Allegiance (one of the first Asian musicals in over a decade)  was  awarded Best Musical at the San Diego Theatre Critics Awards. Starring George Takei, Lea Salonga and Telly Leung, the musical is set during the Japanese American internment of World War II. The Kimura family members struggle between patriotism and resistance to their internment and treatment by the government.

George Takai posted on his facebook:
“Friends, I am THRILLED to announce that ALLEGIANCE won BEST MUSICAL at the San Diego Theatre Critics Awards last night. Also winning from our show was Michael K. Lee for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and Lynne Shankel for Best Orchestration. What a night for our show. Now, it’s on to Broadway. I can’t wait.”

Michael K. Lee as Frankie Suzuki (wins Best Featured Actor in a Musical at the San Diego Theatre Critics Awards)

Learn more about this powerful musical here.

Some know her as Kim from Miss Saigon. Others know her for playing the roles of Éponine and Fantine in the Broadway musical Les Misérables. Even more people know her as the singing voice of  Disney’s famous princesses, Jasmine and Mulan. Whichever role it may be,  there is simply no denying the talent of Filipino singer and actress, Lea Salonga.

This past Tuesday, the UCLA Disney Club hosted “An Evening with Lea Salonga” at the Broad Art Center. As expected, it was a full house. Solanga discussed the process of her success from growing up in the Philippines, studying pre-med biology in college, to her break through in the musical theater world. Salonga described her experience of booking the roles for Jasmine and Mulan and explained,

“For the first time, my looks didn’t matter in the audition,”

Solonga ended the night by gracing her mesmerized audience with a live performance of  ”A Whole New World” and “Reflection”.