Salonga books Hawaii tour starting March 4

Broadway musical star Lea Salonga returns to Hawaii after more than three years for an interisland tour of Kauai, Hilo, Maui and Honolulu in March.

The Philippine-born Salonga made her reputation when she played Kim, an orphaned bar girl in war-torn Vietnam, in one of the lead roles of the Broadway musical "Miss Saigon" during the 1989-90 season. She's garnered numerous theater awards and she was one of the first women of Asian descent to play Eponine in "Les Miserables" on the Great White Way, a role she reprised in the national tour that included Honolulu back in 1996. (She would later play the role of Fantine to acclaim in last year's Broadway revival.)

In 2001-02, she was involved with the Los Angeles and Broadway productions of the reinterpreted "Flower Drum Song."

She's also lent her vocal talents to a couple of Disney hit movies -- as Princess Jasmine in "Aladdin" (that's her singing "A Whole New World") and as the lead character in "Mulan," plus in all of the straight-to-video sequels.

Her most recent album is "Inspired," which hosts a collection of her personal favorites and a few originals such as "To Hear You Say" (Jim Brickman) and "Do You Hear It" (Lani Macaraeg).

Besides the Hawaii stops, Salonga's 2008 tour will also take her to Hong Kong.

Tickets are now on sale for her Hawaii concerts, which include:

» 7:30 p.m. March 4 at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall; $39 and $49; available at Da Booze Shop, City Liquor, Big Kmart, Bounty Music, Scotty's Music, Progressive Expressions and Hanalei Surf; charge-by-phone (866) 468-3399 and online at www.ticketweb.com

» 7:30 p.m. March 5 at the Sangha Hall in Hilo; $49; available at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, CD Wizard and Ken's House of Pancakes; charge-by-phone (866) 468-3399 and online at www.ticketweb.com

» 7:30 p.m. March 7 at the Castle Theatre of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center; $29, $39 and $49; available at the MACC box office, charge-by-phone (808) 242-7469 and online at www. mauiarts.org

» 8 p.m. March 8 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall; $39 and $49; available at the Blaisdell Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations including Times Supermarkets, charge-by-phone (877) 750-4400 and online at www.ticketmaster.com