Lea and Dad

A father does not make a daughter's whole life, but a father certainly makes a daughter's life whole. This is according to twelve-year-old Lea.

Lea Sanchez is a young and rising musical theater star whose destiny to become excellent in her craft is now unfolding. Living with her mom, Carmen, in New York City, she begins to conquer Broadway by winning the title role in a musical called Orphan.

But just when she is about to begin rehearsing for the show, Lea is reminded of the missing piece in her life: her father. Her dad, Danny Smith, who is a basketball superstar in the Philippines, split up with her mom when she was barely a year-old. Since then, Lea has never known a father of her own.

She then commits herself to a mission: she is going to get her dad believe her. In one way or another, she is going to get him listen to every song she sings as if it were the only music in the world. Lea bravely goes to his father's arena: the Philippines, where Danny is clearly the face of sports. With her father's world appearing to be not only whole but full, she is challenged to ask herself: Does her father have a place for her in his life?

Lea, young as she is, tries to make a very tough decision: whether she stays winning his father's heart or whether she goes on winning other people's hearts by singing her heart out. But in truth, she does not want to make a choice. She wants both to be a reality.

*****

The author's inspirations in writing this story are Lea Salonga and Danny Seigle. Lea Salonga is the ultimate heroine and Danny Seigle is the basketball hero.