What Abigail Adriano takes to heart as she portrays Kim in ‘Miss Saigon’

Abigail Adriano during the media call for “Miss Saigon” in the Philippines. Image: Courtesy of GMG Productions

Abigail Adriano fell in love with “Miss Saigon” at 13. When she was young, she and her Ate found comfort in its music. They would listen and sing along to its songs while growing up, although Adriano admitted she has a special liking for “The Movie in My Mind.”

Years later, the Filipina-Australian theater actress was given the opportunity to portray Kim in Australia and her homeland.

“Can I just say that it’s such an honor to be the second Kim in Manila since Lea Salonga? It’s such an honor to be part of this legacy of Kim. I’m so grateful that they have been able to be inspirations of mine,” she said during a media call for the classic musical.

Apart from “Miss Saigon’s” original West End and Broadway productions, Salonga starred as Kim in its Philippine staging at the Cultural Center of the Philippines from 2000 to 2001.

Abigail Adriano as Kim during a staging of “Miss Saigon.” Image: Daniel Boud via GMG Productions

Adriano hopes to carve a legacy of her own with Kim’s story. With this in mind, one of the pieces of advice that stuck out to her was that of musical’s producer Cameron Mackintosh telling her to present herself as a reflection of herself.

“One thing I can say that helped me in making this unapologetically my interpretation of Kim is what Cameron Mackintosh first said to me when we rehearsed the show — he literally held my face — and said, ‘When you do Kim, I just want to see you,’” she said.

“Thanks to that, I can definitely say that when you watch the show, you will see reflections of myself within my character Kim,” she continued.

Responsibility

Aside from Salonga, other actresses who starred as Kim included Joanna Ampil, Eva Noblezada, Jennifer Paz, Jenine Desiderio, and Jamie Rivera, among many others. This legacy made Adriano realize the responsibility of bringing justice to the story of the tragic heroine.

“I know there’ve been so many interpretations of Kim, I feel a sense of duty to bring justice to my character and the story I tell. But also to be true to myself and be honest with how I feel, how Kim would feel in that moment,” she said.

Abigail Adriano (center) with “Miss Saigon” castmates Seann Miley Moore (leftmost) and Nigel Huckle (second from right) in a media call. Image: Courtesy of GMG Productions

Adriano fulfilling her responsibility in her interpretation of Kim was reflected in the musical’s gala night on March 26, setting a precedent for the following shows. Her use of certain vocal inflections to showcase her character’s despair — such as intentionally allowing her voice to break in some moments or seamlessly moving from airy to full — were among the highlights of her performance.

The actress, however, doesn’t want to focus on her responsibility in portraying Kim. She also sees Kim as an extension of herself, as they go through the hardships and uncertainties of life together.

“Kim is 17, and I’m still navigating this whole world. I would always like to think of me and Kim holding hands and navigating this new world of theater together,” said Adriano.

“Everyone sees themselves in the [characters of ‘Miss Saigon’] — whether it be Kim, the fierceness of Gigi, or our Engin-queer, Chris, and Thuy. I can see why it has so much love for 35 years, and 24 years after its staging in the Philippines,” she further added.

Abigail Adriano (rightmost) and Seann Miley Moore (leftmost) in the end of Act 1 in “Miss Saigon.” Image: Daniel Boud via GMG Productions

Adriano’s portrayal also didn’t go unnoticed by her castmates. For Seann Miley Moore, who stars as the Engineer, one of the highlights of the actress’ portrayal was her “unbelievable strength and power” to take charge of her own destiny.

“Her power is unbelievable and that’s what the show is about — the women of ‘Miss Saigon.’ There’s a moment in Act 1 when she takes my hand and she takes charge. That is unbelievably powerful to see, and it’s the women of the show who are unapologetically ferocious and fierce,” recalled Moore.

Also cast in the musical’s Philippine staging are Nigel Huckle as Chris, Laurence Mossman as Thuy, and Kiara Dario as Gigi.