This December the CHS choral group, symphonic orchestra and select members of the wind ensemble are combining their efforts in a production of Miss Saigon.

Miss Saigon, an opera production set during the Vietnam War, is a love story between an American Soldier and a Vietnamese woman.

“This will be the first time that the high school version is being performed on the East Coast,” Symphonic Band and Orchestra teacher Kristofer Sanz said.

The performance will be directed by Showstoppers teacher Carlos Barillo and conducted by Sanz.

“This is one of the first times that there is a joint production between instrumental and the choral department,” Sanz said.

According to senior Sara Bonner, who plays the lead role Kim, Bonner has been working with her voice coach, studying at school and watching DVDs on the making of Miss Saigon.

“It’s an opera-style production, in that there is almost no dialogue,” senior Sara Bonner said.

Along with practice during lunch, during school and after school, the performers are scheduled to attend different events about the Vietnam War before their performance.

“Various speakers are coming in to share their personal stories from both sides of the war,” Sanz said. “This is for the performers, to help them get a better understanding of the emotions behind the music.”

The performers were also invited by the Vietnam Veterans Association to help clean the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in D.C.

The performances, held in the auditorium on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, will be free for all guests. The performance held on Sat. Dec. 12 will be a black-tie gala performance.