Lea Salonga at Café Carlyle

Last night, the Tony Award winning star of Broadway’s Miss Saigon gave her final performance at Café Carlye (in the Carlyle Hotel) in a show called "Back to Before" that looks at her life as a New Yorker and pays tribute to inspirations including Ella Fitzgerald and Barbra Streisand. The Carlyle Cafe is located at 35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue. The authentically elegant venue is regarded the epitome of New York class, attracting such top-level singers.

Here is an excerpt from the New York Times review:

In the first half, she concentrated on standards that included “The Song Is You,” “Manhattan” and “How Long Has This Been Going On? — all delivered with an almost machinelike perfection. Her performance was matched by the facility of her musicians, the pianist Jeff Harris, the bassist John Miller and the guitarist Jack Cavari, who were playing arrangements by Larry Yurman.

“Greatest Love of All,” Whitney Houston’s early hit, received an unusually strong and focused interpretation whose message of unapologetic self-reliance resonated with Ms. Salonga’s show business biography. “I Won’t Mind,” a woman’s protective love song to a child who’s not hers, written by Jeff Blumenkrantz, Annie Kessler and Libby Saines, and a medley of Stephen Sondheim’s “So Many People” and “Loving You” demonstrated her comfort in a more intimate, psychologically subtle mode.

Broadway-bound ALLEGIANCE - A New American Musical (Staged Reading) with Lea Salonga, George Takei, Telly Leung and Paolo Montalban

George Takei

Lea Salonga

Jay Kuo (Music and Lyrics, Book of "Allegiance")

Telly Leung and Christine Toy Johnson

Paolo Montalban

Jason Tam

Tony Award winner Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Flower Drum Song), screen star George Takei (Star Trek, Heroes) and the cast of the new Broadway-bound musical ALLEGIANCE offered a developmental staged reading earlier this evening at the Julia Miles Theater - Women's Project in midtown Manhattan. The photos above were taken after the reading outside the theater. Strong performances were given by the entire cast that also included Telly Leung (Flower Drum Song, Pacific Overtures, Wicked, Rent) who was outstanding as the young Sam Oomura. His powerful rendition of "My Time Now" , probably the most applauded number, closed the first act. Also in the cast were Allie Trimm (13, Bye Bye Birdie), Alan Ariano, Christina Toy Johnson, Michael K. Lee, Philip Hoffman, Sally Wilfert, Paolo Montalban, and Jason Tam as well as Gaelen Gilliland, Raymond J. Lee, Daniel C. Levine, Doan MacKenzie, Ann Sanders, Tally Sessions, Cary Teddor, Anne Fraser Tomas and Kay Trinidad. Allegiance, which is produced by Lorenzo Thione and Sing Out, Louise! Productions, features music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and book by Kuo and Thione. The musical focuses on "the story of the Omura family during World War II and the years of the internment of Japanese Americans." According to playbill.com, Allegiance will hold its world premiere in 2011 at a regional theatre to be announced, with a planned Broadway run in 2012 to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the internment of Japanese Americans in the U.S.

video from quanmansports

New York City Staged Reading Presentation of ALLEGIANCE: A NEW AMERICAN MUSICAL

Last night, I attended the private developmental staged reading of ALLEGIANCE: A NEW AMERICAN MUSICAL. This new musical, with music and lyrics by Jay Kuo, and book by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione, is about Japanese-Americans who were put in internment camps during World War II. The musical follows the Omura family, who were forced to leave their home in Salinas, California to move to the Heart Mountain Internment Camp in Wyoming during World War II. Their story reflects the deep conflicts of a nation, and a people divided: father Tatsuo, a successful store owner, resists their unjust internment; mother Kimiko fears for their future, quietly resigns to their fate; older son James volunteers in an all-Japanese army regiment; and younger son Sam yearns for acceptance by and inclusion in America. The Omura's conflicts mirror the larger rift between the Japanese American Citizens League, which urged cooperation with the internment, and the resisters of the internment, who steadfastly refused to serve a country that had put them in concentration camps. This universal story sheds new light upon a dark, unexplored, and wrenching chapter of American history.
The cast included LEA SALONGA, GEORGE TAKEI, TELLY LEUNG, PAOLO MONTALBAN, BENJAMIN EAKELY, KEVIN GRAY, TAMLYN TOMITA, MICHAEL K. LEE, ALLIE TRIMM, PHILIP HOFFMAN, and SALLY WILFERT. The ensemble included ADAM FLEMING, GAELEN GILLILAND, MARY ANN HU, AUSTIN KU, DANIEL C. LEVINE, DOAN MACKENZIE, KASEY MARINO and ANN SANDERS. The most applauded number was "My Time Now" sung by TELLY LEUNG who plays Young Sam. He was fantastic. The reading was directed by STAFFORD ARIMA with music direction and arrangements by LYNNE SHANKEL. The reading was held at the Mainstage Theatre at 416 West 42nd Street.

LEA SALONGA A Special Performance Benefit In New York City's Philippine Center For The Victims Of Typhoon Ondoy

Video posted by lwayjr

Video from broadwayworld.com

Tony Award winning artist, LEA SALONGA offered a special performance benefit for the victims of typhoon "Ondoy" last night at the Philippine Center's Kalayaan Hall located at 556 Fifth Avenue. The mini concert repertoire list included songs from Miss Saigon ("I'd Give My Life For You"), Les Miserables ("On My Own"), Stephen Sondheim's "Anyone Can Whistle," John Lennon's "Imagine", Buz Kohan and Larry Grossman's "Gone Too Soon", her wedding vow song called "Two Words" by Louie Ocampo and Freddie Santos, "Someone to Watch Over Me", and Jose Mari Chan's "Hahanapin Ko", among others. Larry Yurman was the musical director who also donated his time for the benefit. Currently on concert tour in the US, Ms. Salonga altered her schedule to make this event possible in order to help flood victims in her native Philippines. The acclaimed artist is admired by many, not only for her singing talent, but also for her love of country and pride of being Filipino. Conceived by Diverse City Theater Company Director Victor Lirio, the benefit has raised more than 1 million Philippine pesos, and 100% of the proceeds will go to the typhoon victims in the Philippines through the Ayala Foundation USA. If you wish to donate, please visit the Ayala Foundation USA website to learn about their projects and how the donations are being spent to help the typhoon victims.

I captured these images of Lea Salonga in a beautiful emerald green dress during last night's benefit performance at Kalayaan Hall. These photos also appear on broadwayworld.com.

PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT ARROYO DOES BROADWAY

Philippine President GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in New York for three days to attend the 62nd United Nations General Assembly, squeezed into her tight schedule a visit to Broadway. She attended today's matinee performance of the Broadway revival of LES MISERABLES at the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 West 44th Street. It's been written that President Arroyo's favorite "international performer" is Filipino singer/actress LEA SALONGA who stars as FANTINE in Les Miz until October 21. Other cast members who are of Filipino descent are ALI EWOLDT (Cosette) and ADAM JACOBS (Marius). Mrs. Arroyo posed for photos with Salonga, Ewoldt and Jacobs on stage after the show when the audience has left. Due to tight security, the only image I managed to make is an unpresidential silhouette with a Mamma Mia poster as background outside the Broadhurst Theatre after the performance. Mrs. Arroyo also attended the Clinton Global Initiative, which was organized in 2005 by her former classmate in Georgetown University, former US president Bill Clinton. While the president's visit to the theatre district was a pleasant respite, Mrs. Arroyo was hounded later by some Filipino activists outside the Waldorf over the broadband scandal, political killings and a nurse recruitment agency. Mamma Mia!

BROADWAY on BROADWAY 2007 hosted by LANCE BASS featuring LEA SALONGA and other stars

Video of LEA SALONGA performing on stage provided by "cattycat"

BROADWAY ON BROADWAY, a free annual concert celebrating Broadway music was held in Time Square earlier today. Hosted by HAIRSPRAY star and NSYNC member, LANCE BASS, the concert was co-produced by the League of American Theatres and Producers and the Times Square Alliance. The concert featured appearances by stars from upcoming productions, and dazzling performances from some of Broadway’s most beloved shows, including Avenue Q, Chicago, A Chorus Line, The Color Purple, Curtains, The Drowsy Chaperone, Grease, Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde: The Musical, Les Misérables, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Wicked, and Hairspray.The event also featured special appearances by CHAZZ PALMINTERI, appearing this season in the Broadway revival of his show, A BRONX TALE, as well as SETH RUDESKY. For the first time, the show also featured the Broadway’s Biggest Fan competition. This is Broadway on Broadway's 16th year.

Photos show the concert venue with a blizzard of colorful confetti at the end of the show, host LANCE BASS before the show and on the giant screen. One of the guest performers was celebrated Filipino stage singer/actress and Tony Award winner LEA SALONGA. She performed "I Dreamed a Dream" from LES MISERABLES. SALONGA plays the role of Fantine at the Broadhurst Theatre until October 21, 2007.

LES MISERABLES Broadway Revival

Collage of photos taken at the Broadhurst Theatre, billboard in Times Square, Lea Salonga at the stage door, and production photos (Joan Marcus)

Yesterday, I attended the matinee performance of the Broadway revival of Les Misérables at the Broadhurst Theatre. Based on Victor Hugo’s epic novel set in 1800s France, the musical follows escaped convict Jean Valjean and his foe, the police officer Javert who relentlessly pursued Valjean over decades. Valjean becomes a mayor, agrees to raise Cosette, the daughter of dying prostitute Fantine and joins the fight for freedom. Although many people still think that the musical is about the French Revolution of 1789, this Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s adaptation is actually about the student revolution of 1832.

Never mind that the New York Times’ Ben Brantley wrote that this revival, when it opened a few months ago “appears to be functioning in a state of mild sedation,” and that “its pulse rate stays well below normal.” It is still a good story, it still sounds as pretty as can be, and it was sung appealingly and powerfully. Freshly reorchestrated, this revival is 15 minutes shorter than the original. While it’s been said that the show was “uncomfortably cast,” much of the criticism was focused on Daphne Rubin-Vega’s Fantine. She is now replaced by Tony Award winning star, LEA SALONGA, who has played Eponine in the original Broadway run. In addition to Salonga, Les Miz stars Alexander Gemignani as Jean Valjean, Norm Lewis as Javert, Celia Keenan-Bolger as Eponine, Ali Ewoldt as Cosette, Adam Jacobs as Marius, Aaron Lazar as Enjolras, Gary Beach as Thenardier and Jenny Galloway as Madame Thendardier. A few months into the run, I thought that both Gemignani and Lewis gave powerful performances, contrary to the criticism that their emotional temperature was low when the revival opened a few months ago. Maybe these actors have grown into their respective roles with time. Both Gary Beach and Jenny Galloway were convincingly funny and creepy at the same time as the Thenardiers. Suitably exciting performances also came from Adam Jacobs, Ali Ewoldt and Aaron Lazar, as well as little Brian D’Addario as Gavroche. As for Lea Salonga’s well publicized return, I would leave it to someone else who is a big fan of Les Miz. The following are her thoughts posted in an online messageboard:

“Saw Les Miz with Lea on Wednesday night, my first time seeing the new revival production. I will preface my review by saying I worked at the Imperial Theatre for a few years while Les Miz was playing there, and I've probably seen the show upwards of 100 times. Here are my thoughts on the current production at the Broadhurst. Lea Salonga (Fantine) was breathtakingly beautiful. I confess, I'd never seen her live on stage before, and I've always preferred Frances Ruffelle's take on Eponine to Lea's. But her rendition of "I Dreamed A Dream" was among the loveliest I've heard. Her voice is so pure and beautiful and she sings with such ease, it is really something to behold! Her Fantine was less gritty than many I've seen. She seemed like a really sweet, good-hearted, even slightly innocent woman thrust into a very terrible situation, making her demise even more tragic. She had wonderful chemistry with Alex Gemignani in her death scene, which was one of the more stand-out scenes of the show that night. I should also mention that she looked absolutely thrilled to be back on the Broadway stage. She was BEAMING during "One Day More". I was actually fairly indifferent to her before Wednesday evening, but I think I'm officially a fan now!”

Data from the League of American Theatres and Producers show that Lea Salonga boosts Les Miz box office sales. In Lea Salonga's first full week as Fantine, the revival filled the Broadhurst Theatre to 94.20%, making it the third highest show in terms of capacity.

LEA SALONGA in REHEARSAL for LES MISÉRABLES as FANTINE

WHAT: A chat with Tony winner Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon), the new Fantine of Les Misérables
WHERE: Broadhurst Theatre
WHEN: Friday, March 2, 2007
Video shot and edited by Jesse Zook Mann
Interview by Paul Wontorek

SHE'S BACK...LEA SALONGA IN LES MISÉRABLES

Although the ad in today's Arts & Leisure section of the New York Times says LEA SALONGA joins the cast of LES MISÉRABLES on March 6th, the Tony Award winning actress actually began performance last Friday, March 2nd. She plays the role of Fantine in this Broadway revival of the popular musical at the Broadhurst Theatre. The revival runs through at least the summer of 2007, and Salonga is expected to stay with the production through the entire period. Salonga played Eponine in 1993 in the original Broadway run.

Philippine native Lea Salonga became an international stage star when she was chosen to play the lead role in the 1989 London world premiere of Boublil and Schonberg's Miss Saigon. At 17, she received critical acclaim and went on to win the Olivier Award as Best Actress in a Musical in London. In 1991 she reprised her performance on Broadway for which she won the Tony Award as Best Actress in a Musical, along with Best Actress honors from the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics' Circle. In 2002, Salonga returned to Broadway via Rodgers & Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song. She also recently made her triumphant solo debut at a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall.

Salonga's voice has been described as "hopeful as daybreak," and her interpretation of music "pure." I personally admire Les Miz' new Fantine not only for her clarion voice and enormous talent, but also for her love of country and pride of her ethnicity. In a recent interview, the new mother considers it a great achievement "that through whatever I've done, the image of the Filipino was made a little more positive, and that somehow, the Filipino was given the chance to smile and be proud. Hopefully, the world's awareness of the Filipino artist remains." A few weeks ago, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo conferred on Salonga the prestigious Order Of Lakandula, the highest honor given to a civilian, for her outstanding contribution to musical theater and world entertainment.

I'm looking forward to seeing next Sunday's matinee performance.