International theater sensation Lea Salonga stars in CATS, one of the longest-running musicals, which will have its premiere night on July 24, 2010 at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.
Gaganap si Lea bilang si Grizabella na isang dating Glamour Cat who has lost her sparkle. She used to shine in the limelight but now she only wants to be accepted by the Jellicle Cats. Lea will sing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless hit song “Memory” as the cat Grizabella relives her glory days.
Ang “Memory” ay maaaring ituring na theme song ng mga artista. Sa showbiz kasi ay may mga artistang dumating at naglaho samantalang ang iba naman ay maningning pa rin hanggang ngayon. May mga artista ring nag-comeback ang nabigyan muli ng pagkakataon pero ang iba naman ay hindi pinalad. But Lea’s star will definitely continue to shine in the future.
Inarguably, Lea is a national treasure. Lumabas siya sa mga musicals gaya ng Annie, Cinderella, Flower Drum Song, Into The Woods, My Fair Lady, They’re Playing Our Song, Grease, The Goodbye Girl, The Fantasticks, Paper Moon, The Bad Seed at The Sound of Music. She won the Laurence Olivier Award in London and the Tony, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards in Broadway for her excellent performance as Kim in Miss Saigon. She was the first Asian to play the street waif Eponine in Les Misérables on Broadway and portrayed Fantine in the musical from March to October 2007. Si Sir Cameron MacKintosh ang nag-imbita sa kanya na maging parte ng dream cast at gumanap bilang Eponine for the Les Misérables in Concert filmed at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 1995. Tiyak na magniningning uli si Lea when she steps onstage as Grizabella in CATS.
CATS is a phenomenal success because it was a collaboration of the best minds in musical history. The original production of CATS was produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber’s The Really Useful Group and directed by Royal Shakespeare Company Director Trevor Nunn.
Ang CATS ang may hawak ng second longest-running musical sa history ng West End (una ang Les Misérables) at Broadway (first place ang The Phantom of the Opera). CATS had its last performance on its 21st birthday in West End while it played for 18 years in Broadway. CATS has been presented in 10 languages in 300 cities over 26 countries. Nanalo rin ito ng dalawang Olivier Awards at pitong Tony Awards.
The Manila season of CATS is produced by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, David Atkins Enterprises, Concertus and All Youth Channels in association with The Really Useful Company Asia Pacific.
Kaibigan, usap tayo muli!
Points of Boy
by Boy Abunda
