Mr. & Ms.

At first glance even if you don’t know it yet you will instantly wonder at the back of your mind whether they have Filipino blood running inside their well- toned bodies. Guess what? Gut feeling or whatever you may call it was proven true in this case.

Aside from Lea Salonga, there are two other actors essaying the parts of two of the lead characters in the current Les Miserables on Broadway where we can put it this way has--Philippine connection.

Adam Jacobs and Ali Ewoldt portrays the roles of student/rebel Marius and Fantine’s daughter Cosette respectively for their Broadway debuts in the “revival” of Les Miz and are now earning raves and accolades for their performances.

These Fil- Ams are just two of the many very talented young actors/actresses who breathed life to Victor Hugo’s characters in his classic novel put to stage and music by the dynamic duo of Alain Boublil and Claude- Michel Schonberg and produced by mega- producer Cameron Mackintosh.

Incidentally, these respected trio of musical players are very well- known in the Philippines for their part in paving the way for Lea Salonga and other local Filipino talents invading the musical world in the late 80s and early 90s in the epic musical Miss Saigon where they soared to great heights and adulations from the fans and gained respect from critics and fellow actors alike.

Ali Ewoldt began her journey when she joined the Les Miserables National Tour as a member of the Ensemble then graduated doing the role of Cosette. I just don’t know if she was with the cast when they went to Detroit where Cornelia Luna was in the cast as Eponine. Too bad, I missed that show which I really regretted.

This petite young lady with a soprano voice and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Yale University had to hurdle an intense audition for her Broadway debut and from
the looks of it her future in the musical/theater business is now secure.

Adam Jacobs grew up in San Francisco, California and was drawn to the theater early having watched according to his Pinay Mom, Yul Brynner in the The King and I at age five.

He earned his pass for the big time after being a “professional auditioner” and at the same time moonlighting as a lounge singer in one those giant Spirit cruise ships when he became the Prince in the National Tour of Cinderella for nine months and another eight months as Marius in the Les Miz National Tour. He eventually auditioned and got the same role in the Broadway revival where he is doing it with much aplomb and gaining a lot of new fans in the process..

Allow me to say that Adam Jacobs is one West Coast guy who really made it big in the Big East with that funny resemblance to Erik Estrada of the 70’s Chips fame notwithstanding. His heart is obviously in Broadway now and not in that City by the Bay.

Thus, the Great White Way has added to its list two fresh actors and promising performers in Adam and Ali that we could really be proud of.




Ali Ewoldt


Adam Jacobs


Note: Clips by Canon 4MP Digital ixus