HONG KONG MUSIC LEGEND TERESA CARPIO IN NEW YORK TO CELEBRATE DAUGHTER’S BROADWAY DEBUT IN SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK
NEW YORK, NY (June 16, 2011) – Hong Kong music legend Teresa Carpio is in New York this week to celebrate her daughter’s, actress/singer T.V. Carpio, Broadway debut in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which opened on Tuesday at the Foxwoods Theater in Times Square. The Chinese-Filipina showbiz veteran praised her daughter’s performance as Arachne, Spider-Man’s spiritual mentor, and cited the role as an example of the great strides that Asian artists have made in the United States in recent years. In addition to her mother’s positive review, T.V.’s performance is also receiving unanimous acclaim from leading theater critics and sold-out audiences.
“As a mother, words can hardly describe the pride and joy I feel seeing T.V. on the Broadway stage,” said Teresa Carpio, who recently served as head judge and vocal coach on the Chinese version of the international television singing competition, “The Voice”. “And as an artist, I realize what a remarkable achievement this is for T.V. — very few performers ever reach such heights in their careers. Also, the fact that she’s an Asian performer breaking through in the American entertainment industry makes her accomplishment even more significant.”
“My mother has been an inspiration to me my entire life both personally and professionally,” said T.V. Carpio, who is also featured in the original cast recording of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark which was released this week. “Her love, guidance and support have given me the passion to pursue my dreams even when they seemed beyond impossible.”
T.V.’s association with Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark began 4 years ago when she was cast in a supporting role by director Julie Taymor, whom T.V. previously worked with in the musical drama “Across the Universe.” Following the early departure of the actress originally cast as Arachne, T.V. was awarded the part after impressing Taymor and Spider-Man composers Bono and The Edge (of the multi-platinum selling rock band U2) with her powerful voice and unique interpretation of the character. The role, which features T.V. being suspended 50 feet above the stage in a harness, required her to draw on all of her training as a performer.
“As someone who has studied acting, singing and dance for many years, playing Arachne is truly the opportunity of a lifetime,” said T.V. Carpio. “This role allows me to do new and exciting things that push the boundaries of what is possible in a Broadway show. It is an absolute honor to be part of such an innovative production.”
2011 has been a breakthrough year for T.V. In addition to her starring role in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, she also co-starred in the hit Robert DeNiro/Bradley Cooper thriller “Limitless,” which was released in March. Since then, she has made numerous appearances on major television talk shows including “Late Show with David Letterman” and has been featured in leading magazines and newspapers. She is currently recording songs for a potential debut album.
About Teresa Carpio
Since winning Hong Kong’s First Talent Quest at the age of 6, Teresa Carpio was on a fast track to the top. By 11 she was hosting her own shows in Tahiti, at 14 she was the youngest performer ever on television in Japan, and at 18 she was a household name all over Asia. Her best known songs include We May Never Love Like This Again, Could We Start Again Please, and When Will I See You Again as well as the Chinese-language songs If (??), True Love (??), Sukiyaki (??????), I Still Remember The Time (???????) and Why Give Up (????). After hosting her own musical variety show for three years on HKTVB and starring in the award-winning original musical City Of Broken Promises, Teresa took time off to raise her children. In 2002, Teresa returned to Hong Kong to hold a series of concerts with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, which resulted in a best-selling CD/DVD. Since then, Teresa has sold out the Hong Kong Coliseum numerous times and has received prestigious awards including the Golden Needle, an honor that is only given to those artists who have made an exceptional contribution to the Hong Kong music industry. Her official website is www.teresacarpio.com.
About T.V. Carpio
T.V. Carpio was born in Oklahoma City, but grew up in Hong Kong with her mother, Hong Kong music legend Teresa Carpio. By junior high, her family had moved back to the States where her promising ice-skating career was curtailed by injury. Upon graduation from high school she took time out to become fluent in Spanish before enrolling herself into the jazz program at the New School University in New York City. She appeared as a dancer in music videos for Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston, among others, which led to small parts on television’s “Law and Order” and “The Jury”. As an alto soprano she sang with the Hong Kong Philharmonic in her mother’s acclaimed “Diva” concerts. From there she worked with director Spike Lee in his film “She Hate Me” and his Showtime movie “Sucker Free City.” Deciding to focus on acting, she moved to Los Angeles, and within a few months she was cast as Prudence in Julie Taymor’s acclaimed feature film, “Across The Universe”. She was last seen in the role of Valerie in the Robert De Niro/ Bradley Cooper starrer “Limitless” and on ABC’s “Body of Proof”. ‘)}
