Lea: Shining, shimmering, splendid!!!

In what was perhaps her most personal performance to date, international singer-actress Lea Salonga shared more than a part of herself with her audience to mark her 30 years in the entertainment business with the concert-musical, My Life Onstage, which concluded its successful, two-night run at the PICC Plenary Hall last May 24.

There were things that Lea bared to the public for the first time, which endeared her more to her fans. That the PICC was jampacked on both nights simply explained that Lea has a loyal following who supports her in every important milestone in her career.

The upscale crowd that greeted her on both nights was a testament of her enduring popularity and longevity in the business. Even if she hasn’t graced the live concert scene for quite some time now, following her marriage and childbirth, Lea continues to enjoy the support of her avid followers.

That Saturday night at the PICC, Lea sauntered onstage not in a magic carpet, but yes, “shining, shimmering and splendid” in a gold gown by Rajo Laurel. Throughout the entire night, she donned only the creations of Rajo whose friendship with her dates back to her The King and I days for Repertory Philippines. She immediately surprised everyone when she did a rap number with It’s in the Genes, written especially for the concert by her stage director, Freddie Santos.

  The concert traced Lea’s entire career, from theater to film to TV commercials to recording and to the international stage, where she sealed her worldwide fame with such musicals as Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Flower Drum Song and They’re Playing Our Song.

  Lea sang familiar tunes that allowed her audience to reminisce her illustrious years as a child performer —  Tomorrow, I Am But a Small Voice, Rainbow Connection and If You’re Not Here, a hit from the Puerto Rican pop group Menudo, with whom she had the chance to perform when she was a teenager. Lea even recorded a duet, I Still Believe, with Menudo member Charlie Maso.

  Of course, her life onstage would not be complete without the popular songs from Miss Saigon. Brilliantly carried out with her guest performers from musical theater — Michael Williams, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Chari Arespacochaga, Robbie Guevarra, Raul Montessa and Annalyn Bantug — were Sun and Moon, Last Night of the World, I’d Give My Life for You and Bui Doi.

  When Lea dished out I Enjoy Being a Girl from Flower Drum Song, she admitted to the crowd that the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical was her “most successful flop,” when it was brought to Broadway. In Los Angeles, the musical had a well-received run. It was even memorable to her because it was while doing the musical in L.A. where she met husband Robert Chien. “But in New York, it crashed,” Lea unabashedly said.

My Life Onstage was unbelievably replete with photos and videos of Lea’s career highlights, including her early years in the business, starting in Repertory Philippines’ The King and I when she was only seven. It helped that Lea has a mother who “shamelessly recorded all her daughter’s activities,” according to director Santos. Everything was properly documented that’s why every number had accompanying footage.

It was amusing to see video footage of Lea when she played Annie, when she hosted the musical show, Love Lea with her brother Gerard and when she started as a teen performer on German Moreno’s That’s Entertainment. Even her early movies with Viva Films were highlighted in the show. “I’ve only done six movies,” said Lea, who rattled off her films — Tropang Bulilit, Like Father, Like Son, Ninja Kids, Captain Barbell and the two memorable ones with Aga Muhlach, Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal and Sana Maulit Muli.

  For Like Father, Like Son, Lea recorded the beautiful theme song, Kailan, a paean to love which was a creative collaboration of Santos and Louie Ocampo. The answer came 18 years later when she walked down the aisle and said “I do” with Robert. Freddie and Louie came up with another beautiful ballad, Two Words, which Lea sang during her wedding.

Lea’s brilliant musical director was, of course, her brother Gerard, who brought his prestigious Berlee College of Music education to the PICC stage. “I’ve worked with many talented musical directors in the past, but Gerard is a step above the rest,” Lea told her co-performers and production team backstage before last Saturday’s show. “With him, I feel like I’m being cradled onstage.”

Lea also rendered the two heart-rending ballads from They’re Playing Our Song — Falling and I Still Believe in Love — the musical which she did in Manila and Singapore.

One of her most applauded numbers was the pop suite that consisted of songs which she recorded like her versions of Olivia Newton John’s I Honestly Love You and Beverly Craven’s Promise Me, her duet with Brad Kane in We Could Be in Love and her original piece of The Journey. These popular tunes were contained in the many albums she released for Sony BMG Music, her long-time record label.

The appearance of Aga Muhlach as Lea’s only showbiz guest for the two nights was understandable. He was her leading man in the last two movies that she did. In between Lea’s suites, Aga gave the audience a teaser of his participation in the show by appearing intermittently in the earlier part. However brief his appearance was, the cherubic-faced actor was an instant crowd pleaser. He held the audience in stitches and got them at the palm of his hand.

Most amused were his kids, Atasha and Andres, who were cheering and clapping from the second row with his wife Charlene Gonzales. We were told the tykes were also there on the first night and insisted they watched their daddy again. “Kids, this is Daddy’s concert,” Aga jested onstage. “You must understand that front acts (referring to Lea) really do a lot of songs before the main performer comes out.” The crowd loved his every punch line — and how. They rewarded him with screams and thunderous applause like he was indeed the main act.

We heard Aga did not agree to get a talent fee for the concert. In return, he made Lea promise to do a movie with him. Addressing the Star Cinema producers in the audience, Aga announced his next film will be with Lea. It has been 13 years since their second team-up in Sana Maulit Muli. Aptly enough, they sang in the concert a duet of the Gary Valenciano hit.

 The crowd hollered for more after the Aga-Lea number, but apparently, he gave his nod to do only one song. To think that he is not a professional singer who was primed to perform and share the stage with an international artist caused Aga sleepless nights and anxiety attacks, disclosed Charlene backstage after the concert. He simply wanted to give in to Lea’s request for him to guest in the show.

 The concert was truly a celebration of Lea’s enviable 30 years in the entertainment industry. It was indeed Lea’s life onstage and the audience knew, at the very least, it is clearly far from over.