Peter Saide will perform alongside Lea Salonga in the upcoming Broadway Asia production of Cinderella.The man who will place the glass slipper on Cinderella in the upcoming Broadway Asia Tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (part of CQUniversity) graduate and former Mackay resident Peter Saide.

Saide graduated from the Bachelor of Music Theatre degree in 2003. After successful work experiences in Tokyo, Sydney and New York, he has landed a lead role with Tony award winner Lea Salonga (Broadway's Miss Saigon and singing voice of Disney's Mulan) in the New York-based South East Asian Tour of Cinderella.

A new video post of Peter Saide and Lea Salonga doing a press conference presentation in Manila, singing Ten Minutes Ago from Cinderella is now available at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s72eqow14ZQ

Cinderella will premiere in Manila, The Philippines, on July 29, running through until August 24, before embarking on a lengthy Asian tour and later a US national tour.

Director Bobbie Garcia recalled the casting day for the prince's role as remarkable.

"[We had] a full day seeing some of the finest theatrical leading men New York had to offer ... and then Peter Saide walked into the room. Immediately I knew that there was something special here. He sang the Prince's solo song ‘The Loneliness of Evening' flawlessly and so I asked him to sing ‘Do I Love You' with Lea Salonga [Cinderella]. They sounded beautiful together. Pure synchronicity."

"Lea later said to me that Peter was ‘swoon worthy'."

Saide was "ecstatic" to learn he had landed the role.

"Lea Salonga performed Eponine from ‘Les Miserables' and Kim from ‘Miss Saigon' - I remember watching it over and over again. I thought she was wonderful and I thought the show was miraculous. I now get the chance to perform not only with Lea, but opposite her as the Prince in ‘Cinderella'.

"It's a dream come true for me."

Director Bobby Garcia knew Peter Saide was the person he was looking for to play the prince in Cinderella.Saide said music theatre was something that came into his life relatively late. He remembers at the age of 16 buying a copy of Cameron Mackintosh's ‘Hey, Mr Producer' on VHS, and appearing in a few high school musicals, but that was the extent of his repertoire.

"Before I went to the Conservatorium, I had never taken a dance or music class. I had never taken a singing class and had only been involved in a few high school musicals.

"But the staff at CQCM saw my desire for learning and saw in me a potential that I had never known."

"My voice teacher Garrick Jones taught me instinctively - he knew exactly how I worked. He seemed to take delight in working with me and what was essentially a ‘clean slate' - a voice without any training or obvious quality, admittedly, but also without bad habits or strange techniques."

CQU lecturer Garrick Jones remembers Peter well.

A young Peter Saide performed in CQU's production of Chicago.

"Peter's presence is still felt among staff here, and it is wonderful to see one of our students landing such a leading role on the international music theatre stage," Mr Jones said.

Peter will always be remembered for his leading roles in CQUniversity's productions of Sound of Music, Aspects of Love, Chess, Kiss Me Kate and most importantly in the sell-out season of Chicago.

"Peter is still in touch regularly and was coming to Mackay for lessons in January when his US agent called him back to New York to begin rehearsals for Saturday Night Fever.

"I am very proud of that our music theatre program has produced such a new and exciting star."

Peter's used to being surrounded by fansBefore rehearsals began for Cinderella, Saide was involved in productions on board the newest in the P&O Cruises fleet, the P&O Ventura.

He played the lead role of Tony Manero in the most recent production of the musical adaptation of Saturday Night Fever.