miss saigon

Partners since birth, our first guest Stephen Servis owns Servis Events with his twin brother Nicolas. Stephen joined us on the show to discuss how both he and his brother became chefs through some pivotal decisions made earlier in their lives. Years later, Stephen and his brother built a reputation based on being heavily tattooed twin Chefs. Post pandemic, they decided to try something new and found WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) while staying with at a farm to work. This led them to another farm, located in Maine, where the seeds for Servis Events were planted and began to bloom. Now, they're back in Bucks County, sourcing the most nutrient-rich ingredients from local farms, providing a multi-course Chef's Tasting Menu to individuals looking for their services as private Chefs through Servis Events.

Our next guest helps Center City celebrate Vietnamese cuisine and culture, along with so much more at Miss Saigon. Chuong Nguyen is the Operating Manager and one of the co-owners of Miss Saigon in Philadelphia. The multi-level restaurant and bar offers an elevated take on Vietnamese street foods; providing menu options that are served family-style to encourage patrons to experience a variety of the tastes and flavors of the culture's cuisine. In addition to celebrating Vietnamese cuisine, the venue also provides a celebration full of PRIDE through their cocktail menu: There is a cocktail created for every color of the PRIDE flag! And be sure to reserve your opportunity to eat, drink, and sing inside their private Karaoke room with your friends! And keep your ears peeled through the end of this week's episode to find out when their first drag show will happen!

Our last guest has brought people together on a global level! Gizem White, who is an expert in Gastrodiplomacy and is the Founder and CEO of the Turkish Coffee Lady located in Alexandria, VA. Gizem's story began as she desired to share the history--and cups--of Turkish coffee with like-minded individuals. And in 2012, Gizem created a non-profit food truck called The Turkish Coffee Truck, where she handed out free cups of brewed Turkish Coffee. Years later, her efforts brought her media attention and recognition, including an article which stuck and later became synonymous with her brand. So in 2017, she created the Turkish Coffee Lady brand in the U.S. Now, after visiting several countries and cities across the globe, Gizem and her brand Turkish Coffee Lady are considered as a "Friendship building initiative between Turkey and the USA," according to the US government. I don't know about you, but the love of a great cup of coffee is a perfect way to bring people together--so stay tuned until the end to hear how you can buy some of her Turkish Coffee Lady blends and enjoy it with some new friends!

Whether he's playing, conducting, orchestrating or composing, Alex Lacamoire is a musician in demand. He has won three Tony Awards for his orchestrations (In the Heights, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen). On the new Sadler's Wells dance work Message in a Bottle, Alex's palette is the iconic music of Sting.

Also, how does a musical theatre performer bring their A-game to eight shows a week? We ask two of the hardest working performers on the Australian stage, and we learn about a fan-led project to bring Star Trek to audiences with a vision impairment which has now inspired a new work from Chunky Move at the Melbourne Fringe.

The new work, Bark of Millions, features 55 original songs that explore queer life and culture.

Thank you to all of our new, upgrading, and boosting MaxFun Members who contributed in the name of Go Fact Yourself! We’ll have more information on some special rewards YOU unlocked in this episode.

Sing a song and survive at sea – it’s a brand new episode of Go Fact Yourself!

Bruce Vilanch is an Emmy award-winning comedy writer and game show icon. He’ll tell us about what may be his greatest achievement yet: writing a new musical with Dolly Parton. Bruce is also happy to celebrate his career low-lights as well. He’s got an upcoming book about his work on The Star Wars Holiday Special.

Josefina López is a playwright and screenwriter, perhaps best known for creating Real Women Have Curves. The play has always been a point of pride for her. For many Hispanic actors, it’s the first time they get to play roles that they can be proud of. Josefina also has a diplome de cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in France. She’ll tell us about how she’ll combine her knowledge of food and plays in writing an upcoming musical.

Our guests will compete to answer trivia about squares, shipwrecks, and Saigon.

Areas of expertise

Bruce: Classic cartoon characters, Jewish food, and the SS Andrea Doria.

Josefina: Mexican muralists, the history of Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, and the musical Miss Saigon.

What’s the difference: It’s hip to be square.

What’s the difference between rap and hip-hop?

What’s the difference between a handkerchief and a pocket square?

Appearing in this episode:

J. Keith van Straaten

Helen Hong

Bruce Vilanch

Josefina Lopez

With guests experts

Mike Stoller: Member of the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, known for co-writing hits like “Hound Dog,” “Stand By Me,” and more.

Richard Maltby Jr., Tony award-winning theater director, producer and lyricist, who wrote the lyrics for the musical Miss Saigon. 

Theme Song by Jonathan Green.

Maximum Fun's Senior Producer is Laura Swisher.

Associate Producer and Editor is Julian Burrell.

Seeing our upcoming live shows in LA by YOU!

Les Misérables opened on the West End in 1985 and is still running, making it London's longest-running musical. It's by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, who are in Australia to present a concert of their best-loved songs performed by the crème de la crème of musical theatre.

Also, Maori man Rodney Bell (Ngāti Maniapoto) traces his journey from butcher and rugby player to celebrated dancer and wheelchair user in Meremere and Broadway performer Nikki Snelson guides young performers to new heights in the University of Adelaide's production of Legally Blonde the Musical.

For the best part of three decades, Joanna Ampil has been recognised as one of the most prolific musical theatre acts to arrive onto the scene, taking on roles like Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar, Grizabella in Cats and Kim in Miss Saigon. After receiving a huge reception as Bloody Mary in South Pacific last year at Chichester Festival Theatre, she is reprising the role in the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical at Sadlers Wells Theatre, before heading on tour with the show. Although traditionally seen as a caricature, in Daniel Evans' new production, Joanna is given the opportunity to humanise this character and make her someone audiences are able to empathise with. It's an opportunity that she's fully taken advantage of as we are invited to see Bloody Mary through a new lens. Of course, Joanna's portrayal has also meant we are treated to a terrific performance as well as luscious vocals.

In this new interview, Joanna Ampil sat down to talk about how she felt it was really important to return to the show to tell Bloody Mary's story. After performing in a concert production of South Pacific in Manilla a few years prior to the Chichester run, she tells us about how surprised she was by how richly deep and antiracist the show really is. We also hear Joanna share her hopes for the musical theatre industry as in many ways, the industry is still continuing to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. She hopes audiences will return on larger scales to support the industry and that shows like South Pacific will continue that drive. As she prepares to go on tour, we hear her also talk about her experience working on productions all around the world from her home in the Philippines to the rest of Asia and of course here in the UK. It's a fascinating listen and we look forward seeing Joanna continue her role on tour in the coming weeks.

South Pacific plays at Sadler's Wells Theatre until 28 August and a list of tour dates can be found on southpacificshow.com

Darren Yap has been a part of some huge moments in Australian performing arts history, from acting in Miss Saigon to being on the directorial team for the Sydney 2000 closing ceremony. Now he's using his talents to bringing new Asian Australian work to the stage.

Also, we meet artists behind a surge of Asian Australian plays on our mainstages right now and Neil Armfield joins us to pay tribute to the English theatre director Peter Brook, famous for his reinvention of contemporary theatre.

Tony and Olivier Award-winning musical theatre star — and two-time Disney Princess — Lea Salonga rose to international fame for originating the role of Kim in the stage musical Miss Saigon. She retraces her journey into the spotlight and struggles along the way.

Also, voice and dialect coach Leith McPherson explains how she helps actors to find their character's voice and the prolific, 'critic-proof' composer Frank Wildhorn reflects on his long career and best-known work, including Jekyll and Hyde and Bonnie and Clyde.

Heute entführen wir euch mit dem Gayzten Thema in die wunderbare Zauberwelt des Musicals! Lange musste man aufgrund der Covid-19 Pandemie auf Theaterbesuche verzichten, doch mittlerweile werden die Bühnen dieser Welt wieder bespielt und natürlich auch mit Musiktheater.  Geeo und der frisch von einem Musicalweekend zurückgekehrte Max tauschen sich über ihre bisher besuchten Produktionen aus, über ihre Lieblingsstücke und die, die es vielleicht in Zukunft noch werden. Auch kontroverse Themen wie die Übersetzung mancher Songs auf Deutsch sowie die Übermacht eines Musicalunternehmens kommen zur Sprache. Nehmt also Platz, lehnt euch zurück und genießt diese gayze'sche (Shit-)Show.

Liz Callaway is a Tony nominee and Emmy Award winning actress, singer and recording artist. She made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in Baby, and for five years, won acclaim as Grizabella in Cats. She has also starred in the original Broadway casts of Miss Saigon, The Three Musketeers, and the off- Broadway musical, The Spitfire Grill, for which she received a Drama Desk award nomination. Other New York appearances include the legendary Follies in Concert at Lincoln Center, A Stephen Sondheim Evening, Fiorello! (Encores!), and Hair in Concert. Ms. Callaway has also established a major career as a concert artist whose extensive US symphony work includes appearances at The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Ravinia, and The Hollywood Bowl. Worldwide, and international engagements in China, Australia, New Zealand, and countless other locales. Liz sang the Academy Award nominated song “Journey to the Past” in the animated feature Anastasia, was the singing voice of the title character in The Swan Princess, and is also the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and the King of Thieves and The Return of Jafar. She frequently collaborates with her sister, Ann Hampton Callaway, with whom she performed the acclaimed revues, Sibling Revelry and Boom! (a celebration of the music of the 60’s and 70’s). She has also released seven solo albums and, just recently, released her indelible spin on the classic Broadway anthem, “Be a Lion” from The Wiz. www.lizcallaway.com , https://linktr.ee/LizCallaway, @LizGoesOn (Twitter/ Instagram).

Cocktails at Table 7- Inside New York’s Joe Allen is produced and hosted by Jason Woodruff, Dana Mierlak and Sean Kent, with music by James Rubio and logo and artwork design by Christina D’Angelo. The Producers would like to extend a special thank you to the owners of Joe Allen, Orso, and Bar Centrale Restaurants.

Episode Transcript

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My first ever audio uploaded! Hello Podcast Community! Big fan. 
In the first mini introduction and full length Episode, I'm chatting with probably my favorite person in the world; Reeve Carney. We talk about inspiration behind his music and some of the things he's learned along his incredible journey and career.

Adam Robert Lewis sits down (virtually) with director, Michael Strassen. In this episode, Michael discusses his early career as an actor and the path which led him to directing as well as the many challenges facing our industry.

Michael is one of the most innovative directors working in London today and has directed many productions across the UK. He’s has had a long and fortuitous relationship with The Union Theatre where he has directed 'The Fix', ‘Duncton Wood’, ‘Pacific Overtures’, ‘Assassins’ and ‘Company’.  

Michael has taken on the challenges brought on by COVID-19 and how the pandemic has affected the Arts Industry. He has embraced Digital Theatre and is currently directing the 50th Anniversary Concert of 'Godspell’, to be broadcast online, which has harnessed a fantastic cast. 

‘Godspell’ will be made available to stream worldwide for three days on 27, 28 and 29 of August 2020. The concert will raise money for wonderful charities: Hope Mill Theatre, Acting for Others and National AIDS trust. For more information visit www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk .

to find out more information on Michael's work visit www.michaelstrassen.com

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They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway... In the latest Like This Pod Mini, Jacqueline and Meghan discuss their favorite shows they've seen done professionally.

Shows Mentioned:

• Wicked
• Hair
• Newsies
• Book of Mormon
• The Lion King
• Pretty Woman
  • Turning the Tables
• Drowsy Chaperone
• Miss Saigon
• Phantom of the Opera
• Les Miserables
• Rent
• Cats
• Aladdin

This episode was recorded remotely due to the Stay at Home Executive Order, so please forgive any drop in audio quality as we learn this new setup.

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