Lea: No stage mom, just a proud one to Nic

Lea Salonga is definitely no stage mom, just a proud one to her one and only child, Nic Chien.

The media recently got a rare glimpse of their dynamic during the press conference for the Philippine run of “Into the Woods” under Theater Group Asia. They’re both part of the powerhouse cast of the Stephen Sondheim musical — though not as mother and son — which weaves popular children’s fairy tales such as Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk into a shared story with a subversive twist on the so-called “happily-ever-after” ending.

Lea portrays The Witch, a role she did 30 years ago, in a Singapore production, when she was just 23. The 19-year-old Nic, on the other hand, plays the character Jack.

Articulate and funny, Nic appeared like a pro fielding questions about sharing the stage with his mom. The global theater icon, who’s soon to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was just a few seats away, quietly and proudly looking on.

“It’s nice but sometimes, you know, I just want some space from my mom. Other people get to say that they want space, but I can’t do that because I’m always with her,” Nic quipped.

“She’s incredible, right? But the thing is, it’s funny because everybody reacts so freshly towards how amazing my mom is. But because I’m around (her) all the time, I’m just like, okay, it’s another Tuesday. I mean, working with my mom… everyone will think she’s amazing, and she is! But for me, she’s just my mom.”

During rehearsals, he recalled asking co-actors, “How do you not stay bored when we’re watching the same thing over and over and over again? (And people are like), ‘I just watch your mother.’ ‘I am inspired by her.’ And I’m like, okay, that helped me so much (laughs).”

He added, “I mean, (working with her is) not that different from every day because I’m with her all the time. People might expect a more nuanced answer, where I’m gonna be like, ‘Wow, I didn’t expect this new side of you.’ No, it’s my mom, she’s the same everywhere.

“That’s my perspective that, at least, at home and here (on stage), it’s the same, not much difference. And I’m not ashamed when she treats me like her kid in front of everybody else. That’s just how it is.”

In a separate interview, The Philippine STAR asked Lea how it felt to watch Nic handling questions from the press.

“I think he’s seen me do it so much that there’s an ease… And I think the folks interviewing him know what he’s gonna bring to the table. He’s incredibly articulate, incredibly intelligent, so I’m just like, he’ll be fine.”

Asked whether it felt like a déjà vu moment, perhaps reminiscent of how her own mother, Ligaya Salonga,  was early in her career, Lea reflected, “It’s a little different because my mother was not an actor and so her only job was taking care of me.

“This is my job (acting) and I can’t take all the credit — obviously there are two parents — but I raised that child to just be himself, to be unapologetically honest about himself, about what he wants to do. And I think the one thing he has discovered about this job is how hard it is. But he loves this job so much.”

She added, “As for the déjà vu question, I have one eye on him and I can’t hear him now but I know he’s doing alright. I also have to focus on my own job as the first name, you know, that was announced for this show.”

Lea was also clear about maintaining boundaries in the rehearsal room when asked how she balanced her dual roles as both mother and co-actor in the production.

“He’s 19 and really independent. Hindi ko siya pinapakialaman with regard to who Jack is, his characterization of Jack. I don’t interfere. I don’t get involved. I don’t get in between him and the director as far as creating Jack.

“That’s not my responsibility. That’s not on my list of duties as one of the actors of the show. Sa kanya na yun. He has to have ownership of the entire process.”

Lea said she considers herself a lifelong student, always learning from her co-stars — including Nic — by observing their process at work.

She continued, “I try to watch Nic because he’s just so honest in his portrayal of Jack and that it’s just so inspiring to watch. And at that point, I just shut off the actor and turn on the mommy, and just gush, ‘Yieee, that’s my son!’”

Meanwhile, Nic made his theater debut in Manila at 10 years old via the 2017 Atlantis production of “Matilda,” directed by the late Bobby Garcia.

It was also the beloved theater figure who pitched the role of Jack to Nic about three years ago — even before the latter came out as queer and trans.

Nic recalled to this paper his reaction then, “I was just happy to play a boy because I wasn’t trans yet.”

He’s aware of how some might perceive his casting, especially given his family’s connection to direk Bobby. “I don’t want people to think that ‘kasi they knew each other before,’ or favoritism, nepotism yan… I want to show people that I deserve this.”

And Nic is drawing encouragement from Lea, who he confirmed never once behaved like a stage mom.

“She’ll encourage me to do very good when it comes to theater. But that’s because it’s something that she’s really good at and very passionate about — and I’m very passionate about. If it was something that I wasn’t pursuing, she wouldn’t be the same, she wouldn’t be that, you know?

“But she does it because she wants me to have a good work ethic… to be disciplined and all the good stuff. She doesn’t do it out of like, ‘I want you to be famous.’ You know, she doesn’t care if I’m famous. She just wants me to be able to pursue what I want to pursue.”

On how he’s dealt with the pressure of growing up with a high-profile parent, Nic admitted, “I’m not too sure. It’s something that when you grow up with that, you don’t exactly know what the difference of not dealing with it is. I don’t know if I can really answer that question…

“I guess I’ll remember that I’m very different from her and that no matter what she is, just because she’s very important to a lot of people, it doesn’t make me any less important to her, right?”

Still, he welcomes the chorus of expectations that comes with the family name.

“For sure, I take it. I take it and I challenge it… Sure, I may not be as good as her at this, but I’ll be damn good at this, you know?” Nic explained.

“So, when it comes to this kind of stuff, I do carry a little bit of pressure with me. However, the pressure more so charges wanting to do, like, wanting to make sure that her reputation isn’t sullied along with mine. That my ninong, as you know, the conductor (Gerard Salonga), that all three of us, that our family continues to be seen and recognized for our work ethic and our talent and all that.

“But it is empowering to be related to such wonderful people. It’s not so much stressful. It’s inspiring and it’s exciting — and I take on the challenge.”

The Manila staging of “Into the Woods,” which was created by Sondheim (music and lyrics) and James Lapine (book), runs from Aug. 7 to 27 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater (S-PAT) at Circuit Makati.

This sold-out production is helmed by the Tony award-winning Clint Ramos, who’s serving as overall artistic and creative director, with direction by Chari Arespacochaga. Co-producers John and Joanna Echauz, along with S-PAT executive director Chris Mohnani, round out the creative team.