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Lea among musical theater's most important artists

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/entertainment/6/28/lea-salonga-062816.jpg"/></figure></div>MANILA – A US-based theater blog has included the Philippines’ very own Lea Salonga in its list of 100 most important people in modern musical theater history.In a post on Monday, OnStage editor-in-chief Chris Peterson made a list of the people “who have been the biggest contributors to the evolution and success of modern musical theater.”Salonga ranked 94th, noting her memorable performances as Kim in “Miss Saigon,” as Eponine in “Les Miserables” and as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s “Aladdin.”“Salonga is an icon and deserves a spot in this list,” Peterson wrote.(<a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/06/03/16/watch-lea-salonga-sings-duet-with-new-annie" target="_blank">WATCH: Lea Salonga sings duet with new &#x27;Annie&#x27;</a>)Other well-known figures in OnStage’s list include William Shakespeare (90th), Idina Menzel of “Frozen” fame (75th), singer-songwriter and composer Elton John (65th), John Travolta and Olivia Newton John of “Grease” (62nd), producer Cameron Mackintosh (40th), composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (18th), singer Barbra Streisand (11th), Julie Andrews of “The Sound of Music” (9th), and musical theater writing team Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein (3rd).Topping the <a href="http://www.onstageblog.com/columns/2015/6/4/the-100-most-important-people-in-modern-musical-theatre-history?rq=100" target="_blank">list</a> of OnStage is composer Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the lyrics of “West Side Story” and “Gypsy” and composed &quot;Into the Woods&quot; and &quot;Sweeney Todd,&quot; among many others.Aside from being a multi-awarded theater actress and singer, Salonga has also dabbled in acting, starring in the 1995 romantic film “Sana Maulit Muli” with Aga Muhlach.She is currently one of the coaches of the reality singing competition “The Voice Kids” along with Bamboo and Sharon Cuneta.