Hello and welcome back to episode two of Dear Daae, here at Phantom of the Opera on
Broadway. So one of the coolest things I think about Phantom is its international
appeal. It's played in 35 countries in 15 different languages. And here on Broadway,
we happen to have a lot of incredible international performers, so because of
that and the fact that I just came back from an incredible trip to the
Philippines where I went to a family reunion that had 206 people attending. I
thought I'd do a little an internationally it kind of themed
episode, so hope you enjoy!
["Masquerade" from Phantom of the Opera plays]
[cheers]
--Dear Daae, today is a very exciting day because I'm here with my beautiful friend
JAYGEE MACAPUGAY starring on Broadway in School of Rock right now.
And we are going to see
our Filipino idol
Lea Salonga!
She's a friend of ours too, like friend and idol.
--Fierce and majestic.
Queen.
--In Once on this Island. Can't wait.
--Hi! --You recognize this amazing woman as
Lea Salonga. The one and only. I just saw her in her show and I'm
wrecked, like weeping. --You still have
mascara. -- I still have a little bit on and
just barely because you know it was so wonderful. --Thank you.
--I've told you this before,
but you are a huge part of why I'm in this business
because I got to see Lea while she was doing Eponine in Les Mis also in Saigon
of course, but just like seeing you play a part that was not necessarily meant
for an Asian actor was like super influential to me, and also the fact that
you're amazing and were amazing in it. What were there any
any things that inspired you to join the business in the first place and into
being begin singing and performing?
--I kind of feel like it wasn't a choice
that I made, but rather a choice that was made for me. I mean, I had, well I still
have I have a first cousin, who in her prime, was a prima ballerina
ballet dancer amazing. And I've seen her dancing she's kind of a badass, and she
was the prima ballerina for the Atlanta Ballet and she says the same thing about
it. And even my brother who's a conductor and a musical director, I think we all
kind of had that philosophy because what the talents that we were given it
did not seem accidental. It did not... it was like you gave me this what else am I
going to be? So it was as if the choice was a divine
one yeah that I was not really privy to. But more like okay you there are these
people placed in my life to kind of lead me to this, but I mean
singing has always been enjoyable. It was always something that I liked to do and
found that I was pretty good at. --[off-camera] Mm-hmm.
Sorry... I know I'm not supposed to be the
cameraman quiet camerawoman... --JAYGEE understands.
--Yes. --Mmmhmmm.
--Mmmhmm. So, yeah, I guess it was just just kind of one led
to the next thing and the next thing and the next thing until Miss Saigon and it
was like I was a pre-med in college and it was like God was saying no no,
you can make your plans, but I'm gonna laugh at your plans, and I am going to
take you somewhere else! --Save people in other ways
--Exactly.
--Of course! Thank you.
--I'm glad I got to see this. Thank you for chatting with us.
--Bye!
--Hey guys! So I'm gonna go visit my amazing Raoul Rodney Ingram. You may
have heard of him. He actually grew up in Mexico and I think he's warming up now
so let's let's go see let's see what he's doing.
[singing "All I Ask of You in Spanish] Al fin, todo a pasado y yo estoy a tu lado.
--Hey, rodney!
--Hey what's up? --What you doing?
--Nothing much in particular. How are you? This is... crazy.
--That was beautiful but we are singing in English English tonight.
--Oh I
thought we could like make a few like little alterations. I've been like man I
feel like there's something to the Spanish lyric. We're gonna make it happen
what do you say tonight? Going in.
--Spotted in the Phantom of the Opera
alleyway: international star Peter Jöback
. [Singing "Music of the Night" in Swedish]
[laughs]
--Hi! I'm here with our gorgeous Carlotta --Raquel Suarez Groen.
--I made her say it for
you because I would have butchered it otherwise and Raquel is incredible and
she happened to live in Holland until she was 10 and then moved to Canada. Can you
do a little some Carlotta in Dutch for us.
[Speaking Dutch as Carlotta]
--That's fierce!
--So, our amazing Elizabeth Welch, who you met last
week um she actually performs the role of Christine in Germany and she's not
here because she's in Colorado with her family, but she was kind enough to send
in a little clip.
--I hope no one forgets me, and please,
Denk an mich
Denk an mich zärtlich
Wie an einem Traum
Erinnere dich
Keine Macht trennt uns
Außer Zeit und Raum
--I love her!
--As you know, Maree Johnson our amazing Giry is from Australia and
played Christine in Australia. --Many moons ago.
--And if this is an Australian
tradition is it? --This is an Australian tradition
at intermission yes. So I'm going to with a
biggie on the side we got biggie on the side. And first we pour the milk. Always
pour the milk first. --Okay.
Wow Americans don't know anything about tea.
--We have this little the milk and the sugar isn't that cool?
--So cute. --We also have manuka
honey from new zealand because of its healing properties we need that when
we're doing a show.
--Amazing. -- We have the brown Betty teapot from
London, which is
great it's you'll see as it pours and the very posh Tiffany's tea strainer. Not
that we're into labels or anything. --No no. If it's a wedding present.
--And the perfect, oh, do you like the
first cup? That's kind of weak.
--That's all right. I don't mind
--We'll see how the other one goes.
--It's late in the night I don't want too much caffeine.
--Sugar? Honey?
--Ah honey honey. What was is there anything different in doing the
Australian production? Or did you love what the how is it playing Giry now
that you played Christine?
--Oh you know I feel it's it's just complete full circle
and especially being older and now also in my other life I'm a mother. So I feel
very protective of my girls and especially of Christine because I have
such a connection you know so it kind of plays out in your real life you know you
definitely bring a lot more of lot more of your own experience
to the role. --Yeah.
--Now being a little bit older.
--She's gorgeous.
She's amazing.
--Hey! --Hi, Ali.
How are you? --How much do you love
being on Broadway.com vlogs? --I don't...
--Leone is very famous because
he was a major player in Sierra Boggess a series Daae Days, if you may recall. And
he actually worked internationally with Phantom right?
--Yes that is correct. --Where
were you?
--I was in Sweden. --Very cool.
--We did a production in Sweden last year 2017,
which has closed, which is done, but we have Peter Joback here this year.
--Yay, and he's so wonderful. It's nice having him back right ?
--Yes, it's quite wonderful. --Okay I'll
stop torturing you now.
--Dear Daae, fun fact: I'm getting ready for my second show of the
day right now and sometimes I leave my I leave my makeup on in between because
lazy but sometimes I cry a little too much in the first show and I have to
research my eyelashes, so that's what I'm gonna do now.
Just a little on the outside. Fake eyelashes, just for the record.
--Hey Laird! So, I'm doing this like international kind of episode and
Laird actually played a Raoul in the Canadian production. So I was wondering
if you could answer say something in Canadian.
--Sure. How about this: Christine
Daae, where is your red scarf? -- Yeah but like in like Canadian like
Canadian.
--Okay let me try again...Um Christine Daae a where is your red
scarf? You mean the way we did it in the Toronto production?
--Well that's sounds like the way do it so like more Canadian...
Like if you were in Canada. --Oh, I
know what you mean. I know what you mean. This is how we did it in Toronto.
Christine Daae, where is your red
scarf, eh?
--We are all finished with Saturday night on Broadway looking
forward to a day off tomorrow! I hope you enjoyed this week's episode. See you next
week and remember like my friend and former Raoul Jordan Donica says,
--"Immigrants,
we get the job done."