Lea Salonga is Broadway-bound again for ‘Allegiance’

With George Takei and Telly Leung

MANILA, Philippines—It’s official.

After weeks of negotiations, that kept musical-theater fans on the edge of their seats, Filipino singer-actress Lea Salonga has finally signed up as a cast member of the coming Broadway production “Allegiance.”

Salonga, Tony winner for originating the role of Kim in the mammoth musical “Miss Saigon,” is Broadway-bound once again, after a 13-year absence. Last time Salonga performed in a lead role in a Broadway musical was in the revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Flower Drum Song” in 2003. In 2007, she had a brief stint on Broadway as Fantine in “Les Miserables.”

Salonga was also part of the original staging of “Allegiance” at The Old Globe Theater in San Diego in 2012, along with “Star Trek” actor George Takei, whose childhood in an internment camp was the inspiration for the musical.

Salonga told the Inquirer in an exclusive email interview that she is thrilled about her Broadway comeback. “It’s all very exciting. It feels fantastic to be back.”

Apart from Takei and Salonga, another original cast member, Chinese-American actor Telly Leung, will join the Broadway production as well.

The musical, which revisits a dark period in United States history, will premiere on Nov. 8, said Salonga.

Rehearsing (from left) George Takei, Paul Nakauchi, Lea Salonga, and Telly Leung

She plays Kei Kimura, the older sister of Leung’s character. She said she turned to the “strong, steely women” in her own family to create her character.

“They are remarkable women who still managed to look fabulous despite everything life threw at them. I see Kei as a quietly brave woman,” she said.

She is looking forward to collaborating once again with the “Allegiance” cast and crew.

“They are all so wonderful,” Salonga said. “George is so passionate about telling this important story.

Stafford Arima, our director, has this very zen-like quality about him, which in turn affects everyone and everything around him. We are then able to focus on the storytelling. (Composer) Jay Kuo, (co-lyricists and book writers) Marc Acito and Lorenzo Thione are amazing, too.”

Since rehearsals start in September for Salonga, she can still take part as coach in the ABS-CBN reality show “The Voice Kids,” which wraps up in late August.

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