Lea Salonga and her Continuing and Inspiring Journey

She's obviously beautiful that's why she was one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1991 alongside Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Whitney Houston, Richard Gere, Sophia Loren, Mariah Carey, Claudia Schiffer, Madonna, Pierce Brosnan, Giorgio Armani, Isabella Rossellini,  Jason Priestley, Patrick Swayze, Kevin Costner, and Michael Jordan.  Hah!  I bet you didn't know that.  She is no other than LEA SALONGA.

She's not only beautiful but she is also extremely talented.  Let's see:  Sir Laurence Olivier Best Actress award, Tony Awards Best Actress in a Musical, Drama Desk Awards Best Actress, Outer Critics Circle Best Actress, and Theater World Awards - all for a single role.  This is the reason why she is one of Broadway's elite because only a handful can accomplish this outstanding feat.   She is also a certified Disney Legend.  Wow!  She is the singing voice of Princess Jasmine and Mulan.  I think that she's the only FIlipino who performed in the Oscars', and the song she performed won the Best Song, A Whole New World from the movie Aladdin.  She's the first Asian to play a caucasian role, Les Miserables' Eponine, on Broadway.  OH MY GOD... The list goes on and on...  She's great!

I remember 1989 when Lea Salonga was cast as Kim in the London production of the mega musical Miss Saigon.  There was no Internet back then (at least in the Philippines).  The only way to receive news of Lea Salonga winning the Sir Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actress in a Musical is through the news on the radio, or phone interviews on TV, or articles in the paper.  Her TV appearance in the TV show Wogan in London for instance aired in Manila several months after the actual live broadcast.   Thanks to YouTube, Lea Salonga's interviews, TV appearances, and rare significant events back in the late eighties and early nineties, like Lea Salonga winning her Tony Best Actress award, can now be seen.   Each FIlipino can relive the glory that is Lea Salonga.  Any person around the world can see and witness what "real talent" is all about.

Here is Lea Salonga's most notable video in YouTube.  Her callback in the worldwide auditions of Miss Saigon by producer Cameron Macintosh, composer Claude Michel Schonberg, lyricist Alain Boblil, and director Nicholas Hytner.  Lea Salonga, 17 years old then, sings for the first time the original (now iconic) song Sun and Moon which she was able to perfect in a matter of minutes.  Lea Salonga's crystal clear angelic voice obviously has transcended time and space.  Be prepared for a few minutes of auditory nirvana.

Lea Salonga is scheduled to perform in a brand new musical in San Diego this coming September opposite Star Trek's George Takei, and Glee's Telly Leung.  The new musical is entitled "Allegiance".  It is a moving tale of a family during World War II and their life in an internment camp in America.  The musical hopes to land on Broadway for the 2012-13 Tony season.  Will we be surprised if Lea Salonga is nominated and won her second Tony award?  Here is Lea Salonga performing one of the songs from Allegiance.  Enjoy!

If you want to learn more of the musical Allegiance, please visit their website at http://www.allegiancemusical.com.

Kids should derive inspiration from Lea Salonga.  Her accomplishments and body of work should always set an example and a reminder to those who dream of success in whatever field of endeavor.  Lea Salonga has shown that success can be achieved through hard work, discipline, and an intelligent approach to tackling obstacles.  Here is one of Lea Salonga's shining moments - her acceptance speech of the coveted Tony Best Actress Award.