Cover Filipina-British actress and singer Christine Allado (Photo: Christine Allado/Youtube)
Filipina-British actress and singer Christine Allado (Photo: Christine Allado/Youtube)
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Filipino talent knows no bounds, in this write-up are local singers who made it to the West End of London
The West End theatre has witnessed many groundbreaking performances from talents across the world. Nestled in London, the stage is considered the highest level of commercial theatre in all of Great Britain.
With more than 30 theatres, including the Theatre Royal, Dury Lane, which opened in May 1663, West End stages are owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, Nimax Theatres, LW Theatres, and The Nederlander Organization.
In case you missed it: 5 Filipina Broadway Singers We Love
The Philippines has its own set of singers and actresses who have showcased their talents on the West End stage. We have listed them below:
1. Jon Jon Briones
Above (Photo: Jon Jon Briones/Instagram)
(Photo: Jon Jon Briones/Instagram)
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Singer and actor Jon Jon Briones was still an engineering student when he became involved with the original 1989 London production of Miss Saigon. He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for playing the Engineer in the 2014 cast of Miss Saigon West End Revival.
On April 30, 2019, Briones bagged a Visionary Award from East West Players. This prestigious accolade is only given to individuals who are able to raise Asian Pacific American visibility through their works.
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2. Gerald Santos
Gerald Santos' claim to fame was his grand championship win in Pinoy Pop Superstar Season 2, a 2006 televised singing contest on GMA Network. Dubbed "The Prince of Ballad," Santos took his talent around the world when in 2017, he stepped to the UK to play Thuy, Kim's Vietnamese cousin, in Miss Saigon.
3. Gia Macuja Atchison
International singer and actress Gia Macuja Atchison has decades-long experience in the music industry. She is known for her performance as Estrella Cumpas in the Royal National Theatre production of Here Lies Love in London.
Atchison was also in the original cast of West End's The Lion King, where she played the lead role of Princess Nala. She has also performed both the roles of Gigi and Ellen in the original West End run of Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
In 2017, she won a Side Project Music Awards (SPMA) award for contributing to the Filipino community in London.
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4. Christine Marie Allado
Christine Marie Allado has an equally compelling voice to match her stunning looks. Born on July 15, 1995, the Filipina-British singer is known for her roles like Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the multi-Tony and Olivier award-winning West End production of Hamilton: An American Musical.
She is also known for her performance as Venessa in the West End production of In The Heights by Lin Manuel Miranda.
Read also: Are we Filipinos Because We Love Music, or Do We Love Music Because We are Filipinos?
5. Charley Magalit
Filipina opera singer Charley Magalit had a lot to be proud of even before she got the titular role of Amélie in its UK tour. "They love us (Filipinos) here because we work hard, we have no qualms, and we're so damn nice to everyone," Magalit said in an interview with ABS-CBN. "Race doesn't matter. I think we're just so triggered by race and appropriation nowadays."
Before she stepped into the shoes of Amélie, Charley got her big break in a UK production of Cat in the Hat.
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Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
