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“I’ve come home from so far,” delivers Nathania Ong in the role of Éponine for Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular World Tour at The Sands Theatre. It also happens to be her favourite line from the musical - particularly poignant now that she’s returned to Singapore to perform in front of family - and a city she calls home.
Nathania Ong is one of the few Singaporean performers to have led major West End productions. Her resumé spans the West End, including Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton, and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde in Singapore.
This season, she steps into the emotionally charged role of Éponine in a stripped-back yet musically expansive staging of Les Misérables. She shares the stage with more than 65 performers and musicians, backed by an orchestra in full view, alongside standout performances from Argentine musical actor Gerónimo Rauch as Jean Valjean and Australian musical actor Jeremy Secomb as Inspector Javert.
We had the chance to sit down with Nathania Ong to talk about coming home, stepping into Éponine’s shoes, and what it means to perform a role so closely tied to an audience she calls her own.
How did you first get into musical theatre, and what inspired you to pursue it professionally?
I actually kinda fell into it. I was doing the drama elective programme at ACJC, and it was only then that I discovered acting and the whole world of it.
Fast forward to when I turned 18, I didn’t do well for my A-levels. And I could not get into the schools I wanted to in the UK, too, because my acting wasn’t that strong. Luckily, LASALLE in Singapore gave me a chance. I got to do the BA programme there for a year, and it was from then on that I thought, okay, this is really fun and something I really enjoy, maybe I want to make a living out of this.
Then, it was my best friend who convinced me to fly to the UK to apply for musical theatre – something that I wasn’t really super into, honestly – and I was fortunate that I got in. And then everything else was history. I’ve never looked back since.
Performing this role really changed my life – it shaped the trajectory of my career. So it’s just incredibly special to me to get to share that with Singaporean audiences.
What does it mean to perform Les Mis in Singapore, in front of a home audience?
Omg, it’s just so special lah. Personally, every time I step on stage, my ah gong (grandfather), ah ma (grandmother), mother and brother – they’re texting me saying, “Oh my gosh, we’re in tonight, we’re watching you, ready to see you smash it.” This is something completely unheard of for me. When I was in the UK, I didn’t have many friends when I first started, and I didn’t have family there – my whole family was based back here. So this is the first time I’ve ever experienced that kind of support. It’s incredibly special to me.
Performing this role really changed my life – it shaped the trajectory of my career. So it’s just incredibly special to me to get to share that with Singaporean audiences.
What’s a typical day like for you during rehearsals and performances? Any pre-show rituals?
I won’t lie – since I touched down in Singapore, I haven’t had a typical day. It’s been so busy. But it’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve been so blessed. But for a regular show, I would normally come in an hour and a half before start time, warm up, and start getting ready. I’d chit-chat with some friends and then start preparing for the show – making sure I am vocally warm, that my body is limber and ready to go.
As for rituals, I don’t have any specific ones, but I do have things I tailor for each show. For example, when I’m here, I have to actively choose not to wear any perfume, because I link a lot of memories and emotions to perfume and smells. If I have anything on for this show, I’m like, “Oh, I’m fancy” – but no! I’m supposed to be a street rat.
As opposed to when I play Eliza in Hamilton, I would put on a lavender perfume and feel all posh and fancy – things I don’t normally do for myself.
...you don’t get the same performance every day, folks.
How do you prepare for a demanding role like Les Mis, both vocally and emotionally?
For this role, it’s obviously a highly emotional one. So one of the things I really have to be careful of is my singing and acting hygiene. In terms of singing hygiene, I have to make sure I’m sleeping enough and hydrated enough.
As for acting hygiene – mentally and emotionally – that one’s a little bit different. For myself, I never try to play something more than what I’m feeling on a given day. That’s when the danger starts to happen. Yes, you’re an actor, but you’re also a human being – you have to really take care of yourself. So in a role that’s so emotionally demanding, you have to be careful about not pushing yourself too far.
That’s also something that allows me to maintain the honesty and truth of what I’m playing every single day – you don’t get the same performance every day, folks. That’s what I’d like to believe.
What's your favourite line or lyric in Les Mis, and why?
I think my favourite line or lyric has actually never been a standout line to anyone. But my favourite line in the show is when I turn to Marius Pontmercy during A Little Fall of Rain, and I sing, “I’ve come home from so far.”
Because I feel as someone who doesn’t really have a geographical home, especially after moving away from my family, I’ve come to discover that I find a lot of comfort – and my sense of home – in the people that surround me, whether it’s my literal blood family or my chosen family who I’ve connected with in the UK. So that line really lands with me in a very special way.
If you could perform any role in any musical, what would it be?
I actually have two. If it’s a musical that’s already been written, I would love to touch a little Elphaba or Glinda (from Wicked).
Second answer – I would love to do something that hasn’t been written yet, create something original, put my own spin on it, and really call it my own.
I’m really struggling to find a good chai tow kway (fried carrot cake, a local dish) in the UK.
What do you miss most about Singapore while living and performing abroad?
Food lah, it has to be, right? I’m really struggling to find a good chai tow kway (fried carrot cake, a local dish) in the UK. Yes, you can find the Chinese-style ones, but you know, the hawker ones? You can’t find it there. The texture is wrong, there’s no wok hei, it’s not sweet enough, not salty enough… ugh, it’s always one or the other. I especially love the black carrot cake, so I really dream about it.
What’s one thing from Singapore you would like to bring to the West End?
Chai tow kway (laughs)
If you could use emojis to represent your homecoming to Singapore’s stage, which emojis would they be?
❤️💃📣
But if you’ve made the decision that you want to go for it, and you have the grit and nerve to back it up, then go forward and give it everything you’ve got.
What advice would you give to a young Singaporean who wants to pursue musical theatre?
I would say think very hard, because it’s not an easy industry. It really can be one of the most terrifying things you’ll ever do, no matter what level you are at, because you’re never guaranteed to have something. So be very sure it’s something you’d like to pursue. But if you’ve made the decision that you want to go for it, and you have the grit and nerve to back it up, then go forward and give it everything you’ve got.
Nathania Ong performs as Éponine in Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular at Sands Theatre until May 10, 2026. Tickets start from $99. Book here.
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