Deborah Gibson plays an Evil Queen for "Superhero
Diaries", Camp Electric Youth, and her personal life (atleast she keeps herself private unlike most celebs)


Not to mention she still looks great for her age.


Today's pop acts, take notes  ;) :D


FORMER teen pop star Debbie Gibson will be starring in a Singapore-made musical.

 
TNP Picture: KUA CHEE SIONG
The 38-year-old American singer, known for her '80s hits like Foolish Beat and Lost In Your Eyes, is the star of Toy Factory Production's new $1.8-million musical called Superhero Diaries.

It will be directed by Beatrice Chia-Richmond.

The musical is about a little girl who escapes into a make-believe world of DC and Marvel characters, to get away from an abusive stepfather.

FANTASTIC FANTASY

Gibson, who goes by the more grown-up name of Deborah now, has two roles in the musical - one as the little girl's mother, and the other as an evil queen ruling the fantasy world.

Superhero Diaries will be staged at the Singapore Indoor Stadium from 22 to 23 Aug.

Beatrice, 34, declined to reveal how much it cost to coax Gibson to do the show, but The New Paper understands it is quite a substantial fee for a local production.

The funding will come from several sponsors, who will be announced at a later date.

In an interview with The New Paper yesterday, Gibson said the musical's original storyline - written by local blogger Mr Miyagi and Beatrice's husband, Mark Richmond - was appealing.

Calling Beatrice a 'very good saleswoman', Gibson added: 'She showed me the DVD of (her show) Cabaret that she did last year and

I just felt she has great vision.'

Beatrice said it took two months of discussions and negotiations with Gibson to get her on board.

She contacted Gibson's manager-mother, Diane Gibson, through the Warner Music Group and met them in Los Angeles.

Also starring in Superhero Diaries is 12-year-old Singapore-based Filipina Julia Abueva and local thespians Sebastian Tan, Karen Tan, Chua Enlai and Andrew Luo.

Beatrice said she chose Gibson because she wanted somebody who could handle the production's pop and contemporary score.

'Many people would not know that after her pop princess years, Debbie was involved in Broadway. She opened Grease on the West End,' she said.

Gibson will be spending a month in Singapore in August rehearsing for the show.

Interestingly, she confessed that she used to fantasise about living on our sunny island.

She said she had always loved South-east Asia and being a New Yorker - she was born and bred in Brooklyn - she feels Singapore has the same vibe as New York and London.

S'PORE MEMORIES

The last time she was in Singapore was for a promotional trip in 1996 where she remembers singing from a barge on the Singapore River to hundreds of people at Boat Quay.

As for the tropical heat, Gibson loves it.

'The funny thing is, humidity is the greatest thing for a singer.

'In Los Angeles, where I live, it is a desert, so it's not so good for the voice,' she said.

Gibson will be in town until Saturday to do a series of promotions for the musical.

Her mother, Diane, accompanied her on the trip.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Gibson was quoted as having offered to have her mother help beleaguered pop princess Britney Spears, who has had suffered several public mental and emotional breakdowns.

Gibson knows all about the pressures of being a teen pop star.

In 1987, she became a star at 16 with her smash hit single Foolish Beat.

The song made her the youngest female artiste to ever write, produce and perform a No. 1 hit.

Then came her 1989 triple platinum album, Electric Youth.

Her goody-two-shoes image shared the top of the charts and every teen wall space with 'bad girls' like Madonna and Cindy Lauper.

In 1992, Gibson reinvented herself as a theatre performer.

She had roles in Les Miserables, Grease, Cabaret and Chicago.

When asked how she managed to grow up in the limelight, she said: 'You've got to love it. I had an interviewer ask me: 'Were you pushed into showbiz?'

'If I were, I definitely wouldn't still be in it. I dragged my parents in kicking and screaming.'

She said her parents, especially her mother, have helped in giving her a reality check.

'We all have our meltdown moments. At this point in my life, I can pretty much see those moments coming. I have always have been on top of my mental and emotional health.'

Gibson said she destresses with acupuncture and meditation.

But although she isn't releasing hit pop albums any more, she continues to reach out to teenagers.

She is putting together a summer music camp, Camp Electric Youth, in July for children aged 7 to 17.

She said the camp was a reaction to the obsession young people have for becoming stars.

'They don't realise what it takes to sustain in the business,' she said.

'I really wanted to start a camp that gave kids legitimate training as well as the mental and emotional tools they need.'

And if you're wondering about her love life, sorry boys. Gibson, who has never been married, is happily attached.

But she would only say: 'He is not in the business and he is nobody you know.'

Gibson also remained unapologetic about her good-girl image.

'I just feel you don't see a great vocalist out clubbing.

'You won't see Celine Dion or Christina Aguilera out in a club in LA dancing on table. To do this seriously, it's pretty much your life'.

Nobody cares.

A class act.  Good for her!

Deb appeared to have met her match: Jeff Timmons, who's was in 98 Degrees.

In the song "Foolish Beat", it stated that she'll never love again, but now have appeared to finally met her soulmate since both are former teen idols and close to age.

Wish luck on their relationship  8)

http://www.totalpopstar.com/upload/fckeditor/image/Deborah_Jeff.jpg

http://www.playboy.com/worldofplayboy/events/midsummer-nights-dream-2006/imx/27.jpg