Ben Madilynn
October 10, 2024 | 12:00am
Lea Salonga continues to be one of the leading figures in musical theater since making history in “Miss Saigon.” Being the original Kim won her every possible award that could be won for her performance — the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, etc.
But this status also comes with a level of expectation, especially for those who want to follow in her footsteps. It obviously puts pressure on aspiring Pinoy theater stars to live up to standards set by Lea on the international stage.
“I feel like anybody that auditions for the role of Kim, I need to apologize to all of them because of where those notes are,” she honestly admitted during an exclusive interview with The Philippine STAR.
“But even then, I mean, nowadays those are pretty easy to reach for a lot of younger women, especially after shows like ‘Wicked,’ ‘Hairspray,’ ‘Legally Blonde,’ ‘The Color Purple,’ and so many other shows where the high notes are even higher than what was written in ‘Miss Saigon.’”
Lea further said that she has always had immense respect for those pursuing a career in musical theater, but she also knows the challenges that it entails. “Anybody who wants to have a career in musical theater has got to be insane because it requires so much. It asks for so much discipline and the expectation of performing at a very high level. Sometimes, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, what have we done?’” she mused.
Still, the Filipino Broadway icon takes pride in the fact that Filipinos continue to be sought after in the world of musical theater, saying: “From the revival (of ‘Miss Saigon’) in 2014, Filipinos are still sought after, which is a pretty cool legacy.”
LEA SALONGA’S INSTAGRA
Lea particularly cited her recent experience at “Do You Hear The People Sing?” show in Manila, where she reunited with Claude-Michel Schönberg, co-creator of “Miss Saigon.” “He was incredibly impressed with the performers in that show. There were so many new — well, not new to us, but new to him — young performers he hadn’t encountered before, and he was just amazed. He was very impressed by the high level of performance.”
No matter where Filipino performers go, Lea believes they carry a unique responsibility. “Wherever we go, whether it’s ‘Miss Saigon’ or not, or even if it’s a small show somewhere, performing at Disneyland, or doing a show in the West End, or on Broadway or off-Broadway, if you’re identified as a Filipino performer, you’d better be good. You’re carrying the flag,” she said.
Lea may be considered a trailblazer but she is humbled by the international success of many Filipino talents today. “There are a lot of amazing Filipino performers, both in the West End and on Broadway, doing incredible work, and it makes me incredibly proud to be part of that. I don’t know about being a trailblazer, though. So many others came before me, and many are coming after me,” she further told The STAR.
She proudly noted how times have changed, especially with entire shows now being cast with Filipino performers. Case in point was last year’s “Here Lies Love,” which featured Broadway’s first all-Filipino cast. “It’s gotten to the point where you can cast an entire show with Filipinos, which I never thought I’d see in my lifetime, but it happened.”
Meanwhile, Lea is returning to the Philippine concert scene after five years with “Stage, Screen & Everything in Between.” First mounted in the UK, the originally two-night show (Nov. 4 and 5) at The Theatre at Solaire proved to be a certified hit — tickets sold out just a few hours after they went on sale — that another show, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m., was added.
All three shows will have as special guest singer-actor Clay Aiken, who was runner-up in “American Idol” Season 2. Tickets for the Nov. 7 show are now available at the Solaire Box Office and the Ticketworld website.
When this writer asked Lea about how she has maintained her voice, she said it’s all about discipline and self-care. “I’m a show-week warrior… Though I should work out to maintain that better, but I’m lazy,” she said candidly. “For most of the repertoire, the keys are still challenging but doable. I tend to pick keys where I can do it eight times a week.”
Her “special sauce” for preserving her vocal health is surprisingly simple. “I prefer staying home, playing video games, rather than going to parties. I don’t drink much, my biggest vice is coffee, and I’m not a smoker. I tend to rest at home.”
Besides “Stage, Screen & Everything in Between,” she’s currently headlining the one-woman straight play “Request Sa Radyo” alternately with award-winning actress Dolly de Leon.
When it comes to taking on new projects, Lea shared that she’s no longer chasing “lofty goals.” “I just want to keep doing what I love. I don’t have any lofty goals at this point. It’s a career, it’s a job, and I want to do it to the best of my ability. I just want to have the energy to get on stage, do shows where I feel challenged but not burned out.”
Just recently, for her outstanding work as a Filipino artist, Lea was conferred the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, the highest honor given by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). During her acceptance speech, she stressed that whatever she achieved in her career was not possible without a support system.
Said Lea, who has been working in the industry for 47 years now and still counting: “I don’t think any artist can work in a vacuum. As an artist in this ephemeral art form, I don’t work alone… a career like mine would not be possible without a village, a support system, and the people who are actively behind me.”
