Tuesday, October 23, 2007

All done

After 7 months and 3 weeks of Fantine, I'm all done... and what a magical afternoon it was. 

I don't think the show ever felt as comfortable and as electrified as it did last night.  From start to finish all of us felt it was a special show, as it was the last one we would ever do with the line-up as it was.  Emotional... raw... energized... I had tears in my eyes for many moments of the show (even in places where I don't ever cry).  I was saying good-bye to a part of my life that was incredibly special, a part of my life that, chances are, I won't experience again.

Fantine was the role of a lifetime thus far in my existence and experience as an actor.  I was never given the opportunity to sink my teeth into anyone like her, to take a journey that was at times terrifying and exhilirating.  I was driven into near obsession... at first just to make sure I wouldn't make a fool of myself on stage, but as things went on, it was to make the audience (hopefully) feel something real.  I've read amateur as well as professional reviews of my performance, and I took each one as a benchmark for how I was doing at any given week, and how much else I could do.  Thank you for posting your opinions... you have no idea how much you shaped my performances.  It kept me humble, grounded and sane.

Now, to quote the good-bye card of another cast member that recently left Les Miz, onward and upward.  My own life's adventures continue, and who knows where my path will take me.  All I know is that it'll be an exciting ride, and one I hope you all take with me.

To everyone that came to see Les MIz during my run, many many thanks for supporting me and the rest of the company.  It means a lot to us -- both the old timers and those making their Broadway debuts -- that you came to see our show.  It's one that we love doing every night, and one we hope you love as well.

Till next time!  See you at the stage door!

49 comments:

JM Villa said...

Congratulations! You'll be missed

sees pop said...

I can't believe you're done with the show. You did a superb performance as Fantine and I was happy to be able to experience you perform in Les Miz....that one show brought tears to my eyes. (among other moments in your life that I was a part of...lol!) Now, I can't wait for you to come back to Manila, so we can hang out. YES!!!! Enjoy the rest of your stay in New York and see you soon.

Jay Marquez said...

congrats!!!!!

ARIEL REONAL said...

Congratulations Manang! Though I didn't get to see you live onstage, I should say you did great (thanks to YouTube clips).

XXXX YYYY said...

My husband just commented..."Good thing we went to see it." And he's absolutely right. I would have regretted not going to watch you. I still remember it clearly in my mind. Next up, Cinderella! Please post info as soon as you can! :)

Also, are you really doing a slew of concerts on the west coast?

Jojo Terencio said...

you've done us mighty proud, lea!

there'll be even greater things ahead of you and we are here to cheer for you! congratulations :-)

how i personally wish you'll stay in the philippines more-- but you belong to the world and talent such as yours is ought to be shared... God bless you.

arkitekfhc . said...

Agree! The afternoon show was magical and powerful!! You were superb, sang flawlessly, and truly gave it all. So emotional, even Ivan Rutherford was in tears. The entire cast was brilliant and we were all weepy. It was definitely electrifying. Wow, I've never seen an entire cast so on since TAC and the closing of Miss Saigon in 2000. The theater was packed, there was a huge line just to get in! Did you know it was SRO that afternoon?

You will be missed for sure and yes, the fans are awesome! Thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of people that showed up, screamed and cheered inside the theater and when you came out. Wow, it was a riot and the cops had to come in to control the crowd. I thought I was backstage at the MTV awards. Only shows how many fans and supporters you have. See? You have to do another show on Broadway after Cinderella.

What an amazing run, eh? Thank you for entertaining us and thank you for coming back to Broadway for brilliantly performing such an amazing character. You gave new meaning to Fantine and I personally think your approach is the best and truly deserves an award. Have a great rest and break a leg on your upcoming gigs!

Dana Cosio-Mercado said...

Brava! It's great to be doing something you're passionate about. I think despite the frustration you wrote about recently, you'll be doing theater for a LOOOOONG LOOOONG time! :)

aj mj said...

fantastic show!

KarinA ... said...

sayang my trip this early october didn't push thru. job well done nonetheless, lea...as always :)

dianneLouise ♥ said...

we're looking-forward to hear you sing in Broadway again ^_^

tin samson said...

awww, how nice to read all that. i'm so glad i was able to watch you. absolutely brilliant. congratulations! you make us filipinos proud. :)

moy ortiz said...

Congratulations Lea. You have such a blessed life and career. I am so proud of what you have achieved! you are correct...onward and upward......

Rika Mimula said...

You've done a good show and we support you forever. You is you,enjoy your life.

Renatta Rollins said...

Lea,

Congratulations! I happened to catch your performance on Sunday and you always blow me away every time I see you perform. Please don't stay away too long!!! To quote one of my favorite singers,
"Forward, always forward
Onward, always up
Catching every drop of hope
In my empty cup

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
and they're bound to guide my way"

RL

raul montesa said...

manang..another feather on your cap... congratulations!!! you did us proud!!!

Chinky Fuentes said...

Congratulations! The review I heard and read were all singing praises of your performance. I know you miss doing what you do almost every night there in New York but now that it is over, it is our turn here to see you perform hopefully soon. God bless and you deserve a spa or something :)

Jeff Dizon said...

Goodbye Lea, we will miss you as Fantine! Again, I cannot thank you enough for making our first ever New York trip a very memorable one. Watching you on Broadway playing the part of Fantine in one of my favorite Broadway plays was truly a spectacle and one that I will cherish for a lifetime. It's one of those amazing life experiences that you wish would never end. Good luck on your future endeavors and we will continue to watch out for you and support you where ever you may go and when ever it may be. You will always remain as an inspiration to us all and especially to us. It may be different stage doors, but we'll be there and we'll see you anyway.

JANE AREJOLA said...

eventhough i didn't get to watch you as fantine in les miz...i am so, so proud of you... ang galing mo talaga!!:) hoping to see you as cinderella next year...God Bless.

Chino Hernandez said...

I really enjoyed the show with you as Fantine. Having to meet and having a picture with you made it even better. It's really a dream come true for me Ms. Lea. Happiest I've been.

I wish you all the best for you and your family.

I am sure I will see you on Broadway again. :-)

God Bless and Take Care po.

Chari Arespacochaga said...

CONGRATULATIONS! Just email for your concert sequence! Talk to you soon, love

Mariciel Fulangen said...

Congratulations on a successful run, Lea!! I count it a blessing and a privilege to have seen you bring Fantine alive on stage, as if I was transported to that very time. Your passion and energy poured into your role was very much felt...maraming salamat for that one night of incredible theatre experience for me. More power and blessings on you on your up and coming projects...I'm eagerly anticipating another chance at seeing you at the stage door, Lord willing.

Melanie Dujunco said...

Congratulations! :-D

romel torres said...

Manang,
i was wondering too why Fantine was crying in most of her scenes? it was my fourth time to see Les Miz last Sunday and never saw her cry that much. so heartfelt. it was truly magical. as soon as Fantine came out i was already crying. but anyhoo, Congratulations on a great run.
i'll see you at the Tarrytown Concert.

J. Gutierrez said...

I still can't get over how gut wrenching your last show this past Sunday was. I hardly cry when I see shows, but I couldn't help but do so once Fantine was fired from the factory. Thanks again for such an emotionally raw yet still beautifully sung performance. It really was one of the finest theatrical experiences of my life, and your return to Broadway couldn't come soon enough.

J. Gutierrez said...

I still can't get over how gut wrenching your last show this past Sunday was. I hardly cry when I see shows, but I couldn't help but do so once Fantine was fired from the factory. Thanks again for such an emotionally raw yet still beautifully sung performance. It really was one of the finest theatrical experiences of my life, and your return to Broadway couldn't come soon enough.

bobby rodriguez said...

CONGRATS LEA! See you in Manila soon!

Rose Dauz said...

congrats lea! when will you come back to manila? we miss you here!

Gerry Nepomuceno said...

Hi Lea...Are you really doing a concert in Tarrytown, NY? Are tickets already on sale?

Melissa Rivera said...

Congratulations! Glad I was able to watch one of your performances as well, galing talaga =)

Sana there's more opportunities that will open for you on Broadway again.

Thank you for the memories!

Alexander Cohen said...

That last show sounds like it was wonderful... but I'm glad I got to see the ones I did, and I look forward to your next Broadway run. You enriched my emotional understanding of a show I've loved for years.

Thanks for encouraging the amateur reviews. Maybe next time I'll take out my notepad and review as if I were writing for publication.

Meanwhile, let me ask you to PLEASE record "I Dreamed a Dream"!

Janet Mendoza said...

Lea, I cried when you sang as Fantine. And I smiled when you took time to greet us after the show. Thanks for a wonderful experience!

mrsvd * said...

Congrats, Lea... you're a hard act to follow! Take care and stay happy! Onwards and upwards talaga for sure!

Gina MS said...

"All I know is that it'll be an exciting ride, and one I hope you all take with me."

You can bet that we shall be supporting you every step of the way! Thank you for doing Fantine on Broadway and for giving us the opportunity to see you once again up on stage. For the past almost 8 months, we have been beaming with pride and pleasure that our very own Lea was doing what she does best in New York and sharing a part of yourself here at your site. Thank you for being the wonderful person that you are, sharing with us a glimpse of you and your family, your thoughts and feelings, and bringing us backstage and into your Les Miz dressing room. We know you'll miss the friends you've made and the work routine, but look forward to new things to come, and so will we.

Congratulations for a job well done and I'll see you at yet another stage door somewhere next year!

jeff aguiman said...

Congratulations Manang. It's sad that some of us were not able to watch you in Les Mis NY but one thing for sure, we will never stop supporting you and loving you. Our idol!

I'm excited now for Cinderella but I hope you will do one or two concerts before it.

Miss ka na namin dito sa Manila! Take care.

Carl * said...

Congrats =Lea

Rod Cahayag said...

Hello Lea,

My wife and I wish we can thank you personally but I guess this will do just the same. When we saw you on stage in May, you literally took our breath away. We missed you on our first attempt back in 1999 for Miss Saigon. But after seeing you it made our trip worth while coming all the way from Oakland, CA. Man, your performance was awesome. Made me tear.

Thank you sooooooo much for you unselfishness to all of your fans for taking the time to talk and take pictures after the show, which I enjoyed a lot. My wife said I was like a little kid getting a new toy when you came out that stage door.

Well, till next time. We hope to see you again. Take care

Mich M.D. said...

All the best with all your future projects, Lea!! Ken and I hope to see you again on Broadway soon or catch a few of your concerts. We wish we could take a trip to the Philippines to see you in Cinderella, but I'm sure the Manila AFLS contingent will keep us apprised of your performance. Thanks again for a wonderful run on Les Mis. We truly had a fun time. :)

Alan Antonio said...

You were FANTASTIC!!! Your last performance was your best! I saw you do it several times, and the last one was earth-shaking! The German woman who sat next to me, who did not even speak English well, sobbed so much in I Dreamed A Dream, she had to blow her knows after the number. I myself cried buckets!!!

dylan reyes said...

Thank you for the wonderful Les Miz experience. I saw it once, and only with you as Fantine. And you were terrific.

Hope you will have a show in LA soon.

God Speed.
Mayi

Matthew Barba said...

Lea, I wanted to mention how special it was to see you perform. I'm not big on the musical scene but I was a huge fan of Les Miserables the book. Naturally that lead me to the DVD concert and your performance was very captivating. Delving deeper I found Miss Saigon and became a big fan. It was a pleasure to see you FOUR times as Fantine, I never though I'd ever get the chance to see you perform in Les Mis or Miss Saigon. It was a dream come true and you certainly did not dissapoint. I honestly think you have the best female voice, always very moving and perfect. Even my girlfriend who was not a musical fan to begin with had to comment how much she liked you and how 'your voice carried better than anyone elses'. You should know, some people out there think you are one of the greatest singers of our lifetimes. It was a pleasure to see you perform, and thank you ever so much for signing my Miss Saigon poster. It will be framed and remain on my walls for the rest of my life. Good luck to you in your future endeavours and here's hoping we'll see you in NY again sometime soon.

Ange d said...

Hi Lea!
I've been a fan of yours for as long as I can remember! I've seen you in Miss Saigon, in concerts, etc. My friends and I absolutely love you as Eponine! I'm on a short trip to NY right now and I'm scheduled to watch Les Miz on broadway next week. Sadly, it seems like we missed your run! I have a few friends who did manage to catch you play Fantine and all I heard were raves :) I'm sure you were remarkable. Judging by each and every video on youtube of you playing Fantine, it is evident that you grasped that role amazingly well. I absolutely cannot wait for your debut in Cinderella! More Power!
-Ange
(thesweetlife.multiply.com)

James Schaefer said...

Hi Lea,

All I can say is thank you for sharing your Les Miz experience, not only with those that visit this site, but also those that are fortunate enough to see you perform live. Not only do you give the audience a wonderful gift with your voice and emotions, but then you welcome them as you leave the theater after every show! I was one of the lucky ones and saw you perform in May. You were very generous with your time....even taking a photo with me (which is posted on the Blog under "Perception") You have to be one of the coolest people on the planet!

I will look forward your updates. Do you have any plans to perform here in San Francisco anytime soon?

I hope you enjoy your time off and good luck to you and your family.

Take Care,

Jimmy Lee

=) =) said...

hey!:) i dont really write on these things but this time, i just have to!!! i missed to see your broadway show!i've been bugging my mom about it for months!:( just got here in NY for sembreak and i missed it by a day!grrrr... no use watching les miz anymore... happy and proud to hear you were great..no doubt! you always are! cant wait for your cinderella..at least this time, it would be in manila..God bless! :)

virna b said...

... this is 1 show of yours that I missed. I've watched you in Miss Saigon and Flower Drum Song - both on broadway- and you were terrific. I've seen Les Miz before (the time when Ricky Martin played Marius) but I regret not watching this one :( Congrats, Lea! A standing ovation for you!!! Wish you the best on your Cinderella tour.

Dolly Anne Carvajal said...

Congrats, Lea dear! As I wrote in my column....you will surely outdo yourself again in your next show. Mwaaaaaah!

Li'l Dove Feather said...

Break more legs in the future!!!! (Uh, you know what I mean...)

Kal-El of Krypton said...

you did more than justice to the role, you made it your own... whoever will play fantine now or in the future, will certainly have a lot bigger shoes to fill!

more power idol! lildove couldn't have said it better, more legs to break! ^___^

ayv canlas said...

I was really hoping to see in you in person. God Bless!!!!