Pang-limang Pinoy ang Fil-Am theater actress na si Eva Noblezada na makatanggap ng nomination mula sa prestigious Tony Awards.
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre or more commonly known as Tony Award, recognizes the excellence in live Broadway theatre.
Nilabas ang official list ng 71st Tony Awards noong nakaraang May 2. Magaganap ang awardings on June 11 sa Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York.
Nominated si Eva for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical para sa pagganap niya bilang si Kim sa revival ng Miss Saigon on Broadway in New York City.
Si Eva rin ang gumanap na Kim sa West End London revival ng Miss Saigon in 2014 kunsaan kasama sa cast si Rachelle Ann Go bilang Gigi.
Ang makakalaban ng 21-year old theater actress sa naturang category ay ang mga stage veterans na sina Denée Benton (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”), Christine Ebersole (“War Paint”), Patti LuPone (“War Paint”) and Bette Midler (“Hello, Dolly!”).
Kabilang ang kauna-unahang Pinoy Tony winner na si Lea Salonga, who played the original Kim in the 1989 West End and 1991 Broadway productions, na nag-abot ng kanyang congratulation kay Noblezada.
Bukod kay Lea (who a Tony in 1991) ang tatlo pang Pinoy na na-nominate at nanalo ng Tony Awards ay sina Robert Lopez, Jhett Tolentino at Clint Ramos.
Si Eva Noblezada ay ipinanganak sa San Diego, California noong March 18, 1996. May dugo siyang Filipino and Mexican.
Ang mga Pinoy na grandparents ni Eva ang nag-encourage sa kanya na kumanda noong bata pa lang siya.
“My Filipino grandparents would always put me on the table and say, ‘Sing, sing, sing for everybody,’”
“So, when I was a little girl, and I grew up in my grandparent’s house, any chance that they had have me sing they would push me and do it.
“So I think that’s one of the main reasons I’m here today, really,” kuwento pa ni Eva.
Bukod sa Miss Saigon, lumabas din si Eva bilang Eponine sa revival ng musical na Les Miserables in London noong 2016.
(Ruel J. Mendoza)