Who’s that Engineer?

THIS PINOY is perfect for the part, says the producer. FACEBOOK PHOTO

“Miss Saigon” producer Cameron Mackintosh expressed very little doubt that Jon Jon Briones would be “perfect” as The Engineer in the mammoth musical’s West End revival in May 2014.

The Filipino singer-actor has built a solid track record—beginning with the original production of “Miss Saigon” in 1989. Briones was part of the first “exodus” to the United Kingdom and performed with Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce.

‘Saigon’ family

In his casting announcement video, Mackintosh said Briones was “a runner” in a local production company who bluffed his way into an audition.

Briones, currently based in Los Angeles, California, told the Inquirer via e-mail: “I owe ‘Miss Saigon’ a lot. I was a kid from the slums of Quezon City … I got to travel the world, I met wonderful people, including my wife. We have two kids now.”

Salonga fondly recalled: “I always remember Jon Jon as easygoing. When we were in London, he always had a British girlfriend… to improve his English. His wife, Megan, is American.”

Briones and Salonga worked together again in the San Diego staging of “Allegiance” last year. “He’s always had that deep baritone voice,” said Salonga.

No stranger

He returned the compliment: “Lea is family, like the rest of the original Filipino cast, and I love them all. We started something really special.”

Briones is no stranger to the role of The Engineer (originated by Pryce) and has been playing it since 1995 in the musical’s various tours in the United Kingdom, United States and Asia, including the Philippines.

BRIONES (center) played the lead in “The Romance of Magno Rubio.” FILE PHOTO

“I have so many wonderful memories of those different ‘Saigon’ productions. The best part is working with all these wonderful, talented people [and] being part of the ‘Miss Saigon’ family.”

Head of this clan is Mackintosh. “He is a perfectionist,” Briones said of the boss. “He is an artist, one of the most generous people I know. I can’t wait to work with him again.”

He welcomes playing The Engineer alongside a new set of Filipinos, led by Rachelle Ann Go as Gigi and Eva Noblezada as Kim. “Now that I’m older and hopefully wiser… there are more things to explore.”

He urges Go and Noblezada to embark on the journey with “child-like wonder. You should have the thirst to learn something new every day … Always do things in a state of gratitude. Most importantly, have fun.”

Sense of joy

A sense of joy is crucial, he advises the girls. “You have to love performing in order to do eight shows a week and make it look fresh every time.”

He hopes “Saigon” goes on “for another 25 years”—especially since it continues to showcase Filipino talent on the world stage.”

Briones also top-billed the play, “The Romance of Magno Rubio,” in California, for which he got a best actor nomination from LA Weekly. He has acted in US shows like “Las Vegas,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Monk,” “Law & Order LA” and “General Hospital.”

He also hopes the good news about Filipinos in the new “Miss Saigon” brings a little ray of sunshine to the country after the recent calamities. “I can’t begin to imagine what our brave countrymen went through and are still going through,” he said. “I can only hope to make them proud and represent them well.”