The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Another Filipino actor has been tapped to play The Engineer in the popular musical “Miss Saigon” which is being staged in Vienna, Austria.
Christian Rey Marbella, who has been playing the characters Thuy and the Engineer in the past productions worldwide of “Miss Saigon,” was chosen by the Vienna team to don The Engineer persona.
Marbella, as a musical theater actor, singer and dancer has an extensive musical theater experience in Asia, United Kingdom and the United States.
Christian Rey, fondly called Chuck by kith and kin, has performed multifaceted characters onstage like Lunthan in “The King and I” and Apostle Peter in “Jesus Christ Superstar.” His other theater credits include “Beauty and the Beast, “Cinderella,” “Showboat” and “The Full Monty.”
In Philippine theater, Chuck has appeared in original Filipino musicals like “Calamba Joe” where he played Dr. Jose Rizal; in “1896: The Musical” as Emilio Jacinto; in “Ramahari” revival in 2012 as the demon in 2012 as part of Ballet Philippines’ 50th anniversary season.
Cameron Mackintosh’s global production of the Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s “Miss Saigon” in Vienna is in German and has reopened last January 23, 2022 in Raimund Theatre, a 128-year old newly renovated theatre.
Others in the cast of “Miss Saigon” German edition includes Vanessa Heinz as Kim, Oedo Kuipers as Chris, Gino Emnes as John, James Park as Thuy, Abla Alaoul as Ellen and Annemarie Lauretta as Gigi.
Three other Filipino actors had already portrayed The Engineer like Leo Valdez, Jon Jon Briones and the late Fil-Chinese Francis Ruivivar.Hollywood actor Jonathan Pryce first played the Engineer in the maiden presentation of “Miss Saigon” at Westend in London in 1989 with Filipino actress and singer Lea Salonga.