Lea Salonga returns to Feinstein’s/54 Below with an encore of her sold-out April 2016 solo concert. The original Miss Saigon star will play a record-breaking 15 performances May 9–22, the most in a single run ever to play the New York City cabaret venue.
Located on 54th Street near Eighth Avenue, the club stands just a block from where the revival of Miss Saigon is playing, on Broadway at 53rd Street.
The 2016 concert has been preserved on a new live album, Blurred Lines, which was released May 5.
A Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award winner, Salonga told Playbill, that the concert will open with her interpretation of Rodgers & Hart’s “I’ll Take Manhattan” and will segue into pop songs from many eras, by the likes of John Legend, Leon Russell, Bonnie Rait, Ella Fitzgerald, and One Direction. The show will conclude with a medley of songs from her stage and film hits including Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Mulan, Aladdin, and Allegiance. Between the two New York engagements she performed the show at Feinstein’s in San Francisco. “Now that I’ve done it,“ she said, “I’m a a little more relaxed with it. It’s become second nature to do. I have fun with it.”
She added, “The cool thing about an intimate setting like this [Feinstein’s/54 Below] is that the audience gets into everything.”
Salonga had special warm words for Baayork Lee, the original A Chorus Line cast member, who was recently named winner of the 2017 Isabelle Stevenson Award for community service, which will be presented at this year’s Tony Awards. The award recognizes Lee’s efforts to raise the profile of Asian-American artists on Broadway and the rest of the theatre world. "For her to champion Asian performers the way she does, it’s, like, Thank you! Thank you so much! And for the Tony Awards to be recognizing her effort, it's just so fantastic! It’s especially important for Asian parents, who have artistic children, to see that kind of recognition, and to know if their child decides to go into the arts she or he will be OK.”
Doors open at 5:15 PM for the concerts, which begin at 7 PM.
Salonga originated the role of Kim in Miss Saigon and has starred on Broadway in Les Misérables, Flower Drum Song, and, most recently, Allegiance. Watch highlights from the latter show here:
Salonga has voiced two singing princesses in Disney animated films: Jasmine in Aladdin and Mulan in Mulan, appeared in both the 10th and 25th anniversary concerts of Les Misérables, toured the globe as a concert artist, and released several solo recordings.
Her concert performances will take place at Feinstein’s/54 Below, 254 West 54th Street, Manhattan. Tickets for Salonga’s concerts cost $95–$190, plus a $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and more information are available at 54below.com.
All of her upcoming tour dates are listed on her website at Leasalonga.com/calendar.
