Lea Salonga back on Broadway and The Cafe Carlyle

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 6/1/11 at 3:52pm

Lea [Salonga] back on Broadway and The Café Carlyle
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo
The Philippine Star Updated June 02, 2011 12:00 AM

Lea Salonga will be back on Broadway this summer as lead star of the new musical Allegiance opposite Star Trek actor George Takei.

This piece of good news was relayed to Funfare by this corner’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre who also added that, prior to her Broadway comeback, Lea will be the exclusive featured artist for three straight weeks at The Café Carlyle from June 7 to 25.

Allegiance tells the story of a Japanese-American family’s struggles and triumphs during the World War II.

“Lea will play Gloria Suziki,” said Edmund. “She and Takei will be joined by several Asian-American actors including Fil-Ams Paolo Montalban and Alan Ariano.”

Edmund recalled that as lead star of Miss Saigon, the longest-running Broadway musical of all time, Lea scored a Best Actress grand slam (Tony, Oliver, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theater World Awards), and was the first Asian to play Eponine in Les Miserables on Broadway, returning to it as Fantine in the 2006 revival.

“She recently participated in the 25th-anniversary concert of Les Miz to sell-out crowds at UK’s 02 Arena. Of course, she also dazzled audiences as the hauntingly tragic Grizabella in a limited run of CATS in Manila.”

The Café Carlyle stint is Lea’s second.

According to Edmund, Lea will be accompanied by a quartet led by musical director and pianist Larry Yurman in an all-new program of songs to be megged by Daniel Kutner.

“Lea, who will take over the Café Carlyle stage from the legendary film director and musician Woody Allen and his jazz band, is welcomed by The Carlyle Hotel managing director Erich Steinboch, who raves about Lea’s unparalleled talent and box-office power among the Big Apple’s elite circle and music aficionados that prompted Café Carlyle to sign her up for the second time around.”

Edmund quoted Steinboch as saying, “Ms. Salonga’s repertoire will cover Filipino music, musical theater and the Great American Songbook. Regular patrons as well as first timers can’t wait to watch and hear her perform live on stage in an intimate setting.”

Other legendary stars who have performed at The Café Carlyle include Judy Collins, Eartha Kitt, Elaine Stritch, Barbara Cook, John Pizzarelli, Jessica Molaskey, Beverly Peer, Ute Lemper and Steve Tyrell.

The Café Carlyle is located in The Carlyle Hotel, 35 East 76th Street on Madison Avenue, and is what top entertainment journalist Liz Smith calls the “favorite of all New York nightspots.” (Note: Tickets to Café Carlyle’s An Evening with Lea Salonga are priced at $75 [Tuesday thru Friday], $85 [Saturdays] and $45 at the bar.)

To read more, click on link below.


Article

Updated On: 6/1/11 at 03:52 PM

[pinoyidol2006]

Posted: 6/1/11 at 3:56pm

What fantastic news. I love Lea. I hope the show is good.

Although, Miss Saigon is nowhere near the "longest-running Broadway musical of all time." Facepalm.

Updated On: 6/1/11 at 03:56 PM

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 6/1/11 at 7:21pm

The article from Mr. Lo is not entirely accurate. The Allegiance production in July in New York is just a single-day workshop and not open to the public. Ms. Salonga is scheduled be part of the Allegiance premiere in July 2012 at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. A fall or winter bow on Broadway is planned afterwards.

Updated On: 6/1/11 at 07:21 PM