Rachelle Ann Go reveals story behind Broadway debut for Miss Saigon

LONDON, U.K.-- Matagal nang alam ni Rachelle Ann Go na magbu-Broadway siya for Miss Saigon bago pa in-announce ang balitang ito before the end of September.

Ito ang sinabi ni Rachelle Ann nang makausap siya ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) over afternoon tea last Friday, October 7, sa isang French patisserie sa may Covent Garden dito sa London.

“Matagal ko nang alam. Kaya nung nilabas [yung announcement], parang, ‘Oh, my God, I’m going to Broadway!’

“It’s a secret, siyempre. Nalaman ko siya after nung 30th anniversary ng Les Miserables [West End musical where she plays the role of Fantine] nung October last year.

“Cameron Mackintosh [Miss Saigon producer] came up to me and he was like, ‘I want to bring you to Broadway.’

“Ako naman siyempre, bilang na-shock ako, parang, ‘Really? Let’s make that happen!’

“Tapos, sabi niya, ‘Hopefully, because the Actors' Equity there [in New York] is really strict. We’ll try to make it work,’” masiglang kuwento ni ni Rachelle Ann bago siya pumunta ng Queen’s Theatre kung saan pinapalabas ang Les Mis.

Patuloy niya, “Late last year, sabi nila [grupo ni Mackintosh] kailangan nila ng papers para i-sumbit sa New York. So, tumulong din kami doon.

“And then, I got the confirmation when I got back here after doing Les Mis in Manila.

“I was here May this year. Tapos, siguro mga first two weeks ko rito, nag-email na sila.

“Kasi siyempre, nung time na ‘yon, nagpi-pray lang ako na sana, ma-approve, di ba?

“And then I got an email na na-approve na nga yung Broadway.

“Tapos, paggising ko, iyak ako nang iyak. At siyempre hindi ko masabi [sa iba], sa family lang.

“Hindi puwedeng i-announce, kasi nag-o-audition pa sila [for the cast ng Broadway revival], e.

“So, kailangan talaga sila mauna sa pag-announce.

“Tapos, merong Miss Saigon movie [the 25th anniversary performance na kinunan sa Prince Edward Theatre in September 2014], it’s coming out this October.

“I think here in London on the 16th of October. Sa Manila, on the 20th.

“One day only, kasi magre-release sila ng DVD, I think.

“I’m not sure kung ano pang plano. May tour din kasi. So, gusto nila one time lang.

“It’s really good. Ang galing.

“Ako, dalawang beses ko nang napanood. Yung first screening, kaming dalawa lang ni Eva [Noblezada, who plays Kim] sa Universal with the other producers.

“Iyak kami nang iyak. Ang galing-galing niya [Eva], super!” papuri ni Shin sa kanyang Fil-Am co-star.

Sina Eva at Jon Jon Briones, who plays the role of the Engineer, pa rin ang makakasama ni Shin sa Broadway revival ng Miss Saigon. -- For the full story, visit PEP.ph