In The Dark I Rise

You Can Change....You Can Learn

This coming Tuesday will be my first performance as Thuy for this production of Miss Saigon. I've had the privilege of performing this role in two other productions of Miss Saigon and I am so thrilled to be revisiting this DREAM role of mine. I recall listening to the original cast recording of Miss Saigon when I was in high school and singing along, dreaming one day of being able to hit those amazingly high notes that Thuy sings. There is something so thrilling about performing this part. The Thuy's Death Scene/This Is The Hour sequence is one of the most dramatic, passionate, emotional scenes in musical theater, I feel. I still get goosebumps when I listen to it- and I've listened to it a plenty! I'm especially excited to implement what I've learned since my last performance this summer. I've had the opportunity to work with some of the original production staff of the Broadway production and understudy actors who have performed the role on Broadway. It's so wonderful to have the opportunity to further work on a character that I so love to play. And to play opposite Jen Paz, the first "Kim" I ever saw in Miss Saigon, makes it all the sweeter.

For A Marine I'll Show More

I miss you already! I'll see ya back in NY, baby! Mahal kita, Lounana!

Fashion Week

In honor of New York's Fashion Week, I went on a bit of a shopping splurge this past week. I bought a very sexy black leather jacket from Nana Repub. for only $90- marked down from $400, a fun dress shirt from Guess for $20, and my new favorite pair of Keen sandals for $40. That, my friends, is how to shop the non-equity way!

Valentine's Day 2005

I ended spending most of Valentine's Day on a 12 hour bus ride from Hartford, CT to Raleigh, NC. Had a lovely meal at P. F. Chang's. Who needs a Valentine's Day date when you have friends like these? Thanks boys!

A Hart Full Of Love

Greetings from Harford, Connecticut. It's been quite an eventful week. First off, the original production team of the tour was in town to asses the quality of the show and to make important decisions about it's future. I'm glad to report that our shows have been going extremely well. We, as a cast, finally find our groove. We have found the "heart and soul" of the show and you can tell there's a major difference in the morale of the cast. The production staff was very pleased and it looks, more than likely, that we will continue into the fall of this year. More on that to come.

I also had the opportunity to meet the parents of my friend Chris. I love meeting my friends parents because it gives you a deeper understanding of them and an insight into why they are the way they are. As colorful, festive, and hip Chris' parents are, there's one thing that stuck out about them that I found so endearing- their love for each other and especially for their dearest son, Chris. It was so touching to see this married couple of 25 years be so in love and proud of their son. And as embarrassed as he might have been, you could tell that the love was mutual. So, thanks Mami and Papi for bringing young Cristobal into the world. You've done a great job raising him and it was a pleasure and an honor to meet you. Your dedication and love for each other and for your son is to be admired. Happy Valentine's Day!

Live And Let Die

Wasn't Sir Paul McCartney great during the halftime show of the Superbowl? Discuss.