There’s a new Aladdin and he’s Pinoy, none other than Adam Jacobs who plays the well-loved fairy-tale/musical character in yet another staging of the musical which opened last July at The 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle, Washington, with Disney as partner.
Noted Mickey Muñoz of The Filipino Channel who furnished Funfare the “scoop,” Aladdin is a sentimental favorite among Filipinos due largely to the fact that in the musical’s 1992 movie version a Filipino, Lea Salonga, sang the part of Princess Jasmine. In 1993, Lea performed A Whole New World (from Aladdin) at the Oscars with Brad Kane.
Added Mickey, “In 2003, Disneyland’s California Adventures mounted Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular at the Hyperion Theater and another Lea’s fellow Miss Saigon alumnus, DeeDee Magno, was cast as Princess Jasmine in the 45-minute abridged stage version.”
From Mickey, Funfare learned that Adam was born in California to a Filipino mother, Abby Sorio, who hails from Binalonan, Pangasinan. He originally thought he was destined to be a concert pianist as he took courses at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music when he was five but his interest shifted to musical theater when, at 13, with his audition piece he impressed the creative team of a local community theater and that created a “13th apostle” role in Jesus Christ Superstar just so he could be part of a pre-cast show.
Adam told Mickey that he has never been to the Philippines but his many Filipino friends as well as his Mom’s adobo, sinigang and “the sweet taste of halo-halo at summertime” in their house at Half Moon Bay were enough to keep that Pinoy blood in him running.
“He and his wife Kelly are now based in Sunnyville, New York,” said Mickey, “and they are looking forward to doing a concert or joining a musical production in Manila sometime soon.”
His biggest break on Broadway came when he was asked to play Marius in the 2006 revival of Les Miserables alongside Lea Salonga as Fantine and yet another Filipina, Ali Ewoldt, playing his love interest Cosette.
Before he played Aladdin, Adam had just portrayed another Disney character, Simba, in the National Tour of The Lion King (a role he will reprise on Broadway in September).
According to Mickey, the new stage version of Aladdin (directed by Tony Awards 2011 Best Director Casey Nicholaw for The Book of Mormon) incorporates all of the beloved songs from the film’s Oscar-winning score (A Whole New World, Arabian Nights, Friend Like Me, One Jump Ahead, etc.) plus never-before-heard Menken/Ashman songs restored from early drafts of the film. The limited Seattle run has no scheduled Broadway transfer but Disney Theatricals is making the show available as a licensed production through Music Theatre International (MTI) for professional and amateur organizations.
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Here’s another feel-good news from out there, from Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre:
MiG Ayesa, who is starring in the smash hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages, has just released his sophomore album titled More Than Ever, a follow-up to his self-titled debut album MiG released globally in 2007 by Decca/Universal Records.
Reported Edmund: “More Than Ever consists of original tracks recorded in Sydney, London and New York, and is the result of a collaboration of dedication, determination, and passion, as well as MiG’s will to never give up on his life-long dream of sharing his music with the world.”
Besides More Than Ever, the other songs on the album are Summer Feeling, Waiting For Your Love, Blown Away, To Whom It Must Concern, Nothin’ You Do, Here I Go Again, High, I Do, You Bring Me Back, Home In Me, I Need You Here and On My Way.
MiG continues to receive rave reviews on the Broadway production of Rock of Ages as Stacee Jaxx, a role he reprised after a very successful national tour across the United States.
The same role will be reprised in the upcoming film version by Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise who congratulated MiG after watching the musical.
“Last Aug. 26,” added Edmund, “MiG was in Hong Kong to headline the concert A Night On Broadway, presented by the Australian International School of Hong Kong in Kowloon.”
MiG has previously performed in the Broadway hit musical Burn The Floor and in theaters at London’s West End (We Will Rock You, Rent, Buddy) and in Australia (Grease, FAME, Rent, West Side Story, Buddy), sang on television shows (Rockstar: INXS, Handel’s Messiah Rocks, The Royal Variety Performance), toured with concerts (Thriller: Live!, Queen Symphonic Spectacular, The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber), and even appeared on film as a vampire (Queen Of The Damned).
In an interview with Funfare during his homecoming a few years ago, MiG confessed that it is his love of writing, recording, producing that makes him feel most at home. Making music is not only where he feels he belongs, but it also defines who he is. By releasing this follow-up album, MiG hopes to not only give back to his family, friends, and fans who have supported him from his earliest days in Sydney, but to also in turn, have the opportunity to write, record and release more music, in the hope of inspiring others, artists and people of all walks of life, to never give up on their dreams.
More Than Ever is produced by Carl Dimataga (Sydney, Australia). Simon Pinto (London, UK) and MiG Ayesa (New York City); mixed by Brian Paturalski (London) and mastered by James Cruz (New York City). Released on Sputnik Records, New York City.
(Note: Visit www.mig-music.com/morethanever to listen to samples of the album or to purchase.)
Fr. Suarez healing sked in US East Coast
Healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez (of the Monte Maria [Mother of the Poor Foundation] in Alfonso, Cavite) left Monday night for healing sessions in the US East Coast on:
• Sept. 1, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Saint Mary Magdalene Parish, 2400 N. Providence Road, Media, Pennsylvania 19063 USA;
• Sept. 2, Friday, 6:30 p.m. at the Church of St. Valentine, 125 North Spring Street, Bloomfield, New Jersey; and
• Sept. 3, Saturday, 10 a.m. at the Church Of Epiphany, 615 Thiele Road Brick, New Jersey.
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com. You may also send your questions to askrickylo@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)