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East Bay Premiere

Diablo Light Opera Will Present Broadway Hit ‘Miss Saigon” Starting Sept. 2 in Walnut Creek

Featuring a cast of more than 40, an 18-piece orchestra and dazzling sets that include a “flying” helicopter and pink Cadillac, the Diablo Light Opera Company will present the East Bay premiere of the Broadway epic “Miss Saigon” for 21 performances beginning Sept. 2 in the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek.

Tickets ($28.75-$33.75) are on sale at the center, 1601 Civic Drive, for all performances through Oct. 1. Prices include a $2 center facility fee.

DLOC’s production falls within the 30th anniversary this year of a major milestone of the Viet Nam war. The musical is set in 1975 in the days leading to the American evacuation of Saigon. The story revolves around two young lovers torn apart by destiny but held together by their passion for the fate of a small child.

“Miss Saigon” is the sixth longest running show on Broadway, earning 29 awards, including three Tonys, internationally.

“Yes, we will have the infamous helicopter on stage and it will fly, land and take off during the evacuation scene,” said Helene Harks, the show’s veteran producer. “ We’ll also showcase the vintage-50s pink Cadillac that is a focal point of the colorful ‘American Dream’ sequence. The car was constructed from scratch with parts salvaged from wrecking yards.

Starring as the Engineer will be Franc-Anton Harwart , who is reprising the role he performed with the Fullerton Civic Light Opera company production earlier this year, a part he also performed in a German production of the show. His other performance credits include shows on cruise ships and productions of “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “ The Buddy Holly Story,” and “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Owing to the vocal demands of the part, Catherine Gloria and Nina Gosiengfiao will alternate in the lead role of Kim. Both women are making their debut with DLOC.

Gloria is a recent graduate of Deer Valley High School in Antioch, where she appeared in “Fame.” Gosiengfiao has appeared in a variety of shows in the area, including “Twelfth Night,” “The Mikado,” and “Guys and Dolls,” with Imagine Performing Arts in Dublin.

Chris, the American soldier who falls in love with Kim, will be played by Dane Stokinger, who recently concluded a national tour of the show. A resident of Palmer, Alaska, he has also appeared in “Forever Plaid,” “Honk,” “Footloose,” and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

Daren A. C. Carollo, DLOC’s new executive producer, will direct “Miss Saigon.” He has worked in various capacities for Center Repertory Company in Walnut Creek, Willows Theatre Company, and Marin Theatre Company.

Among the shows he has directed are “Forever Plaid,” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” “Noises Off,” and Contra Costa Civic Theatre’s recent production of “Jekyll and Hyde.”

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