about Lea

Lea Salonga is one Filipina who made a name in London and New York musical presentations...

She made a few attempts in TV and movies, but being Asian she was type casted. Except for a guest part in the CBS  Soap AS THE WORLD TURNS  and another movie with Jeff Daniels and John Lithgow ( see inset ) she went nowhere in the International movie scene..She made a few Filipino movies too, I guess but it did not really help boost her acting career..

Cast & Crew:
Jeff Daniels, Lea Salonga, John Lithgow, Debra Monk,  directed by John Korty  

Synopsis:
After 20 years, a young woman, who was adopted as an infant, becomes determined to learn the truth about her Vietnamese mother and American serviceman father who were forced to give her up at the fall of Saigon. Once she learns the truth, if she can, will she be able to accept it?  

Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Genre: Dramas, Drama, Family

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But in stage musicals, it is a different story.

She is currently appearing in Broadway's Les Miserables.In the past, she received some awards for her role as Kim in Miss Saigon. During our last visit to NYC , we watched the play in  Broadway hoping to see and hear her perform.

We saw the performance on a Tuesday night. After purchasing the tickets at the Box Office,  we learned she was performing only on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays..One of those unforeseeable things that happen, even if you do not like it to happen. Well,  from our seat up there in the upper balcony we could hardly see the stars anyway.

 

Here is a data sheet submitted by SS about Lea. Just in case you want to know more about her..

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Mini biography

Lea Salonga began her singing career at the age of ten, when she recorded her first album, Small Voice. She also hosted her own musical TV show, "Love, Lea". She starred in "Miss Saigon" and was then offered the role of the singing voice of Jasmine in the Disney film Aladdin (1992). She has continued to record albums. Lea has performed for Queen Elizabeth II, George Bush, and Bill Clinton.

She is married to Robert Charles Chien.

Trivia

Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world. [1991]

Brother, Gerard, is a multi-talented musician and symphony orchestra conductor. He is presently the associate conductor of the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

Has an adopted sister, Sheila.

Bought herself a white Lexus IS300 E-Shift Sedan with ivory interior on her birthday in 2002.

For the longest time, her dream role was Eva Perón in the musical Evita.

Briefly attended Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City , Philippines (mid-1988 - early 1989) in a pre-med course. She initially thought she wanted to be a dermatologist. Took two basic introductory courses [one in Philosophy andthe other in European History] at Fordham University 's Lincoln Center campus in Manhattan during Spring semester, 2000.

Won Broadway's 1991 Tony Award as Best Actress (Musical) for "Miss Saigon."

The first Filipina ever to win the prestigious Tony Award for her role as Kim in the Broadway Musical "Miss Saigon"

Was the first Filipina to win the Olivier (1990), Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World Awards (1991) for Best Actress in a Musical for her work in "Miss Saigon".

7 November, 2005- Concert debut at Carnegie Hall.

Gave birth to her first child with husband Robert, daughter Nicole Beverly, on May 16th, 2006 in Manila . The baby weighed in at 6 lbs, 10 oz.

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