The British Invasion of Broadway brought a gaggle of blockbuster musicals that came to be referred to by their biggest special effect. First there was the Flying Tire show (Cats), then the Falling Chandelier show (Phantom of the Opera), followed by the Turntable show (Les Mis), and the excruciating Roller Rink show (Starlight Express). To close out March, Theater League is bringing in Big League Theatricals, Inc.'s impressive touring production of the Helicopter show, Miss Saigon. While this can be described as a "B-Level Tour," there is nothing remotely unprofessional about this excellent production, which features a talented cast and a lot less oppressive special effects to support what proves to have actually been a very beautiful and moving musical buried under a lot of flash and sizzle.

Boublil and Schönberg have moved Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly to the 1975 fall of Saigon and its aftermath. The Butterfly has become Kim, an orphan sold by the pimping Engineer to depressed Marine Chris. Despite the collapse of the world around them, they fall in love. After two weeks of bliss inside of Hell, Kim and Chris are separated by the retreating of US forces, and Kim must shelter her and Chris' "Bui-Doi" son from Communist forces. Kim lives for Chris, praying daily for his return for her and Tam, while Chris lives to forget the hell of battle. The finale is worthy of an opera.

This is in every way an ensemble effort, and no one should be overlooked. It's hard to figure what to compliment first. Congratulating Director Mitchell Lemsky on his casting segues immediately to the compliments for Jon Jon Briones, Jennifer Hubilla, and Alan Gillespie as Engineer, Kim, and Chris respectively. But offering Mr. Lemsky kudos for his choice to tone down the production and let the material sing for itself automatically results in raves for Adrian Vaux multi-purpose, vaguely Asian unit set with a collection of wagons, Charlie Morrison's moody and expressive lighting, Lucas J. Corrubia, Jr.'s omnipresent sound, and especially Sage Carter for the vivid projection design that stands in for a lot of the original mammoth sets. It is the case where everyone and everything deserves top billing.

Mr. Briones is a fascinating Engineer. He is surprisingly likable and a flashy singer in addition. His rendition of "The American Dream" is a true showstopper in this highlight-filled show. Ms. Hubilla and Mr. Gillespie are not just great singers and actors, but there's a real spark between the two that raises the production because of it. Opening night offered the swing for Chris' friend John, and D. William Hughes made the most of it, as his rendition of "Bui-Doi" was both beautiful and heartbreaking. Jodi Moccia's choreography fits the show perfectly, and the ensemble is a vital unit, precise in their movement and tuneful in their singing. Musical Director Kevin Casey conducts a lush sounding 12-piece orchestra that captures all of the western and eastern influences of the music.

This production is every bit the equal of one that might pass through Gammage, sans the original oppressive sets. If you stubbornly refuse to go because you think it's just not the same without a giant statue of Ho Chi Minh and a real helicopter, then you'll miss the realization that beneath the glitz, there's a pretty damn good musical ready to entertain.