Lea Salonga on Q TV

well singer and actress Lea Salonga started performing professionally in her native Philippines at age 7 but she gained international exposure just a decade later when as a teenager she landed the role that would propel her onto the global stage and though Lea Salonga has performed in a string of big stage productions since she is still best known for that first big break playing Kim a young Vietnamese woman in Miss Saigon a role for which she earned the Olivier Tony Drama Desk Outer Critics Circle and theater world awards last long has also had a film career as the singing voice of the title character in Milan and Milan - and Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin but it's not just fans of musical theatre and Disney movie lovers who adore Leia's voice in her 31-year career thus far remember she started at 7 she's performed for 5 Philippine presidents three American presidents and Royals including Princess Diana and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second and Lea Salonga the pride of the Philippines joins me now live in studio q hello what a pleasure to have you I know you're on tour for the first time here in Canada singing these songs and I want to get to that but let me start with with Miss Saigon because this was your breakout role and we go back to 1989 and you're 17 years old yeah take me back to the audition for this how did this happen that would lead you to London and Broadway and to be so identified with this this massive musical pretty amazing actually the auditions were actually the year before in 1988 that's when I was 17 I was 18 when we opened I used I was a pre-med student in college and pre-med premed a good Filipino girl right actually I wasn't being a good Filipino girl I was really sincerely interested in biology and I really this is what I had wanted to do but well things kind of changed course for me and I went into the auditions on the recommendation of the president of our singers Union in the Philippines I went in my knees were just shaking and sang on my own from Leamas and then I sang the greatest love of all by Whitney Houston right it's like very very different pieces of music Cameron Mackintosh the story is they had been looking for someone in the UK and they couldn't find they were looking in the UK they were looking in New York City and Los Angeles and Hawaii and then they landed in the Philippines but you knew who Cameron Mackintosh was not prior to my audition certainly not prior to preparing for the auditions then boy did I get a huge awakening when I found out who he was and and the shows that he had produced pretty interesting guy and then how do you find out how did you find out that you got the role of Kim um well there were final assessments in London so we were there for about a couple weeks I think about a week or so and in his office the director Nicholas Hytner and Cameron sat me down I was with my mother and they said that I was definitely in the show but they didn't know what role I was gonna play and I was very stoic and I said okay whatever cool and then there were these photo sessions and it didn't really strike me as suspicious at the time I figured well they do this for everybody taking photos yeah and then the next thing I know I'm on the cover of the Sunday Mail like which is that the Sunday magazine of the Daily Mail newspaper in London and my face was on the cover and and I'm looking at and then looking at the copy and I'm thinking well I guess that's my confirmation that I got hot hair different you found out on the cover of a magazine so at this point so now 8089 you're 18 years old you're already an accomplished performer Oh a decade of work behind you in the Philippines but you're still quite young what kind of pressure did you face originating such a piece of work on major stages around the world um it was probably good that for a long time in rehearsal I was blissfully unaware of just how big of a deal this was so I really didn't apply too much pressure until much closer to first preview and then ultimately opening night so I didn't drive myself insane up until like the couple of weeks leading into our first preview when everybody's pretty much you know with a fire lit up and just trying to get as much done and as quickly a time as possible and I guess even at that point even though it's still a nice guy stuff people didn't know that Miss Saigon would become the raging success no one really ever knows until opening night you know there are there are shows that you're rehearsing in your version you think it's gonna be the next big thing and then you get a bad review and then you close the next day it happens to a lot of my friends it's happened to a lot of performers of renown so it's it's not something obviously to be ashamed of and Cameron himself wasn't exactly very sure just how this was gonna go I mean when Liam is open it got bad reviews and he thought he would have to take a second mortgage on his house and when Miss Saigon opened with lame is kind of you know the name of that leading Miss Saigon so when audiences were just responding so positively to it and coming every night and just filling the theater I think everybody then realized we've we've got something very special here and from the first preview I think everybody knew that there was something really really wonderful there's some irony here because you're so identified with this character Kim but you've said that you were as different as an encoding you as chalk and cheese oh yeah from Kim the only thing we had in common was how young we were but the truth of the matter was I was brought up in a very conservative Catholic household and I was in college and certainly very sheltered and protected so doing this role was just out of my realm of life experience so I had to ask a lot of questions out of you know of everybody that I was working with I asked my mother for advice I asked members of the cast members of the production team and thankfully they provided a lot of detailed information that I was able to ultimately use including information about love right because Kevin falls madly in love with Chris and this yeah and you you'd never I had never had a boyfriend I had a lot of crushes sure but but certainly nothing of that kind of you know that kind of passion so you asked your mom what love feels like well I asked her I mean I knew that she had been experienced and loved having two kids and I asked other members of the cast who had children those who were married you know and those who had their significant others along for the ride so yeah I had to ask a lot of questions and thankfully they were all incredibly informative and detailed and I was able to use everything that I that I picked up from everybody what did your mom say um basically she just said you know anak you know when he's looking at you you touch his face like a good Filipino mother you know and you don't use face such as those were her words not mine I I wish I could be making that up but no right and and and besides you're I mean you're stunning voice what what do you think it was that resonated with audiences you must have a sense of perspective now you look back when you were playing Kim that this is a character that you say you quit you can't relate to on as a person level what was it that was so resonant though that made this her and you so unique so tightly intertwine I really don't know I don't know maybe maybe my youth my innocence at the time lent themselves to you know this you know this character because I could really only approach it one way you know this is the only way I know how to do this now as an actor I can approach something from all sorts of different directions and try all sorts of different things before landing one that sticks with this one this is what I know I am committed to this path and so I had that path to work on for two months and and I think and I think I was very I was I have to give credit to the director I have to give Nicholas Hytner a lot of credit because he really you know was he he let me give gave me a lot of leeway in the beginning but towards the end it's like okay this is what you have to do you have to focus on this this is exactly what you have to do I want you to do this I want you to do this your love affair with Chris has to be most more passionate than anything because that has to stick in the minds of everybody watching and you know that story is not going to be six and he said it very plainly this is not going to be successful unless the two characters are really really madly passionate about each other and and it has to really show it carries throughout the entire show so so that scared me a lot because I did not know what that was and then finally I think Nick had to physically demonstrate at times you know get my you know push bodies next you know close to each other to finally let it sink in my head that this was what I was supposed to do and and I had a wonderful leading man who in whom I placed all of my trust and he was just incredibly patient his name Simon Bowman incredibly incredibly patient and so as my first romantic leading man I mean really in the truest sense of the word he was amazing and wonderful and I'm just so grateful and he's on that fat that famous recording yeah let me ask you what the culture of Miss Saigon because over the years you know Miss Saigon has come in for a lot of criticism for what some have perceived as racist or sexist overtones including its portrayal of bright Asian women were you aware of the protests back then oh yeah in New York City where there was one preview night when we were doing the heat is on in Saigon we were doing that one that big scene the first big scene of the show and there were these protestors in the lobby who came in and started screaming from the balcony and I remember just kind of you know I lost my focus a little bit and I'm thinking okay I have to stay calm and I have to just remain completely concentrated on whatever it is I'm doing and we were aware coming in to new to the New York production that there was going to be a lot of protest and a lot of and what exactly did you make of that well I mean even in rehearsal Nick Nicholas Hytner was very you know he he shared his feelings honestly he's like I really don't know how long the show is gonna run given what the protest is like I mean it was a huge hit in London but it came in with a lot of controversy into the New York production and so he he basically said you know don't know how long this is gonna run but for however long it does let's just make this as real as as possible and so although there's a lot of there was a lot of criticism about the portrayal of Asian women we have to take this into context this is Saigon in 1975 the women were probably treated far worse than how we're portraying them we're only portraying a shade of what was possibly going on and if you look at films made about that same time period you'll probably get a much more graphic view and so I think the criticism of how women were treated is a little unfair because context may or may not have been considered because if you're putting if you're placing say miss igon and say 1989 or 1990 obviously that would not be correct because there is a far greater consciousness of how women should be more properly treated and portrayed and and this was a time of war these were desperate women these were desperate men and each was out to save himself or herself but it however means possible as an Asian woman as a role model right the Philippines did you ever worry that you I was my on the wrong side of something here or you know actually I was worried in the beginning because in the Philippines I'm identified as a bit of a goody two-shoes is very conservative and and family friendly and so I mean when I was looking at costume sketches and what I was at what I would have to do on stage I was concerned by how people would perceive me as an artist in the Philippines and my friends and family pretty much put me at ease either you know saying to me this is a role you're playing this is not you and everybody at home will completely understand that this is you're not in concert doing this that this is a role that you're playing so don't worry about anything no one's gonna look at you any differently and so that gave me a sense of relief as well as a little more freedom to really do what I needed to do and and I had a very supportive family as well so the funny thing is I still cater to children even after having done this part and you know having played other parts that that kids may not always understand or you know accept so you want you've also won almost every theater award possible are you rollin Miss Saigon forever cementing this association with Kim was there bare downsides of that were you offered stereotypical roles for Asian women because of Kim it's kind of like the Donny Osmond thing so I'm dawn dawn Osmond and now he's back to Donny it's like you got to accept it I think it's it's there are there are a lot of actresses who are going to be permanently intertwined with a lot of roles that they've played I mean Patti LuPone is going to be Evita for example and Carol Channing will be you know Dolly Levi and Hello Dolly and there are a lot of iconic roles that will always be attached to certain people and I'm fortunate that I'm that I've got Miss Saigon and you know however many women will play this from from that point on it's I'm still identified with the role so I'm very proud of it I think at the beginning it was like okay what do I do next and I wasn't sure that I was happy about being so closely connected to the role but as I've grown older and I and I look back it's like I'm incredibly blessed that I've had that and we'll be able to say that for the rest of my life obviously two kids I'm Princess Jasmine or Milan and they have absolutely nothing no no consciousness whatsoever with regards to my theatre work which is also fine so but yeah it's nice being identified with with something that has left such an imprint on a lot of people and and back to that first audition you sing the song on my own which is Eponine from lame is right and then you go on to become Eponine yeah on Broadway and and you you're the first Asian woman who to play that role how much of a of a breakthrough how much of a progressive step was that oh you have no idea how I was on a mission to do that one I wanted to prove that this wasn't stunt casting on the part of the producers just to drum up ticket sales or you know for publicity what you did do it did do I mean sure it did that but I didn't want it to be about that you know I wanted my performance to be credible and real and I wanted people to believe that this you know here's a Filipino girl on stage playing Eponine I wanted people to believe that it was possible and so I I think I did more than just pull it off really you know I was I was on a mission to make this good to really do this right to get her movements right and how she sings how she sounds and you know and and and I probably put more pressure on myself before playing up inning than I ever did as Kim I mean I'm an Asian woman I'm playing Kim I just have to open my mouth it's it's there but as éponine I felt like I needed to change people's minds about casting non-traditionally I felt I needed to do that and I had very supportive producers who obviously cast me in the role and I want I just wanted to say you know here yes I'm an Asian and I can't hide the fact that I'm Asian but I want to show that I have the chops to do this and do this well so yeah I was on a mission and on that note I mean you're well known in North America but you're you're a national treasure in the Philippines right I mean you're a well you are you're a household name you're very well known you've been awarded the Presidential Award of Merit not too long ago yeah by Corazon Aquino who passed away not to know which must have been quite special for you it was it was very special you do you feel like an ambassador for the Philippines in a way I do and I don't discount a career in diplomatic service we know one day I actually kind of do in and wherever I go I try to show the best of my country and its people and it's music I I just try to to always to show the best of what of who my people are you know it the country has received a bad rap over many years you know politically and you know there's also a lot of stuff going on in the southern part of the Philippines but you know and and and because of how media can be that's all you see you see political who has and you see fighting and war and you know and and so when I do go on tour and I say that I'm from the Philippines and very proudly so I want people to see that you know it's not all about just that but it's about artists and it's about singing it's about music and it's about wonderful food that comes from my country and wonderful warm happy resilient people yeah you know I just want to show that as much as I camera I want what did you say I won't rule out a possible career in diplomatic service very something last longer what do you say do you want to go into politics not politics not politics diplomat Diplomatic Service is being an ambassador or a consul general somewhere going to different countries representing my boy no politics no too much I don't have those ambitions number one and I have I have sung at political campaigns and I see how you know politics can be and you know and sometimes you'll have to compromise something to get something else and I think it happens in every country I I don't think I'm made for politics I mean I have a grandfather who was a politician and he passed away when he lost an election I mean he he really took it very hard and I really don't want to throw I mean my family life is kind of thrust in a public light now because of just because I'm a singer it it would become worse if if I get into politics and and I would not want to put my family and in any sort of danger I guess you know and and it's yeah but diplomatic service I could do speaking of your family we started this conversation with you performing I would give my life for you from from Miss Saigon a song you first sang at the age of 17 and those rehearsals you're married you have a daughter now she's on the other side of the house that song changed for you over the last one oh it has there were times when I would be reluctant to add it to my concert repertoire because you know mentally it's like what else can I my now to that song you know what else could I possibly get out of it and then I sang it after I gave birth to her and then it was like oh there is a whole lot more to this and now that I actually have the experience of being a mommy it's take it takes on a whole different meaning because every word that I sing I can actually actually can mean it it actually is real and those composers were geniuses in putting the song together with those lyrics and with that melody and it I couldn't stop crying the first time I rehearsed it after giving so when I sing it now in concert you know it makes it makes sense and it's it's easy to just pull the motions out and sometimes pushing them back in is you know becomes a little more difficult amazing that a song that you've sung thousands of times can still have that kind of resident it can have a resonance and and an effect and singing it in concert now becomes more meaningful because because of her because of my little one the theater stage is where you got your first break but you've kept this foot and film and TV along the way performing in Disney musicals making appearances on ER as the world turns you record albums you do concert tours as tours in Canada and then you go to Texas and Hawaii yeah is musical theater still actually musical theatre does I mean as much as I love doing all these other things musical theater is what really excites me it really gets me going because it's interesting to step into someone else's life and and see what it might be like to live say as a Vietnamese prostitute or as someone like Fantine or Eponine or you know to be a neurotic 30-something Jewish songwriter which I've done and or a witch in a forest and it's fun doing all these things because it kind of teaches you a little bit about what other people's lives might be like it gives you extender of sort of insight and perspective and much empathy into into another person's existence and living condition and what they might be thinking or feeling and it just it's just it's just very interesting and sometimes I'm a wreck at the end of the night and sometimes I'm perfectly okay there are some nights when I'll come home and I won't be able to sleep because the role will still be in my head but it's fun it's incredibly inspiring and when I go see a Broadway show and I saw one of them this year I saw five this year which is huge for me because of my traveling it's it inspires me to want to do that again it's like oh I gotta do this again I got to do that again it it it fuels a passion it fuels a desire to to return to wearing a costume for two hours it's fun it's really a great pleasure to have you here thank you after listening to you for years thanks for making the time to come in much appreciate and you come back to Canada I would love to I really would love to yeah Lea Salonga Philippines Philippine born Lea Salonga Tony award-winning singer actor and recording artist her latest album is called inspired and she's been with me here in studio q [Music] you

Channel: q on cbc

Views: 148,775

Rating: 4.9620495 out of 5

Keywords: singer, mulan ii, philippines, theatre, qtv, drama desk, olivier, fa, miss, musical, cat on a hot tin roof, outer critics, fiddler on the roof, theatre world award, les miserables, lea, tony, saigon, filipina, cbc, jian, on, aladdin, broadway, mulan, salonga, eponine, ghomeshi

Id: 1V0kSiH7PYo

Length: 22min 58sec (1378 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 22 2009