Acclaimed musical visits Eisenhower

"We travel with 73 people and five trucks," company manager P.D. Seltzer said. "No one will feel gypped on this tour."

Based on the opera Madame Butterfly, Miss Saigon is the story of an American soldier and a Vietnamese woman who fall in love in the days leading up to the American evacuation of Vietnam. The two are torn apart and separated by thousands of miles but are still linked in their hearts and by the birth of a child.

"It's a love story, the theme is eternal," Seltzer said. "The story is especially timely with the current war activity overseas and people being left behind."

Miss Saigon's leading actor Alan Gillespie said the characters are easy to relate to, since they are ordinary people put in extraordinary circumstances.

In spite of constantly traveling, and performing eight shows a week, Gillespie said he's always wanted to play the role of Chris.

"It's a roller coaster of emotions for the actor as well as the audience," he said. "He's an everyman, a confused young guy who finds love and it opens something inside."

While the story and passion remain the same, this production is not simply a replication of the Broadway production.

"The entire staging and design of the show was reconceived by the director," Seltzer said.

On Broadway, Miss Saigon has always been known for its grand effects, like creating a 3-D helicopter on stage. The touring company, however, is taking a different approach.

"Through effects and holographic images, the audience perceives that the helicopter is coming from the back of the house, flying over their heads and turns around on stage and faces them," Seltzer said.

The company is in the midst of a three year tour that began in September 2002. Traveling almost every Monday, with two days worth of setting up, is a busy life, Seltzer said.

Sullivan said bringing Miss Saigon to Eisenhower provides quality entertainment while staying aware of budgets.