Chris Peluso on Mirror Messages From Neil Patrick Harris & Abruptly Moving to London to Star in Miss Saigon

The 25th-anniversary revival of Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre has had some cast changes as it enters its second year—among them the arrival of Broadway alum Chris Peluso to play young American soldier Chris in the Boublil and Schonberg musical landmark. Recently seen on Broadway in Beautiful, the delightful Peluso was eager to share his thoughts on hitting the West End and hanging out with his dog when we caught up with the London first-timer one recent afternoon.

How did this gig come about?
It was extremely last minute. I auditioned about two months before I actually got the job and I didn’t know I was doing it until three and a half weeks before.

How did that work?
I auditioned first for Laurence [Connor], our director, but I was running late so that one was really fast, and that led eventually to an hour-long session on video where I more or less did the entire role. The creatives on the show are so scattered at this point that I had to get the big bosses’ okay. Another week or two went by before the final callback from London and here I am.

Sounds crazy—but in a good way!
It was. I own my apartment in New York so had to become a landlord and find a realtor and get my stuff out, and three and a half weeks to do all that isn’t a lot of time, and the other thing is that I didn’t have any time off. I stopped in Beautiful on a Sunday matinee and flew to London that night and started Saigon rehearsals the next morning.

Had you ever been to London before?
Never. I’d been to Europe once when I was in high school—to Basel in Switzerland—and have been all over the U.S. touring with Wicked but coming here I had no idea what to expect. After New York, I knew that London would be another international city but I really wanted to see the similarities and differences.

Did you have a prior connection to Miss Saigon?
I was a theater kid, so I was obsessed with the cast album and would listen to it over and over and think, "I have to play Chris, we have the same name!" [Laughs.] And then one summer I was appearing at Music Theatre Wichita, and I got to do Miss Saigon there.

Gosh, that’s an ambitious choice for summer stock.
They put on really massive things in a short amount of time. You rehearse for a week and play for a week. They couldn’t have helicopters for a weeklong run so it was pared back in a technical sense but what was great was that you had to go in knowing your stuff. I also did Les Miz and Sunset Boulevard there.

What are your thoughts on Chris, who is in some ways a more difficult role than he might at first appear?
My initial take was to try and not judge him. I do think he makes a lot of poor choices but most of them come from the circumstances of his history and what’s happened to him and the fact that he has a great friend in John who is encouraging the wrong kind of behavior.

What has it been like working with Eva Noblezada in her professional stage debut as Kim?
I love her—we’ve really connected. She’s a sweetheart and because she’s been in the show for a year, she’s been able to guide me, as well as teaching me the ins and outs of London. You wouldn’t know she is as young as she is. She has an emotional maturity that I didn’t have when I was 19!

Although you were on Broadway when you weren’t much older.
That’s true. My first Broadway show was Assassins [the 2004 revival] when I was 20! I was originally cast as a random swing for the men’s ensemble and then a month into the run, Neil Patrick Harris was having vocal problems, so made my Broadway debut as the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald. It wasn’t until much later that I realized how incredible that was!

Was Neil nice to his cover?
He was incredible and he’s still incredible! He left me messages on my mirror and was always super-kind and every time I see him, he’s one of the nicest people; he’s not phony at all.

Has this London gig felt like another step up altogether?
The last Broadway contract I had as a principal performer was as Sky in Mamma Mia! Not to belittle that, but it is definitely a leap up for me to play this part in this kind of arena. When I went into the audition, I thought there was no way they were going to cast me in the West End in such a giant part—no way—so this is a huge leap for me and I’m very grateful that it has happened at all.

Do you have your dog with you here in London?
Peety is here with me! I was very worried during the flight over but I figured he would sleep and the worst part is that you have to wait up to four hours after your flight lands so that they can check the dog and there I was sitting at the airport with employees from Cameron Mackintosh’s office trying not to look nervous. But the whole thing was 1,000 times worth it to have him with me now.

What kind of dog is he?
He’s a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and he’s actually nine years old, though everyone thinks he’s a puppy. He gets a lot of attention because there aren’t many dogs in central London. He’s a celebrity at the local coffee shop [laughs].

The last Broadway performer I recall bringing his dog to London was your fellow University of Michigan graduate, Gavin Creel.
I’m proud to take up that mantle!

Gavin has since returned to New York. Do you think you might stay on in London?
I would love to stick around.