigon - Study Guide 3 II. The Story of Miss Saigon The Characters Kim A 17-year-old Vietnamese orphan from a simple background. The death of her parents has forced her to seek work in the sleazy club ‘Dreamland’ in Saigon, entertaining American Marines. She falls in love with an American sergeant. Her faith is a source of strength that fuels her instinct for self-preservation; and with the birth of her son, her determination for survival becomes stronger still. The Engineer A half-French, half-Vietnamese pimp who has risen against adversity to become the owner of the aptly named nightclub/brothel, ‘Dreamland.’ He is sly and manipulative, always looking to make a quick profit and take advantage of the American occupation of Saigon and the dollars it brings. His ultimate dream is to escape Saigon and become an American citizen. Chris A young American marine, he has chosen to serve a second time with the army as a driver for the American Embassy in Saigon. He falls in love with a beautiful Vietnamese girl, Kim. When he finds himself back in his own country he has recurring nightmares, and is finding it impossible to reconcile in a new marriage to his American wife, Ellen. He is trying to come to terms with life when his sense of responsibility and the news of Kim’s survival force him to return to the East to confront his past. John An American marine and close friend to Chris, he holds a responsible administrative post in the American Embassy in Saigon. Upon returning home he devotes himself to helping orphaned children fathered by American soldiers during the conflict. He is the one who will break the news to Chris of his son, and again befriends him becoming his mentor and go-between as Chris prepares to meet Kim and Tam in Bangkok. Thuy A young, self-obsessed Vietnamese man; through a cultural wedding bond, he has been promised Kim’s hand in marriage. He is totally obsessive in his love for her and is determined to fulfill the original vows of their parents. As the North Vietnamese army invades Saigon, he changes from his allegiance with the South and becomes a high- ranking Commissar and uses his newly acquired powers to find Kim after the war and make her his personal property, by force if necessary. Ellen The American wife of Chris, she has become a stabilizing influence for her husband after the Vietnam War. She travels with Chris when he returns to the East, where she forces him to face his memories he has kept from himself and from her for so long. She is by his side when he is united with his son and they witness the tragic fate of Kim. Miss Saigon - Study Guide 4 ACT 1 The action begins on a Friday night in Saigon in April 1975. Backstage at Dreamland, an after-hours club which is frequented by American Marines, a group of bar-girls is preparing to perform. The Engineer, who owns the club, introduces them to a new girl, Kim, a 17-year-old orphan who has fled the countryside after seeing her family destroyed. Afraid that the enemy forces of the Viet Cong will kill them if they are left behind when Saigon falls, the bar-girls are eager to connect with an American G.I. who can get them out of the country. The Engineer wants to get his hands on a visa so that he can escape when the Americans pull out. He sends the girls on-stage for a sham beauty contest to select a "Miss Saigon." A group of Marines enters the bar singing "The Heat Is On In Saigon." Among them are two friends, Chris and John. Although Chris is reluctant, John insists that a night at the club is what they need to escape the increasing sense of danger from the approaching enemy, the Viet Cong. Chris is astounded by Kim's innocence when the Engineer pushes her forward to solicit the crowd. While the other girls offer provocative invitations, she speaks of a "heart like the sea" and "a million dreams are in me." Gigi, one of the experienced bar-girls, is chosen "Miss Saigon." She is "won" by a Marine and begins to dance with him. The scene freezes as Gigi sings "The Movie In My Mind," describing the dream of a new life in America she envisions each time she is in the arms of a G.I. Kim sings of the movie in her mind - a dream of a man who will not kill and will keep her safe. Sensing that Chris is interested in Kim, John bargains with the Engineer to secure her for his friend. Kim and Chris dance as a Marine plays the saxophone. Chris takes Kim to a tiny room overlooking the moonlit city. Chris, deeply touched by what he has shared with Kim, quietly leaves the room while she is sleeping. Walking through the street, he sings "Why God Why?" questioning why he has had this profound experience when he is about to leave Saigon. He is drawn back to the room and tries to give Kim money. Kim refuses to take it and tells him that she has seen her parents die in flames. She was betrothed to a man she didn't love before her village was destroyed. Now she has no future except to sell herself at Dreamland. Chris asks her to live with him and they express their love for each other ("Sun and Moon"). As they part, she says that she will bring friends to bless their room with paper unicorns and perfume in keeping with her traditions. Chris calls John at the Embassy, where they both work, to tell him that he needs time to spend with Kim. John says that Saigon is falling apart and urges him to come to the Embassy right away. Chris bargains with the Engineer for another night with Kim. Gigi and the other bar-girls are helping Kim move in with Chris. They set up a small shrine with photos of Kim's parents. Kim leads "Dju Vui Vai," a song which she tells Chris is traditionally sung at weddings. In the midst of their celebration, the door flies open and Thuy, Kim's fiancee, appears. He has come to claim Kim and save her from the shame of being a bar-girl. When he sees Miss Saigon - Study Guide 5 Chris and the shrine to her parents, he is outraged. Kim tells him that her parents' promises died with them. Kim refuses to go with Thuy. He leaves, saying that she is his until she dies. He predicts that "Saigon will fall and so will your G.I." Chris tells Kim that he has decided to bring her with him to America. They sing "The Last Night of the World," recalling the saxophone that was played at uploads/Geographie/ study-guide 47 .pdf