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SINGAPORE: Lea Salonga has one of the most powerful sets of lungs this side of Broadway and West End.
And guess what, her hand-eye coordination ain’t too bad either, all thanks to video games.
The 37-year-old Filipino-American performer, best known for her role as Kim in "Miss Saigon", told TODAY on Tuesday at the Plaza Parkroyal: “Not too many people would peg me for a video game geek, but I am.”
By this she means playing "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7" for the third – yes, third – time on her PlayStation Portable, which she always brings around in her travels. Along with a Nintendo DS Lite game console.
It also means that when she’s back at home in Manila, she’s probably getting competitive with her husband on either their PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.
“The only thing we don’t have is a Nintendo Wii. When he gives me a video game, I’m screaming as if he’s given me a diamond ring,” said Salonga, who was briefly in town to promote the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Cinderella", which will be staged in January 2 to 22 at the Esplanade Theatre.
Between fashion and tech, it’s a no-brainer for the Tony Award winner. “I can justify spending hundreds of dollars on tech - because it’s tech.
“But I can’t wrap my mind around buying something to wear that will cost me $150 to $200 - it’s a pair of shoes!” quipped this self-confessed “flip flops” girl who can, for some reason, justify spending $50 on a pair of Havaianas.
Salonga is no stranger to Singapore audiences, who last saw her in a concert in 2005. She still remembers performing opposite Adrian Pang in Neil Simon’s "They’re Playing Our Song" in 1999.
"He was one of the most fun leading-men I’ve ever worked with. It was very hard keeping a straight face on stage. If I ever do a comedy here in Singapore again, I’d do it with him."
Following in the footsteps of previous Cinderellas like Julie Andrews and erm, Brandy, Salonga said the musical is same same but different. For one thing, the Fairy Godmother is apparently less vanilla and considerably more ... Queen Latifah?
“Yes, she (Afro-American actress Charlie Parker) is incredibly tall, buxom and an imposing presence onstage. But with the kind of advice she dispenses to Cinderella, I think it’s more Oprah-ish than Queen Latifah,” Salonga said, with a laugh.
When she isn’t performing, Salonga enjoys spending quality time with her two-year-old daughter, Nicole, who apparently has developed a taste for musicals. You know, the usual Disney cartoons ... and the occasional "West Side Story".
“She loves to sing Maria. It’s actually something for a two-year-old to already develop a taste for Bernstein’s music,” said the beaming mother, who jokingly blames her husband, a Chinese-Japanese entertainment software manager, for introducing their daughter to the musical.
“But only the musical numbers when people are smiling, dancing and singing,” she pointed out. “She’s only, two after all.” - TODAY/sh
"Cinderella" runs from Jan 2 to 22 at the Esplanade Theatre. Tickets from Sistic.
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