Preview: Miss Saigon at Newcastle Theatre Royal

 Newcastle Theatre Royal to open brand-new production of Miss Saigon in 2025

Miss Saigon

Newcastle Theatre Royal 

Saturday 4 – Saturday 25 October 2025

Michael Harrison in association with Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to present a new touring production of the global stage sensation, Miss Saigon and audiences in Newcastle will be the first to see the epic spectacular when it opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal in October 2025 before embarking on a major UK tour.

Miss Saigon has been performed in 33 countries, in 15 different languages and has won 75 major awards including 2 Olivier Awards, 3 Tony Awards, and 4 Drama Desk Awards. Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical has been seen by over 38 million people worldwide, the new production will be touring the UK in 2025/26.

In the last days of the Vietnam War, 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son.

This year marks 35 years since Miss Saigon made its West End premiere and became one of the most successful musicals in history. The original Broadway production, which played for almost 10 years, opened in 1991 and was attended by more than 6.3 million people. 

Cameron Mackintosh’s latest London production of Miss Saigon opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim, followed by a UK tour in 2017. During this run, the spectacular 25th Anniversary Gala Performance featuring appearances by the original cast, including Jonathan Pryce and Lea Salonga, took place, and was filmed for television and cinema and continues to be shown around the world.

Of the new revival, Cameron Mackintosh comments: “35 years after Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical Miss Saigon first opened to international success, I am delighted that this powerful heart-wrenching love story has remained timeless around the world. The story of two young people - an American soldier and a Vietnamese girl - who fall in love as their lives are torn apart by war, ultimately causing a mother to sacrifice her life for her child has become a worldwide hit, as well as one of the most popular musicals ever in Asian countries, with separate companies regularly playing in Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Singapore.

“The recent hugely successful Sheffield Crucible production took a contemporary look at this great musical and that inspired producer Michael Harrison and I to also take a fresh look at Miss Saigon and create a modern version that can play many theatres that the original was unable to do. 

“Directing this exciting new production is Jean-Pierre van der Spuy, who recently directed the acclaimed Australian Opera production of Miss Saigon and with Matthew Bourne is co-directing my hugely successful new production of Oliver! in the West End. Like the phoenix that is so central to the show’s story, Miss Saigon will rise again next year - a legend reborn!”

 

Newcastle born producer, Michael Harrison, behind the hugely popular Theatre Royal Pantomime and the acclaimed touring production of The Drifters Girl which opened at the Grey Street venue in 2021, adds “It is thrilling to be collaborating with Cameron on a brand-new production of Miss Saigon. Millions of people around the world have been moved by its riveting story, messages of family and enduring love, and by Boublil and Schönberg’s majestic score. I am delighted that we can now bring this story to audiences throughout the country in a brilliant and modern production.”

Newcastle Theatre Royal’s Chief Executive Marianne Locatori continues, “It is a pleasure to be working with Michael and Cameron to bring the highest quality touring productions to the North East. It’s great for the team at the theatre, and for talent development because we’ll have creatives in the building. There’s excitement in being around that period of initial creativity that you can’t get during a week as part of a long tour. It’s also great that audiences in Newcastle will get to see the show before anybody else and we’re looking forward to welcoming long-time fans of Miss Saigon and those who will be experiencing it for the first time, to our venue in 2025.”

Miss Saigon has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler. Jean-Pierre van der Spuy directs this production.

Full casting and production team are still to be announced.

Tickets:

Tickets can be purchased after the booking dates below at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.

Booking dates:
Friends Plus – Mon 2 Dec, 10am
Friends – Wed 4 Dec, 10am
Flexi Priority Pass/Advantage/Groups/Schools – Fri 6 Dec, 10am
Public – Tue 10 Dec, 10am