Tony and Olivier Winner Lea Salonga ends her extended special engagement after today’s matinee in Here Lies Love at the Broadway Theatre.
Lea, also on the producing team of Here Lies Love, performs “Just Ask The Flowers,” sung by the character of Aurora Aquino – mother of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, whose assassination ignited the People Power Revolution that ousted Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos from power. After her run, guest stars from the Philippines will take over the role, showcasing the abundance of talent from her native country. This production marks the first time Lea serves as a producer on a Broadway show; Here Lies Love also marks the first time Lea is playing a Filipino role on the Broadway stage.
Lea returns to the Broadway Theatre with Here Lies Love after making her Broadway debut there in 1991, winning the Tony Award for her portrayal of Kim in Miss Saigon at age 20.
Broadway: Miss Saigon (Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, and OCC Awards), Flower Drum Song, Allegiance, Once on This Island (Grammy nomination). Select TV: “Pretty Little Liars”(HBO Max); “Centaurworld” (Netflix); “Little Demon” (FX); “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (CW); Les Misérables 10th and 25th anniversary concerts, and “Lea Salonga: Live From Sydney Opera House” (PBS). Film: the singing voices of Jasmine in Aladdin and the title role in Mulan,Yellow Rose. Honored as a Disney Legend, Lea has toured all over the world, performing sold-out concerts at some of the world’s most iconic venues including Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, London’s 02 Arena, and Royal Albert Hall.
Here Lies Love, the groundbreaking musical about former Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos’s astonishing rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution, with music by Grammy®, Oscar®, and Tony Award® winner David Byrne and Grammy Award® winner Fatboy Slim, began previews and opened on July 20 at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway at 53rd Street). Developed and directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers, Here Lies Love features choreography by Olivier Award nominee Annie-B Parson and additional music by Tom Gandey and J Pardo.
The show features the first all-Filipino cast to perform on Broadway: Arielle Jacobs (In The Heights, Aladdin, Between The Lines) as “Imelda Marcos,” Jose Llana (The King and I, The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee) as “Ferdinand Marcos,” Conrad Ricamora (“How to Get Away with Murder,” The King and I, Soft Power – Grammy nominations) as “Ninoy Aquino,” Melody Butiu, Moses Villarama, Jasmine Forsberg, Reanne Acasio, Jaygee Macapugay, Julia Abueva, Renée Albulario, Aaron J. Albano, Aaron Alcaraz, Carol Angeli, Nathan Angelo, Kristina Doucette, Roy Flores, Timothy Matthew Flores, Sarah Kay, Jeigh Madjus, Aaron “AJ” Mercado, Geena Quintos, Shea Renne, and Angelo Soriano.
The creative team for Here Lies Love on Broadway includes three-time Tony Award® nominee David Korins (scenic design), Tony Award® winner Clint Ramos (costume design), Tony Award® winner Justin Townsend (lighting design), M.L. Dogg & Cody Spencer (sound design), and three-time Tony Award® nominee Peter Nigrini (projection design), with casting by Tara Rubin CSA, Xavier Rubiano CSA, Gail Quintos and general management by Foresight Theatrical. Additional creative team members include ATW Jonathan Larson Grant recipient J. Oconer Navarro (music director), Billy Bustamante (assistant director), Renée Albulario (assistant choreographer), Bobby Garcia (casting consultant/Philippines), Gregory T. Livoti (production stage manager), and Ryan Gohsman and Sheryl Polancos (assistant stage managers). Giselle “G” Töngi is the show’s Cultural and Community Liaison.
Here Lies Love is produced by Hal Luftig, Patrick Catullo, Diana DiMenna and Plate Spinner Productions, Clint Ramos, and Jose Antonio Vargas, with Aaron Lustbader serving as Executive Producer.
They are joined by Lea Salonga, H.E.R., Jo Koy, Apl.de.Ap, Rob Laqui, Eva LaBadie, Marikit Ventures/Georgina Pazcoguin, Bobby Garcia/Girlie Rodis, Miranda Gohh/Adam Hyndman, Don Michael H. Mendoza/Lora Nicolas Olaes, Celia Kaleialoha Kenney/ Giselle “G” Töngi, No Guarantees, Yasuhiro Kawana, Elise K. Haas, Shira Friedman, Len Blavatnik Warner Music Entertainment, Wendy Federman/Suzanne Niedland, Cathy Dantchik, James L. Nederlander, Elizabeth Armstrong, John Gore Organization, The Shubert Organization, Hunter Arnold, LaChanze, The Public Theater, Eastern Standard Time, Triptyk Studios, Iris Smith, Michael Robin Productions/Anastasia Muravyeva, Alexi Melvin/Beesham A. Seecharan, Andrew Diamond/Patrick Trettenero, Buzzy Geduld/Gilad Rogowsky, Laura Ivey/Janet Brenner, and David Brendel/Charlotte Cohn.
September 16, 2023-January 6, 2024
Celebrating the life and work of the great Stephen Sondheim, Old Friends, won the Best Theatre Event at the 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards. It sold out within a couple of hours last year leaving thousands of disappointed fans unable to get tickets. Now by popular demand, audiences will have another chance to see the never to be forgotten and one of the most talked about theatrical events of the year.
Broadway legends Bernadette Peters, who is appearing in a West End run for the first time in her legendary career, and Lea Salonga, who is appearing for the first time in 27 years, are joined by Christine Allado, Janie Dee, Haydn Gwynne, Damian Humbley, Bradley Jaden, Bonnie Langford, Gavin Lee, Jason Pennycooke, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Jac Yarrow, Marley Fenton, and Beatrice Penny-Touré. The company will also include Harry Apps, Bella Brown, Richard Dempsey, and Monique Young, completing a cast that is truly the best of the West End and Broadway.
Devised and Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends will run at the Gielgud Theatre for 16 weeks only from September 16 – January 6, 2024.
Performance Schedule
Monday – Saturday: 7:30pm
Wednesday & Saturday: 2:30pm
First midweek matinee: Wednesday, September 27
First weekend matinee: Saturday, September 23
Click here for tickets and more information.
Directed by Matthew Bourne, side by side with Julia McKenzie, with choreography by Stephen Mear, conducted by Alfonso Casado Trigo, musical supervision is by Stephen Brooker, musical arrangements by Stephen Metcalfe, set design by Matt Kinley, projection design by George Reeve, costume design by Jill Parker, lighting design by Warren Letton and sound design by Mick Potter.
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer, activist, documentarian and an Award winning filmmaker and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Lia starred in Signature Theatre’s revival of Sam Shepard’s Chicago in 1996 at the Public Theater. Lia is also the host and Executive Producer of BACKSTAGE PASS WITH LIA CHANG, an Arts and Entertainment and Lifestyle program that airs on Sundays at 1:30pm and 6:30pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, Spectrum 56/1996 and streams on MNN2. Lia was recently profiled on Asian American Life. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. www.liachang.com www.liachangphotography.com
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang 