Joanna Ampil
There are many Filipino performers who have made name in the international market but only few did really leave an “indelible” mark.  Few names who are worth to mention were Lea Salonga, Liza Macuja-Elizalde and Cecile Licad.  As of the present there are few Pinoy performers whose making name in the international scene.  If I will try to enumerate this few names I could come up with Charice Pempengco, Arnel Pineda and Joanna Ampil.
Who by the way is Joanna Ampil?  If you are a fan of theater and plays you probably had witness the brilliance of this lady.  She carved her name in the international music scene when she successfully and brilliantly plays the lead role of
Joanna as Kim
in one of the longest running musicals on Broadway and London’s West End.  She started her career in theater when she was chosen to play the role of Kim in Miss Saigon.  It was the same role that gained Lea Salonga the Tony Awards.
After her brilliant performance in Miss Saigon, Joanna was handpicked by the famous Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber to play the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar.  Joanna is the first ever Filipino to be included in cast of the “Superstar”.  She also played Eponine in the Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables where she act acted with the extraordinaire actress Judie Dench.
Joanna had come a long way, she had impressed directors and producers because she had strings of musical after musicals.  She reprise her role as Kim in the Australian production, play Mary Magdalene in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Eponine and Fantine in separate runs of “Les Miserables,” Mimi in “Rent” and Christmas Eve in “Avenue Q.”  Joanna is becoming the big star in the field of musicals, and according to some critics she is becoming the Big Next Thing.
