MISS SAIGON
libretto
ACT ONE
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
I spread the word - it's Miss Saigon
GIGI
Who's left to screw who hasn't gone
Shut up! And get your hot pants on
Each day more GI's disappear
There's still some left and they'll all be here
ALL GIRLS
A girl can trust the Engineer
(THE ENGINEER brings in a new girl, KIM)
Surprise!
I found this new girl, get her dressed
From the country untouched
Just give that virgin act a rest
(mocking the new girl)
"You are my first American"
(they laugh)
Allez! Allez! Allez!
Why does it take all day?
Get your asses on stage... I'm raising cash tonight
Tonight I will be Miss Saigon
They say Saigon has weeks
I say it's time to pack
Each day these little buns of 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.)
Son of a bitch, they're here!
I can still engineer
It's like the old days, my little gamines
Oh sure!
You know who's out here? A gang of marines!
They're here?
We'll pick 'em clean that's what this contest's about
Yes, sir!
One of these boys might be your ticket out
(turns to KIM)
Why is she in that dress?
Ah! It's my new princess
Ah, yes!
A bride will give the guys a treat
Lower your eyelids and play sweet
Men pay the moon to get fresh meat
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 Miss Saigon
God, the tension is high, not to mention the smell
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)
Ah, monsieur Chris! monsieur John!
You've come to win Miss Saigon
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
But 'til they tell us we're gone
I'm gonna buy you a girl
You can buy me a beer
(The girls leave the men and move onto the stage)
MIMI
See my bikini, it's just the right size
YVETTE
Don't you enjoy how it rides up my thighs?
Look from behind, it'll knock out your eyes
YVONNE
I'll show you: my special trophy of war
For a Marine, I'll show more
You won't get up off the floor
Don't tell me I'm reassigned, all that chickenshit sucks
Tonight I'm out of my mind, not to mention ten bucks
If I'm your pin-up, I'll melt all your brass
Stuck on your wall, with a pin in my ass
If you get me, you will travel first class
I'll show you, we will make magic, cheri
You buy more tickets from me
The winner gets her for free
The meat is cheap in Saigon
I used to love getting stoned, waking up with some whore
I don't know why I went dead, it's not fun anymore
(The ENGINEER pushes KIM forward)
KIM
I'm seventeen, and I'm new here today
The village I come from seems so far away
All of the girls know much more what to say
But I know
I have a heart like the sea
A million dreams are in me
Good Jesus, John, who is she?
AMERICANS (AND CROWD)
The Cong is tight'ning the noose
Is it a week or a day or an hour that we got?
Tonight could be our last shot got to put it to use
(The GIRLS come off the stage and mingle with the men.)
ALL, INCLUDING GIRLS
Tonight I bet that you and I will get along
Forget about the threat, forget the Viet-Cong
ALL MEN
Mimi, Gigi, Yvette or Yvonne
Gonna buy me a beer, and elect Miss Saigon
(The ENGINEER holds the election by holding his hand over each girl's head for applause. When KIM is judged, CHRIS claps loudly, which makes her notice him.)
Yvonne, Yvette, Mimi, Kim, Gigi
(GIGI wins)
Attention, s'il vous plait!
By popular demand
Miss Gigi Van Tranh
Is elected Miss Saigon!
(The ENGINEER puts a cheap tiara on GIGI and a ribbon which says "Miss Saigon".)
And things are not going well
But still at midnight, the party goes on
A good-bye party in hell
And now who wins this pussycat?
(The ENGINEER holds a bowl; GIGI picks up a ticket.)
Number 66!
(It is one of the Marines. He cheers with his friends. The scene freezes.)
3. THE MOVIE IN MY MIND
They are not nice, they're mostly noise
They swear like men, they screw like boys
I know there's nothing in their hearts
But every time I take one in my arms
It starts:
The movie in my mind
The dream they leave behind
A scene I can't erase
And in a strong GI's embrace
Flee this life
Flee this place
The movie plays and plays
The screen before me fills
He takes me to New York
He gives me dollar bills
Our children laugh all day
And eat too much ice cream
And life is like a dream
Dream
The dream I long to find
I will not cry, I will not think
I'll do my dance, I'll make them drink
When I make love, it won't be me
And if they hurt me, I'll just close my eyes
KIM GIRLS
And see
The dream that fills my head
A man who will not kill
They kill like men, they die like boys
They give their cash, they keep their hearts
But every night again it starts
Who'll fight for me instead
He'll keep us safe all day
So no one comes at night
To blow the dream away
The dream I have to find
A world that's far away
Where life is not unkind
4. THE TRANSACTION
(The ENGINEER approaches JOHN)
Hey monsieur John, how'd you like to get rich?
Go home in style. . .?
Yeah okay, what's the pitch?
A U.S. visa to help me out
Lend me a bit of your embassy clout
There isn't a chance pal, you're too well known
Look, what I want is that girl in the dress
You have a good eye
Her name is Kim, she's my new princess
You give her a try?
It's my friend Chris
Who's the one feeling down
MARINE
I ordered a beer!
She'll get him up,
It's her first night in town
But I have to warn you
She don't come cheap
It's got to be twenty for my princess
Twenty dollars??
She's sort of a virgin, well more or less
For twenty more you get a room and key
For fifty bucks, she's got the whole night free
MARINES
No one gives us a buzz
Like the Engineer does
(JOHN approaches CHRIS with Kim)
Stop drooling white boy
You're losing your cool
You like this jail bait
John, open your eyes
This is the end of the line
This whole rotten scene
This little girl, we could be in the sack
For what it costs me to buy a Big Mac
John, it's time to go back -
You know what I mean
I'm starting to cry pal
You're so out of touch
The trouble with you is you think too much
Ooh
Ol' Dr. John knows what you need alright
I've bought you a present
She's yours all night
No one gives you a hit
Like the Engineer's shit!!
(Across the room, the ENGINEER speaks to KIM.)
See little princess, I was right
You got the biggest score tonight
You caught that sergeant by the nose
You stay with him until he goes
Call him Chris
He'll like that
That marine
Wants his beer
You said you needed a job
You said you'd turn a trick
You'd better prove it, and quick!
(he leads KIM to CHRIS)
Voila!
5. THE DANCE
(A MARINE begins to play the saxophone. CHRIS and KIM start to dance. For a long time they don't speak. Finally:)
My name is Kim
(trying to do her job)
I like you Chris
Don't talk like that
What did I say?
You shouldn't be here
...
Asfaloth