Leo back on tour with Miss Saigon

Curtain-raisers:

• From reader Christopher Arcelius Calata: I learned from Funfare that Boom Tarat Tarat will be used as a campaign jingle by Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri when he runs for senator in this May’s elections. For the information of Funfare readers, the now popular tune or song (taken from the sound of a military marching band) has been one of the classic cheering competition pieces in our high school in Mindoro Oriental for a long time now. I’ve been hearing it since I was in Grade Four (1985). In high school, it was such a hit among students that most, if not all, competing families (team groupings) would sing it to mock or make fun of rival teams. Boom Tarat Tarat has come a long way – and somebody pala has a "copyright" to it.

• From Bong Dimayacyac, one-time Miss Asia-Pacific (in a belated reaction to a Funfare story months ago): I’ve just read the article and was very much flattered to be included in the Top 20 Beauties. I didn’t realize that my name made history (beauty-pageant history, that is). My husband and my three boys (ages 18, 16 and 12) get a "kick" out of reading stuff about me. Unfortunately, I don’t have a daughter who might want to follow in my footsteps. But my oldest son will be studying film and perhaps might join showbiz soon (behind the camera, though). I want to thank the people responsible for posting (and selecting the beauties) for the article. It’s always great to walk down memory lane. It was one of the best experiences of my life, something I will cherish forever. It was good while it lasted.

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Since 1994 when he played The Engineer for the first time in the long-running Cameron Mackintosh musical Miss Saigon in London, Leo Valdez has lost count of how many performances he has done so far.

"I’ve stopped counting," said Leo during a phone interview last Saturday night while he was at the airport waiting for his flight to Melbourne for another tour of Miss Saigon. "The Engineer has become my alter-ego, my second skin."

Described by Mackintosh as "my favorite Engineer," Leo had his debut as The Engineer at the Theater Royale Drury Lane in London’s West End in 1994, roughly five years after Jonathan Pryce originated the role, with our very own Lea Salonga doing the same honors for the role of Kim (for which Lea scored a grand slam, including a Tony award in Broadway and a Lawrence Olivier award in London).

"Since then," added Leo in the exclusive interview, "I have been breathing, eating, walking, sleeping and waking up The Engineer."

Leo’s first stint lasted for one year (until 1995). In 1996, he reprised the role in the Sydney staging and again in London from 1998 to 1999. Resting for barely a year, Leo was back in The Engineer costume from 2000 to 2001 during the staging in Manila, Hong Kong and Singapore, followed by the United Kingdom tour soon after (from 2001 to 2003). He took a year-long breather and resumed the UK tour in 2005.

"The rehearsals for the Melbourne tour will start on Jan. 29 (yesterday)," Leo told Funfare. "On March 24, we’ll have a premiere at the Her Majesty Theater in Melbourne and the formal opening on March 29."

The Melbourne staging will last for three months. Next stop is Brisbane (also for three months) and then Sydney (until December).

"I performed for six months in Sydney in 1996 when I took over from Cocoy (Laurel)," Leo recalled.

The new version of Miss Saigon doesn’t feature the famous helicopter scene.

"We have to adjust the scenes to the size of the stage, that’s why," explained Leo. "It just doesn’t fit in some of the stages we’re performing in. We first tried the new version during the UK tour and it clicked just as well; the musical was just as effective."

Leo said that Mackintosh likes the new version because it’s easier to stage anywhere and takes less time for the sets to be put up.

Of course, besides the elimination of the helicopter scene, Leo himself has given a new touch to The Engineer by going bald.

"That, too," he laughed, "clicked with the audience."

Christian’s 1st 4-city tour in Indonesia

After the success of The Way You Look at Me in Singapore last November, Christian Bautista returns to Indonesia for a four-city concert tour called A Journey of Love.

It started last Jan. 25 at the Caesar’s Café in Jogyakarta, then moved on last Jan. 27 at Colors Café in Surabaya and then to The Liquid Room at Makasar on Jan. 29. Last stop is at La Plaza Kelopa in Jakarta on Feb. 2. The series of shows is organized by Ari Stefanus of A Plus Production, which also produced the sold-out concerts of Taiwan’s F4.

Christian’s tight schedule includes presscons, mall shows, radio, print and TV interviews. His repertoire consists of Christian’s all-time hits from his first and second albums like She Could Be, Hands to Heaven, Completely, Everything You Do, Since I Found You, Colour Everywhere and others.

Christian even made an effort to learn the famous Indonesian song Kenangan Terindah (Beautiful Memory) that won loud cheers and applause. In Surabaya, an American fan even raised a Filipino flag in Christian’s honor as he sang The Way You Look at Me. Christian is set to release this year in Asia his latest live album from Warner Music, Just a Love Song.

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