Farewell Lea Salonga!

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 6:23am

Hello --

Well as most of you know today is Lea's final performance as Fantine in Les Mis. I think she's absolutely brilliant and glad to see she had a great come-back to Broadway. If anyone on this board goes to her last show, please say how it went. I wish Lea the very best for the Cinderella Tour and for the future!

Best of luck to Judy Kuhn for Tuesday night!! :)

[broadwaybuddy824]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 7:19am

Very nicely said mikeyb16, I couldn't have said it better! Lea's performance was incredible ... life changing. Best of luck to Lea. Come back to B'way real soon!

[augustine73]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:44am

good luck lea salonga... hope to see you again in broadway... will see you in your november 2 concert in NY.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 9:52am

Best of luck to the great Lea Salonga!!!! I'm so happy I got to see her in Les Miz - I hope she does more broadway shows in the future!

[JKlock]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 10:31am

She will be missed! I'm beyond grateful I had the chance to see her 4 times during her run in Les Mis. Come back to Broadway soon!!

[MarkCohen2]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 11:05am

I'm not seeing her final performance, but I'm seeing the matinee today... in four hours! It's going to be incredible.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 11:06am

Today's matinee (Oct. 21st) is Lea Salonga's final performance as Fantine...

[JKlock]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 11:08am

Theres only one show today...3 pm

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 12:15pm

Lea practically saved the revival for me back when I saw it in May. Things were better this month, but still...

I'm going to miss her candidness in her blog, too.

http://bigsis222.multiply.com/journal/item/92/Getting_burned

[MarkK]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 12:28pm

She's awesome, I hope she can comeback with an original show!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:30pm

I saw Lea's fourth performance as Fantine and thought she was stunning. Best of luck to her in the future and looking forward to seeing her in her next project.

I see Judy Kuhn's first performance as Fantine this Tuesday evening and will definitely report back!

[JKlock]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:36pm

please do withoutatrace! I'm excited to hear how she is...depending on the strike situation i'll see her at the matinee on Halloween.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 1:45pm

I have been a fan of Kuhn's for a long time now (through Rags, Chess and Les Mis) and it will be a thrill to finally see her live and meet her afterwards. I will be so upset if there is a strike.
Updated On: 10/21/07 at 01:45 PM

[RetroBoy]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 4:22pm

Lea Salonga is peerless. Les Miz was so lucky to have her as Fantine. An incredibly gifted performer.

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:35pm

They didn't have student rush today, so I got SRO tickets. The show is incredible, and Lea Salonga was phenominal. She really gave it her all and I really felt for her Fantine. Her voice is amazing and her performance is going to be one I'll remember for years to come. During the final "Tomorrow comes!" She had the best expression on her face, I can't even describe it. As the lights faded everyone let go of their hands expect for her and Ivan Rutherford, who shook their interlocked hands very firmly.

At curtain call Megan McGinnis gave her her own bow, and she recieve a bouquet of beautiful roses. During the final bows she was basically dancing around and did a funny pose (almost looking like she was flipping someone off jokely or something I swear I heard a "F*ck yeah!").

I love Les Miserables and am so glad I got to see Ms. Salonga in this memorable performance.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:38pm

Boy, someone must have ticked her off and bad recently with her recent entries in her blog.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:40pm

If you read the older entries, I get the impression that's not a very difficult thing to do.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:41pm

I'm not the only one slightly bemused with saying: "So long Salonga" out-loud, right?

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:57pm

I feel very lucky to have seen her twice in the role. I have been a fan of hers for a long time, and it was great to finally see her live. Best of luck to her in the future!

What/where is her blog?

[philly03]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:57pm

Goodbye Lea Salonga, saw you 3 times and you were great all three times. I must say though I would really really love to go see Judy Kuhn, even more-so then Lea Salonga becuase Judy Kuhn was in the original broadway production, and I really am just a much bigger fna of hers (sorry). But still, Lea Salonga you're great!

[vinnylin]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 8:59pm

Farewell Lea!

Lea completely saved this revival for me; I saw the show in January and was completely underwhelmed and even upset at the state of the show. Lea lured me back, and when I saw her, it redeemed the entire experience. I still have major problems with this underpowered revival and a good deal of its casting, but her presence alone makes the venture worthwhile. Good luck on your future endeavors, Lea! I hope to see you back on Broadway sometime very soon. You are a very special talent.

Updated On: 10/22/07 at 08:59 PM

[cridecar]

Posted: 10/21/07 at 11:10pm

I was very lucky to receive an orchestra ticket (as a gift), 4 rows from the front, for her final appearance in this revival. I agree with MusicAndPassion, the show was phenomenal!! I have NEVER cried on any broadway shows i've seen. This show got me. I can't understand my emotion. Was it because I was so close to the stage and saw all the passion, angst, sorrow in her face? Was it because there was so much power in this performance that I guess impacted so many that made them shed tears which I saw and affected me? I don't know. I can't describe it. This is my 2nd time to see her in this revival. I was awed during the first I heard her sing IDAD. For this show, I saw her cry several times. At some point, I got scared that she won't reach the high notes because she was literally crying. However, her singing as usual, was flawless.

The last part was more felt IMO. Saying her goodbye to Ivan Rutherford and during the singing of "Do you hear the people sing", Ali Ewoldt was also crying! Was it because this was also her last performance? OMG, this was crazy....of course, in a nice note.

Curtain call was fun for everyone. The applause and the ovation were all deserved, and more. Going out of the theater was chaotic. I stayed for a while just looking outside with fans shrieking and always getting ready with their cameras and pens. 4 NYPD officers had to be there to clear the streets and later accompanied Lea to prevent her from being mugged, of course without anyone's intent. Again, I have never done this before but I'm glad that I did for it sure felt good. The experience was priceless. Until next time..............

[AlanAntonio]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:01am

I saw her on her first performance, and as amazing as she was then, and on several other performances that I saw after that, her final performance was the best - absolutely the best. I mean, I know she gives her all every time she's on stage, but tonight was magical. She mastered the character, and she became Fantine. Tears poured out of her eyes and you could tell that she was really, really into the role. Also, as with most last performances, she did not hold anything back (so as to be able to do it again the following day). People around me and I were sobbing with her in IDAD. Moving! Oh boy did she spit on Jean Valjean! People around me gushed and were stunned! Her dying scene was heart-wrenching. One moment she was hallucinating, then suddenly lucid. Powerful! She would have been a contender for the Tony if she had been cast from the start.

Ali Ewoldt, sweet Ali, was amazing. She was so endearing, and her voice was so angelic. It's actually very powerful, too! In One Day More, she hit the last note really, really strong! What a talented, lovely woman. She was VERY GRACIOUS after the show. Much, much more gracious than Lea was, I must admit. Lea was probably eager to go to her party and was losing patience with her starstruck fans. Oh well, I hope she realizes that the event meant a lot to us, and a photo with her is a very big deal to us.

Adam Jacobs and Max Von Essen were brilliant, oh and Ivan Rutherford gave a stellar performance. Alex Gemigniani has a stronger voice and his Bring Him Home is perfect, but Ivan's portrayal was more subtle, restrained, more human. Terrific! The new Javert is amazing - really formidable voice. I miss Norm Lewis, though. He has a more imposing stature and presence, and his voice is unique.

Break a leg, Judy Khun! I am sure you will be great! Yours is a magnificent voice and you are a terrific actress!

[JKlock]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 12:06am

AlanAntonio...isnt robert hunt fantastic? He is my favorite Javert by far, I truly enjoyed his performance

[Luckydave14]

Posted: 10/22/07 at 1:49am

I was walking by the stage door when Lea was signing autographs today and I have not seen so much madness/chaos at a stage door before. Lea was mobbed and I felt really sorry for her. Eventually, two police officers came and escorted her down the street as someone else said.