Dreaming young, dreaming big

MANILA, Philippines - When Lea Salonga walked on stage to join the girls who became finalists in the Disney Princess: I Dare To Dream digital reality-series, one concluded she was once one of these young dreamers who started early with a big dream.

Selected after a series of auditions last year, the six young Filipino girls aged nine to 16 years old with a range of diverse interests, showed they had what it took to join this journey of discovery with a good guidance from veteran mentors in various fields.

As they are, the girls were Lea’s age when she sang her first Annie and acted through the dramatic challenge of Bad Seed.

Now in her 40s, Lea is happy the young batch is not the kind who’d do one thing right for the sake of social approval.

Opined Lea: “I like kids with minds of their own and who know what they want to pursue without depending on what their parents had to say. Interacting with these talented batch, I see a genuine desire to excel not so much to impress but simply just to be good in what they are doing. They stand out because they have an idea of how they can contribute positively and not because that was what are expected of them. I have never seen so many young kids with original voices.”

Globe Telecom, in partnership with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, is redefining the landscape of local entertainment by launching the Disney Princess: I Dare To Dream, a first-of-its-kind digital reality series produced by Globe Studios in collaboration with Disney and Maker Studios.

Inspired by Disney’s iconic princesses and their incredible stories and qualities, the 12-episodic web series will bring viewers on a magical journey of six young Filipino girls as they pursue their dreams with the help of various mentors headed by Disney icon Lea Salonga with theater actress Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, social educator Efren Peñaflorida, veterinarian Dr. Nielsen Donato, animator Tito Romero, chef Jessie Sincioco and YouTuber and host Charisma Star.

Selected from a series of auditions last year, the six young Filipino girls aged nine to 16 years old with a range of diverse interests, will show their journey of discovery and self-confidence, alongside the expert mentors, popular vblogger and host Janina Vela and Disney legend Lea in this first-of-its-kind digital reality series.

Said Amit Malhotra, GM of Disney Media Networks, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia: “Every Disney Princess is the heroine of a unique adventure story inspiring kids with messages of hope and optimism. What people love about the Disney Princesses are their incredible stories and the qualities that help them achieve their dreams. We hope this initiative with Globe, will inspire and empower a new generation of girls in the Philippines to pursue their dreams and aspirations.”

Added Quark Henares, head of Globe Studios: “Inspiration comes from within. These kids have big aspirations in life and we want to support them all the way. We want to be there to see their dreams turn into reality and that’s what will make it a magical experience, and we want to share it with the public.”

In the web series, the girls will be staying in a house where they will be mentored how to pursue their dreams. Only one girl will be chosen for a special trip of a lifetime — to walk down the red carpet at the Tokyo premiere of the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, Beauty and the Beast.

The six girls are Hya Leonardo, Sirach Catipay, Liana San Diego, Jaden Narvios, Stephanie Jordan and Alexi Tan.

Hya wants to be a Broadway actress and a singer. She has always been passionate about performing in front of a large audience. Sirach is an aspiring chef. The moment she started cooking with her mom, she realized that she wanted to be a chef someday and share her dishes to other people. Liana is an aspiring veterinarian, saying she wants to try and learn more about her passions. Jaden wants to be the next president of the Philippines. Stephanie is an aspiring newscaster/TV host while Alexi is an aspiring animator.

The girls will be featured in a big concert with mentor Lea in a star-studded line-up of other Filipino music talent and featuring songs from Disney Princess movies on March 22 at the SM MOA Arena.