Tony Winner Lea Salonga Performs in Concert at Segerstrom Center Tonight

Lea Salonga, revered as the "Voice of the Philippines," returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for a special one-night-only concert in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall tonight, April 2 at 8 p.m.

The internationally renowned vocalist will be joined by her four-piece band and sing selections from the many hit musicals, movies and albums in which she has performed throughout her multi-faceted career.

Tickets for Lea Salonga start at $39 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, at the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket savings for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236. The TTY number is (714) 556-2746.

Known across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch, Lea Salonga is a singer and actress who is best known for her Tony Award-winning performance as Kim in Miss Saigon. In addition to the Tony, she has won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards in the field of musical theatre. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical LES MISERABLES on Broadway (1993) and as Fantine in the beloved show's 2006 Broadway revival.

urrently, Salonga stars in the Broadway musical Allegiance alongside legendary actor George Takei and Telly Leung. Allegiance tells the story of a Japanese-American family forced into an internment camp during World War II. The production was brought to the bright lights of Broadway following a successful run at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. Lea garnered a Craig Noel nomination for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical for her work in Allegiance.

Prior to the fall 2015 premiere of Allegiance on Broadway, Salonga wrapped a tour with Il Divo for the group's worldwide A Musical Affair tour. When not on tour, she is a coach on the Philippine version of the hit The Voice. Mitoy Yonting, a member of Team Lea, was named the first season winner. Salonga was also seen in God of Carnage in Manila, Philippines and Singapore.

Lea Salonga made her debut in the world of cabaret in 2010, performing a sold-out, three-week engagement at the Café Carlyle in New York City. She returned to delight audiences in two more multi- week engagements in June 2011 and in May 2013, and released a live version of her 2010 concert Lea Salonga: The Journey So Far, her 26th career CD, in August 2011. The CD rose to the No.3 spot on iTunes Jazz Charts.

Many fans of all ages recognize Salonga as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and Fa Mulan for Mulan and Mulan II. For her portrayal of the beloved princesses, the Walt Disney Company bestowed upon her the honor of "Disney Legend" in August of 2011, along such luminaries as Regis Philbin, Jim Henson (posthumously) and Anika Noni Rose.

In 2010, she participated in the 25th Anniversary Concert of LES MISERABLES to sold-out crowds at the U.K.'s O2 arena. She also dazzled as the hauntingly tragic Grizabella in a limited run of CATS in her hometown of Manila. Salonga also teamed up with legendary Grammy winner, Patti Austin, to perform the concert series, Heart and Soul, in San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Honored with an appointment as a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Goodwill Ambassador in October of 2010, Salonga vowed to act as an advocate for the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance initiative led by the FAO. That same year, she joined forces with Avon as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices, alongside such artists as Fergie, Natasha Beddingfield and Diane Warren, in the first ever global, online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for men and women.

In her career, Salonga has performed for six Philippine presidents (from Ferdinand Marcos to Benigno S. Aquino III), three American Presidents (George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush), for Diana, Princess of Wales, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She began her career as a child star in the Philippines, making her professional debut in 1978 at the age of 7 in The King and I. She went on to star in productions of Annie, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rose Tattoo, The Sound of Music, The Goodbye Girl, Paper Moon and The Fantasticks.

Salonga is an avid techie and gamer and divides her time between Manila, Philippines and the United States.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds Kia, Official Automotive Partner of the Center, and United Airlines, Official Airline of the Center. Orange Coast Magazine is the Print Media Partner of the Spotlight Series.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is an acclaimed arts institution and as well as a beautiful multi- disciplinary cultural campus. It is committed to supporting artistic excellence on all of its stages, offering unsurpassed experiences, and to engaging the entire community in new and exciting ways through the unique power of live performance and a diverse array of inspiring programs.

Previously called the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Center is Orange County's largest non-profit arts organization. In addition to its six performance venues, Segerstrom Center is also home to the American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School, where students ages 3 - 14 are taught by acclaimed teachers utilizing the renowned ABT National Training Curriculum in studios utilized by the world's greatest dancers and choreographers.

The Center presents a broad range of programming for audiences of all ages, including international ballet and dance, national tours of top Broadway shows, intimate performances of jazz and cabaret, contemporary artists, classical music performed by renowned chamber orchestras and ensembles, family- friendly programming, free performances open to the public from outdoor movie screenings to dancing on the plaza and many other special events.

The Center's arts-in-education programs are designed to inspire young people through the arts and reach hundreds of thousands of students each year. In addition to the presenting and producing institution Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the 14-acre campus also embraces the facilities of two independent acclaimed organizations: Tony Award®-winning South Coast Repertory and a site designated as the future home of the Orange County Museum of Art.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is also proud to serve as the artistic home to three of the region's major performing arts organizations: Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the Pacific Chorale, who contribute greatly to the artistic life of the region with annual seasons at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

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