MiG Ayesa from his official website

 MANILA, Philippines – In the playbill for what has been described as a rock/jukebox musical, “Rock of Ages,” MiG Ayesa, who plays one of the leads, is reportedly described as an “Aussie/Filipino rock vocalist of Spanish and Ilonggo ancestry.” The Manila-born, Australia-raised Ayesa essays the role of the “spoiled, wannabe rock star” Stacee Jaxx in the rock musical that originally premiered in Los Angeles in 2006. When it opened in Broadway in 2009, it was a hit—garnering five Tony nominations and a multi-city national tour after.

Joining the musical’s national and the touring cast some a few years ago, Ayesa’s performance earned praise from the critics especially during its Boston leg back in December 2010. The Chicago Tribune, in fact, touted that some of the touring cast were better than the originals, noting that “MiG" Ayesa has a killer voice and a delicious sense of humor.”

Meanwhile, the Northwest Indiana Times might not have been riveted by the musical but said, “The only performance that was at all impressive comes from MiG Ayesa. He is funny in the role and tempers his silliness with a bit of style and flair that’s amusing.”

“Rock of Ages” is a musical built around rock hits from the '80s, especially focused on the decade’s glam metal bands, and features songs from rock bands like Styx, Journey, Twisted Sister and Poison, among others.

By March 24, “Rock of Ages” returns to Broadway’s Helen Haye’s Theater on W 44th Street.  As such, Ayesa has been quoted in Broadway.com as saying, “I feel not only incredibly humbled and blessed, but also incredibly grateful to reopen 'Rock of Ages' on Broadway.  While touring with the show the past six months was one of the most fulfilling and fun-filled adventures for me - being able to once again work in a city that's home, in the company of family and friends, is what I'm looking forward to about this new assignment.”

Prior to this, Ayesa made his Broadway debut in the dance musical, “Burn the Floor” in January 2010, and spent a great part of the year touring the show in Australia, Japan, Korea, Canada and the U.S. Before that, he had appeared in “Grease,” “Fame” “West Side Story,” “We Will Rock You” and “Rent,” which also played in London’s West End. He was also part of the tours for live concerts like “Thriller Live,” “Queen Symphonic Spectacular,” and “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.”

But on the global mainstream scale, he is perhaps most know for being a front-runner in the reality-based talent search, “Rock Star: INXS” in 2005, a show that was designed to find the Australian band a new lead singer years after its original vocalist, Michael Hutchence, passed away. Ayesa ultimately placed third in the worldwide competition, which helped him launch a music career (he had released a debut CD thereafter) and log a lot of appearances both on stage and television in London, Sydney and New York.

Perhaps lesser known about them is the fact that—according to writer Raoul Tidalgo of Philippine Star—he and his wife, Simone de la Rue (a singer, dancer and personal trainer) are friends with Matt Damon and his wife, with whom they had even hung out with on the beach; and were also among the very few selected invitees to Chelsea Clinton’s upstate New York wedding last year to which “even Barack Obama was not asked.”

As for another Hollywood connection, however slight, as per reports, Ayesa’s Stacee Jaxx role is the same one that Tom Cruise will play in an upcoming movie adaptation of “Rock of Ages.” The movie version will be directed and choreographed by “So You Think You Can Dance” judge Adam Shankman (who directed the 2007 remake of “Hairspray” and produced Zac Efron’s “17 Again”). Other confirmed cast members for the movie are Alec Baldwin and Mary J. Blige.