Anna Maria Best Actress nominee for Godspell

Will Anna Maria Perez de Tagle go home with the trophy for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in the hit Broadway musical Godspell?

The verdict will be known Wednesday (US Time) at the 10th Annual Theater Awards by broadwayworld.com, the leading site for New York’s theater and stage world.

“I really hope she does,” said Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre who filed this report. “She deserves it.”

Some previously thought that it’s a long shot for Anna Maria to get a nod in her Broadway debut despite the fact that she gets to sing Day By Day, Godspell’s most famous song.

“But there she is, already ranked first as of May 30 from among 28 contenders in her category,” added Edmund.

Winners in all categories will be determined through online votes by fans who get their say on who or what’s best in the Great White Way. The voting ended on June 4.   

Anna Maria’s fellow Fil-Am Godspell co-star George Salazar is also nominated in the male category. He is currently in ninth place out of 26 nominees.

Edmund disclosed that Anna Maria took a one-day break from Godspell on June 3 — with her producers’ blessing — to be part of the Philippine Independence Day parade and festival in New York City, the biggest Filipino freedom day celebration outside the Philippines. 

Anna Maria, the only Godspell cast member who has a perfect attendance since the show opened for previews in October 2011, was expected to ride a special float in the Philippine parade and join GMA stars Dingdong Dantes, Aljur Abrenica and Rachelle Ann Go, as well as local New York artists like Lianah Sta. Ana, in entertaining the huge crowd.

Deputy Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega announced that Anna Maria, who also starred in Fame and Camp Rock, will be the featured performer at a formal reception for members of the diplomatic corps, the business community and local New York officials on June 11 at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue to cap the series of Independence Day festivities in the US East Coast.

Anna Maria is also gearing up for the follow-up to her successful concert last May 7 on board the Hornblower Hybrid that sailed on Hudson River in New York and New Jersey. It was reported that Hornblower Cruises & Events is offering Anna Maria a larger vessel to accommodate more guests.

The star-studded May 7 show featured Anna Maria’s male Godspell co-stars led by her fellow ex-Disney artist Corbin Bleu, and Manila-based actor-singer Sam Milby, in numbers accompanied by a band led by music director Sonny Paladino (High School Musical, Billy Elliott). Marisse Panlilio was technical director.

Also present to throw full support was Anna Maria’s manager Kevin “Papa Jonas” Jonas Sr., father of the famous Jonas Brothers; her personal idol and role model, Tony-winning star Lea Salonga; and her parents Artie and Evelyn Perez de Tagle.

Attended by some 400 people, the concert’s proceeds went to Anna Maria’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is helping find cure for children with cancer. 

According to Edmund, “Anna Maria revealed that her 21-year-old cousin Neil Thomson, who was in the audience, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and is getting medical help from St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Anna Maria later serenaded Neil with a very emotional rendition of Ikaw that left almost everyone in tears.”

In December last year, Anna Maria celebrated her 21st birthday also aboard a private luxury cruise by New York’s Star Cruises.

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