It has been a dream come true for Prince Charming Peter Saide.

The former CQUniversity music theatre student is currently on stage in China playing the male lead role in Cinderella alongside Tony Award winner Lea Salonga.

Prince Charming Peter Saide.The 25-year-old recently told the Toowoomba Chronicle that he feels like his solidity as a performer has only just been achieved. It's only now he feels he could actually have a career exclusively in performing.

Since Cinderella opened, Peter has found himself much in demand with the media and public alike, often waking early for morning media interviews and staying after the show to sign autographs.

"My life is amazing as it has always been. I never cease to feel awed at the wonderful things I get to experience everyday," he told the newspaper.

Saide graduated from the Bachelor of Music Theatre degree in 2003. After successful work experiences in Tokyo, Sydney and New York, he  landed the lead role with Lea Salonga (Broadway's Miss Saigon and singing voice of Disney's Mulan) in the South East Asian Tour of Cinderella.

The show debuted in Manila in The Philippines in July and is now on stage in China, with further stops in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Japan and Qatar planned up until May 2009.

Director Bobbie Garcia recalled the casting day for the prince's role as remarkable.

"[We had] a full day seeing some of the finest theatrical leading men New York had to offer ... and then Peter Saide walked into the room. Immediately I knew that there was something special here. He sang the Prince's solo song ‘The Loneliness of Evening' flawlessly and so I asked him to sing ‘Do I Love You' with Lea Salonga [Cinderella]. They sounded beautiful together. Pure synchronicity."

"Lea later said to me that Peter was ‘swoon worthy'."

Saide was "ecstatic" to learn he had landed the role.

"Lea Salonga performed Eponine from ‘Les Miserables' and Kim from ‘Miss Saigon' - I remember watching it over and over again. I thought she was wonderful and I thought the show was miraculous. I now get the chance to perform not only with Lea, but opposite her as the Prince in ‘Cinderella'.

"It's a dream come true for me."

Prince Charming Peter Saide.Saide said music theatre was something that came into his life relatively late. He remembers at the age of 16 buying a copy of Cameron Mackintosh's ‘Hey, Mr Producer' on VHS, and appearing in a few high school musicals, but that was the extent of his repertoire.

"Before I went to CQUniversity, I had never taken a dance or music class. I had never taken a singing class and had only been involved in a few high school musicals.

"But the staff at saw my desire for learning and saw in me a potential that I had never known."

"My voice teacher Garrick Jones taught me instinctively - he knew exactly how I worked. He seemed to take delight in working with me and what was essentially a ‘clean slate' - a voice without any training or obvious quality, admittedly, but also without bad habits or strange techniques."

CQUniversity lecturer Garrick Jones remembers Peter well.

"Peter's presence is still felt among staff here, and it is wonderful to see one of our students landing such a leading role on the international music theatre stage," Mr Jones said.

Peter will always be remembered for his leading roles in CQUniversity's productions of Sound of Music, Aspects of Love, Chess, Kiss Me Kate and most importantly in the sell-out season of Chicago.

"Peter is still in touch regularly and was coming to Mackay for lessons in January when his US agent called him back to New York to begin rehearsals for Saturday Night Fever.

"I am very proud of that our music theatre program has produced such a new and exciting star."