TV EXCLUSIVE: Lea Salonga in Rehearsal for SUITES BY SONDHEIM; Talks Sondheim, PhilDev & Performs 'Move On'!

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Philippine Development Foundation ("PhilDev") will present it's upcoming gala event, PhilDev Celebrates Broadway: Suites by Sondheim,on Monday, November 7, 2011 at 7:30pm at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City. Headlining the event are Tony Award winners Robert Lopez, who will be honored with an Award of Excellence, and international star Lea Salonga. Yesterday, BroadwayWorld caught up with Salonga in rehearsal for the event and was given a sneak peak of her rendition of Sondheim's "Move On"! 

Directed by actor and artistic director of Diverse City Theater Company, Victor Lirio, with music direction and original orchestrations by Tom Myron, "Suites by Sondheim" will present many of iconic American lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim's legendary works from such musicals as Company, West Side Story, Saturday Night, Sweeney Todd, Anyone Can Whistle, Follies, A Little Night Music, Merrily We Roll Along, and Sunday in the Park with George. The concert is being produced to raise funds for the projects of PhilDev, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating sustainable social and economic growth in the Philippines.

Filipino-Americans represent the second largest Asian American group in the U.S. and are the largest Asian American group on Broadway and Off Broadway. The one-night-only concert event headlined by Tony Award winner Lea Salonga (the first Filipino to receive the award) marks the first time Filipino-American Broadway stars will converge on stage in a concert event.

PhilDev Celebrates Broadway: Suites by Sondheim will be presenting top Filipino-American talents who have all made marks on Broadway in leading roles.

Joining Lopez and Salonga for the event are Joan Almedilla (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables); Alan Ariano (Miss Saigon, The Encounter); Emy Baysic (Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia); T.V. Carpio (Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark); Angel Desai (Company); Ali Ewoldt (Les Miserables, West Side Story); Rona Figueroa (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Lennon, Nine); Lydia Gaston (The King & I, Miss Saigon); Adam Jacobs (Les Miserables, The Lion King); Jose Llana (The King & I, Spelling Bee, The Flower Drum Song, Wonderland); DeeDee Magno Hall (Wicked, Miss Saigon), Orville Mendoza (Pacific Overtures, Miss Saigon); Paolo Montalban (Pacific Overtures, The King & I, ABC/Disney's Cinderella as Prince Charming opposite Brandy); Emily Morales (Lincoln Center's South Pacific); Jennifer Paz (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Joseph ... Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar); Diane Phelan (South Pacific, West Side Story) and company members Aaron Albano, Renee Albulario, Mary Aldousary, Angelica Lee Aspiras, Eileen Aurelia, Ester Barroso, Billy Bustamante, Leanne Cabrera, Michelle Camaya, Patricia Cancio, Liz Casasola, Karl Josef Co, Debralee Daco, Julie Danao - Salkin, Marc De La Cruz, Ma-Anne Dionisio, Ariel Estrada, Roy Flores, Albert Guerzon, Jeannie Hines, Devin Ilaw, Sacha Iskra, Joanne Javien, Brian Jose, Loresa Lanceta, Jaygee Macapugay, Mel Maghuyop, Jake Manabat, Alan Mangasser, Adam Marcelo, Jonelle Margallo, JP Moraga, Lora Nicolas, Jay Paranada, Catherine Ricafort, EnRico Rodriguez, Vincent Rodriguez III, Tony Romero, Chris-Ian Sanchez, Melissa Singson, Kay Trinidad, and Dax Valdes.

Tickets for PhilDev Celebrates Broadway: Suites by Sondheim can be purchased at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center box office located on Broadway and 66th Street in New York City, online at www.lincolncenter.org, or by calling Center Charge at 212-721-6500. Ticket prices are $100, $150, $250, and $500. Limited patron/VIP subscriber seats of $1,000 are available which includes a pre-concert VIP reception by contacting Rene Encarnacion at rene@phildev.org or 650-288-3937. 100% of net proceeds will benefit Philippine Development Foundation.

Formerly known as Ayala Foundation USA, PhilDev is a public charity registered with the United States Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt organization. It focuses on building an ecosystem of science and technology-based entrepreneurship and innovation for social and economic development in the Philippines. As part of its commitment to diaspora philanthropy, PhilDev also generates resources from U.S.-based donors for non-profit organizations in the Philippines.