Interview with Christine Allado

Christine Allado is a Filipino-British actress and singer. She is best known for her performance in the role of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the multi Tony and Olivier award winning West End Production of Hamilton: An American Musical and for starring as Vanessa in the multi Olivier award winning West End production of In The Heights, both by Lin Manuel Miranda.

Her television credits include starring in the BBC’s 60th anniversary production of West Side Story as the lead role of Maria as Jasmine in Hallmark Channel’s TV film Royal Hearts, as Agent Beverly Walker for The Accidental Spy.

In 2016 Allado performed with Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli at a concert at the Mall of Asia Arena in the Philippines That year she was a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent on ITV with four piece girl band Zyrah. They were previously signed to Universal Records and have released four No.1 singles on the iTunes charts. She sings the lead role of Constance for the original West End Recording of The Clockmaker’s Daughter.

In 2017 Allado took on the role of Peggy in the London production of Hamilton: An American Musical. The show has gained considerable critical acclaim, and Allado’s performance has received positive reviews.

We had the pleasure of having her at our studio in order to take her new actor headshots.

We caught up with International Filipino Singer & Actor, Christine Allado to find out more about her past and upcoming projects in 2019.

How was your experience working with Lin Manuel Miranda in Hamilton?

It was such an honour, really. And I just recall being so inspired by this man who clearly had such a creative and gifted mind but was so very humble and down-to-earth and cool! But maybe that’s why he’s so brilliant. Because he’s so in touch with the times and how people are in the here and now. I remember him cracking the cast up with pranks and jokes and just being such a positive and caring presence in the room. I could feel that he really wanted to be there and even wanted to join us on stage in this show that you could tell really runs in his veins.

Why did you decide to leave Hamilton?

It was a difficult decision but I knew in my heart of hearts that I had to move on. The show was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever been a part of. It felt like such a gift to participate in a revolution that stirred the hearts and minds of everyone who sought to witness it. But for me, I had never done a long contract of a show before, and I felt Hamilton was my life for nearly 15 months and even the year prior to that because the audition process was long before we started.

I felt that I was given this amazing gift to be part of the original London cast and I cherish that gift so very much! But as an artist and actress, I want to constantly grow and challenge myself and experience as much as I can while I still can. So yes it was very scary leaving a show that is widely recognised as the best of our generation. Family and friends kept asking me why i would choose to do this. But life is short, and Hamilton was one of the best years of my life! But I look forward to and continue to chase even better times and years to come!

Whose work has influenced you the most?

When I was young, back in the Philippines, i remember listening to original cast recordings of shows that still inspire me to this day. I listened to Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon. And these shows really were what inspired me like so many of my peers who have chosen theatre as their vocation. Since then, I’ve learned to love other musicals that equally inspire me such as anything written by Stephen Sondheim, Adam Guettel, Jason Robert Brown. Also, animated movies growing up inspired me and are still huge sources of joy that fuel my love for music and storytelling.

What are your plans for this year?

Embrace the great unknown! I have a few cool projects lined up that aren’t musical theatre related. I’m venturing into the world of voiceover work for a very fun TV animation by a very big company, but I can’t say what it is yet. You’ll have to stay tuned! I’m also working with Andrea Bocelli again this year joining him on his Scandinavian tour, hitting four major cities. I’m also hoping to try to branch out to the United States and see where that leads me! So a lot of risks, but I hope it will pay off! I’m enjoying the journey either way and am so thankful I get to do what it is I love the most.