Lea Salonga ‘very excited’ to see who the next Kim will be

ON THE red carpet, Lea Salonga with George Takei (left) and Telly Leung.

LOS ANGELES—Saying she is “very excited” to see who the next Kim will be in next year’s West End revival of “Miss Saigon,” Lea Salonga also told us she is “ecstatic” that Cameron Mackintosh and his team have decided to hold auditions in the Philippines.

In an e-mail interview, the original Kim sounded very enthusiastic about the Manila tryouts on Nov. 17 and 18. She just finished a successful run of the stage musical “Allegiance”—about how Japanese-Americans were forced into concentration camps during World War II—at The Old Globe in San Diego, California.

SALONGA and Takei in “Allegiance” Photo by Henry DiRocco.

We grabbed the chance to ask Lea about her costar, George Takei, who is, at 75, one of the coolest guys on this planet. He is a social media superstar whose appeal spans many generations of fans. George’s Facebook account, where he posts the most amusing photos, memes and status updates, has a staggering 2.8 million “likes.” According to Lea, George is determined to bring “Allegiance” to Broadway. We hope that happens.

Lea updated us on her other “Allegiance” costar, Telly Leung, and her daughter Nicole. Below are excerpts from our interview with the outstanding performer who proceeds to Singapore to reprise her role in “God of Carnage”:

What are your thoughts on Cameron Mackintosh holding Manila auditions for the West End revival of “Miss Saigon”?

Oh my goodness, I’m ecstatic! The Philippines was a wellspring of talent for many of the “Miss Saigon” productions in Europe (London, Stuttgart, Amsterdam). I’m very happy that Cameron has decided to return to the Philippines to find talent for the West End revival. Of course I’m very excited to find out who’ll be cast as Kim.

Now, to the most “important” question: What was it like to perform with George Takei, an icon and social media superstar?

George is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, and one of the hardest working actors I’ve witnessed in action. Because “Allegiance” has been around so long, I see him as a colleague and friend. But when he gets that curtain call at the end of the show, and I see the throngs of fans outside, that’s when I realize how big a deal he is. It was darn awesome working with him. I was very privileged.

NICOLE Salonga Chien was described by the proud mom as a “precocious 6-year-old,” willing to try new things like decorating this dessert

Who is on Facebook more often, you or George?

That distinction may just belong to George!

What’s your most interesting George Takei moment so far?

It was more of a “starstruck” moment. Our first reading of “Allegiance” was in mid-2009, and the first rehearsal was at George’s house in Hancock Park. George’s husband Brad met me at the corner of a nearby street (I got lost). Once I met George and sat in his living room, I had to put out on Facebook that I was actually in the house of Sulu (George’s character in the TV series “Star Trek”). My Trekkie friends went nuts!

What’s the most moving story that George has told you about living in an internment camp?

The one about the day he and his family were driven out of their Los Angeles home. He talked about his mother being the last to come out of the house. In one arm was George’s baby sister, and in the other, a huge and heavy duffel bag. Tears streamed down her face. It’s a memory that’s seared into his mind.

The indignities suffered by George and the 120,000 Japanese-Americans interned—it’s a blemish on American history that isn’t talked about as often as it should. Hence, the importance of this musical, and how determined George is to get it to Broadway.

How was “Allegiance” different as an experience from your previous musicals?

I think it was the first time that I felt real ownership of a piece of original material. I worked on “Miss Saigon” and “Flower Drum Song” (the David Henry Hwang script was new so I consider it original material in a way), but on “Allegiance” we were truly encouraged to give input on our characters, situations, circumstances. The process was organic…We didn’t feel like  we were just performing another person’s piece; we were active participants in its creation.

FILIPINA Broadway star in “Trekkie” heaven, with Takei and Leonard Nimoy (center) Photo by Jeffrey Weiser

Critics praised your performance and songs like “Higher,” “The Things That Matter Most” and “Gaman.” Which “Allegiance” song best resonated with you?

All of them in their own unique ways resonated with me. “Gaman” is about dignity in the face of hardship; “Higher,” about Kei finding herself; “The Things That Matter Most,” about the importance of family; and “Betrayed,” about when everything goes to s***. It is probably the most emotionally challenging and taxing piece in the show. I also love “Second Chances,” as I believe that the universe will give everyone a second chance at something good if deserved.

Let me state the obvious—your voice and Telly Leung’s are among the most beautiful in musical theater.

Telly is like a little brother to me. We met on the Broadway production of “Flower Drum Song” (his first Broadway show). He was straight out of Carnegie Mellon, wide-eyed and optimistic. He is an incredible performer and a great guy. I’m awed by his talent and work ethic, and his seemingly boundless energy. His voice is gorgeous.

Please give an update and an anecdote or two about Nicole.

She is one precocious 6-year-old—very energetic, smart, loquacious, curious, loves to learn. She can read pretty well now for a kid her age, which makes me very happy. She’s a lot of fun to be around. And not a bad conversationalist, either!

She’s willing to try new things—she took a couple of golf lessons during our time here in San Diego. She helped decorate some dessert, went up on stage for a magic show (the audience thought she was part of the act!), and just got a new haircut, one she had been requesting for a while.

What’s next for you?

I head to Singapore for “God of Carnage” (same cast as in Manila). My whole month of November has no singing in store, and I’m actually looking forward to the respite.

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