Libreto

Miss Saigon libretto
A musical by Alan Boubil and Claude Michel Schonberg


** 1 ** OVERTURE/BACKSTAGE AT DREAMLAND

(A Friday night in April 1975. Backstage at an after-hours club in Saigon.
Vietnamese bar-girls are getting into costumes.)

GIRLS
one of us will be Miss Saigon

ENGINEER
Ispread the word - it's Miss Saigon

GIGI
who's left to screw who hasn't gone

ENGINEER
shut up! and get your hot pants on

GIGI
each day more GI's disappear

ENGINEER
there's still some left and they'll all be here

ALL GIRLS
a girl can trust the Engineer

(THEENGINEER brings in a new girl, KIM)

ENGINEER
surprise!
I found this new girl, get her dressed
from the country untouched

GIGI
just give that virgin act a rest

ALL GIRLS
(mocking the new girl)
"you are my first American"

(they laugh)

ENGINEER
allez!allez! allez!
why does it take all day?
get your asses on stage... I'm raising cash tonight

GIRLS
tonight I will be Miss Saigon

ENGINEER
they say Saigon has weeks
I say it's time to pack

GIRLS
tonight I will be Miss Saigon

ENGINEER
each day these little bunsof theirs are worth less and less
I need a visa fast, and I'm not looking back

(the ENGINEER looks through the door into the club.)

ENGINEER
son of a bitch, they're here!
I can still engineer
it's like the old days, my little gamines

GIRLS
oh sure!

ENGINEER
you knowwho's out here? a gang of marines!

GIRLS
they're here?

ENGINEER
we'll pick 'em clean that's what this contest's about

GIRLS
yes, sir!

ENGINEER
one of these boys might be your ticket out

(turns to KIM)

why is she in that dress?
ah! it's my new princessah, yes!
a bride will give the guys a treat
lower your eyelids and play sweet
men pay the moon to get fresh meat

allez! allez! allez!
get out and do your song!
don't make the show too long

voila'! on stage all! welcome to...
Dreamland!!!

** 2 ** THE HEAT IS ON IN SAIGON("Dreamland" is a club filled with American Marines, civilians and south
Vietnamese officers. The girls parade around and get the crowd to buy
raffle tickets: the winner of the "beauty contest" will be the prize.)

AMERICANS
the heat is on in Saigon
the girls are hotter 'n' hell
one of these slits here will be MissSaigon
God, the tension is high, not to mention the smell
the heat is on in Saigon
is there a war going on?
don't ask, I ain't gonna tell

(two friends, CHRIS and JOHN, are among the Marines. JOHN is with
one of the girls)

ENGINEER
ah, monsieur Chris! monsieur John!
you've come to win MissSaigon

JOHN
I gotta get my friend laid
as a last souvenir

CHRIS
I love you, pal, but your bullshit
I've had up to here

ENGINEER, CHRIS and JOHN
the heat is on in Saigon

JOHN
but 'til they tell us we're gone
I'm gonna buy you a girl

CHRIS...