Santos
KAPUSO actress and singer Aicelle Santos is going to the international theater stage.
Kapuso PR Girl, in an Instagram post yesterday, announced that the 33-year-old star will play Gigi Van Tranh in the UK production of the musical Miss Saigon.
“Fresh from the success of Himala: Isang Musikal, Kapuso singer and actress Aicelle Santos will play the role of Gigi Van Tranh in Miss Saigon’s UK Tour! Congratulations, @aicellesantos! We’re so proud of you,” the post read.
“Miss Saigon,” a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, launched the international theater career of many Filipino artists, including Lea Salonga, who played the lead role of Kim.
Set during the Vietnman War, it is a story of 17-year-old Kim who was forced to work in a Saigon bar and meets and falls in love with an American soldier.
Santos’ character Gigi Van Tranh is a dancer who was initially voted as Miss Saigon.
Santos is not the only Filipina who won the Gigi Van Tranh role.
Rachelle Anne Go portrayed the role in the 2014 West End Revival of Miss Saigon.
Seasoned performer Isay Alvarez was the first Gigi in the Original West End production.
Santos joined the second season of GMA Network’s singing search, “Pinoy Pop Superstar” in 2005, where Gerald Santos was hailed as the grand winner.
She was also part of the singing trio known as La Diva which also included Maricris Garcia and Jonalyn Viray.
Before getting the role of Gigi, Santos joined local theater productions, such as “Katy! The Musical” (2013), “Rak of Aegis” (2014), “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag” (2017), and just recently, “Himala: Isang Musikal,” for which she received rave reviews.