Tony Award winner Lea Salonga joins Broadway cast and producing team of ‘Here Lies Love’

For limited guest engagement July 11 – August 13, 2023

THE producers of Here Lies Love, the groundbreaking musical from the minds of Grammy®, Oscar®, and Tony Award® winner David Byrne (concept, music and lyrics) and Grammy Award® winner Fatboy Slim (music), announced that Tony and Olivier Award winner Lea Salonga, a global Filipina legend, will join the show’s Broadway cast for a special guest engagement this summer.

Salonga, who is also joining the producing team of Here Lies Love, will appear in the show for five weeks from Tuesday, July 11 through Sunday, August 13. She will perform “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 five-week 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 Salonga will serve as a producer on a Broadway show; Here Lies Love also marks the first time Salonga will play a Filipino role on the Broadway stage.

Salonga 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.

Here Lies Love, which tells the story of former Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos’ rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution, will begin performances Saturday, June 17 ahead of an official opening night on Thursday, July 20.

Lea Salonga said, “I’m so excited to be joining Here Lies Love as both a performer and producer! As an audience member that stood on the dance floor at the National Theatre in London where Here Lies Love ran in 2014, I knew I wanted to be part of it if and when it ever came to Broadway. Now here we are, and at the theater in which I made my Broadway debut! I’m thrilled to be part of this show, as well as part of a company comprised of an abundance of Filipino talent, a first in Broadway history! We’re showing the world what we’re capable of!”

Director Alex Timbers said, “Having Lea join the Here Lies Love family is a pinch-me moment for all of us. I can’t wait to get in the rehearsal room with her and the other talented artists working on this show.”

Producer and costume designer Clint Ramos said, “Lea Salonga has singularly secured a place for Filipinos on the Broadway stage. That she joins us as both performer and producer, where she creates a pipeline for Filipina actresses, is profoundly historic. Lea continues to be a beacon of light and source of pride for the Philippines. We are thrilled to welcome her to Here Lies Love.”

As previously announced, the cast of Here Lies Love will also include Jose Llana (The King and I, The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee) and Conrad Ricamora (“How to Get Away with Murder,” The King and I, Soft Power – Grammy nominations). An international casting search is underway for the remaining company of 20+ actors.

Developed & directed by Tony Award winner Alex Timbers, with choreography by Olivier Award nominee Annie-B Parson and additional music by Tom Gandey and J Pardo, the show’s home at the Broadway Theatre (1681 Broadway at 53rd Street) will be transformed into a dance club where the audience is immersed in the story.

Ticketing information

As the official card sponsor of Here Lies Love, American Express® Card Members have Early Access to exclusive presale tickets before the general public from Friday, March 10 at 10am EST through Monday, March 20 at 9:59am EST at Telecharge. com.

Presale tickets for Here Lies Love are available exclusively to Audience Rewards® members from Monday, March 20 at 10:00am ET through Wednesday, March 22 at 9:59am ET. It’s free and fast to join at www.AudienceRewards.com.

Audience Rewards is the Official Rewards Program of Broadway, providing membership benefits and rewards for more than 2.7 million members and representing more than a quarter of all Broadway tickets purchased through Ticketmaster and Telecharge. Free and easy to join, Audience Rewards allows buyers to earn Show Points on every ticket purchase, to be redeemed for free tickets, theater collectibles, unique experiences, and more. Founded in 2008 by a unique coalition of prominent theater owners, including Nederlander, Shubert, and Jujamcyn, major national presenters, and key performing arts centers from across the country, Audience Rewards has offered members was born in Bataan. Her eldest brother was in the navy and he was able to sponsor the entire family to come to the U.S. Her mother taught her how to cook Filipino classics, which comes in handy when sudden cravings arise.

“To this day, like every week I’ll either cook adobo or sinigang or pancit. I always like to have something Filipino at home, a little bit of comfort,” she quipped.

Zoe Jensen didn’t expect the chance to be on Six to come at this point in her life. After all, she has done more than 650 shows in Hamilton and she was looking forward to more.

“It always surprises you when it comes. I really thought that I was going to be with Hamilton for a while but yeah, Six honestly exceeded my expectations in a lot of ways and the main reason is just getting to do it with my group of six and our alternates,” she said. n

FACCTC STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP. As a forward-looking and pro-active Chamber of Commerce in metro Los Angeles, the FilipinoAmerican Chamber of Commerce Tri-County (San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties), recently conducted a strategic planning workshop among its officers and board members in the City of Riverside. Led by facilitator Dennis Heruela, subject matters included management and leadership development, inter-personal relationships, multi-disciplines and protocols on non-profit organizations. In photo above are (seated, from left) Eliza Leigh Serna (secretary), Carmela Giliberto (immediate past president and board member), Christen Montero (president), Dennis Heruela (facilitator and resource speaker), Jeannette Burton (board member), Lydia V. Solis (board member), and Lani Kim (treasurer); (standing from left) resource speaker Dan E. Nino (compliance officer), Chirho Garcia, Gerry Palon (Coalition of Filipino-American Chambers of Commerce), JV Libunao (1st vice president), Merwynn Montenegro (president emeritus), John Flemings (2nd vice president), and Anthony Lopez (board member). Not in photo are Atty Abraham Lim (legal counsel), and board members Nick Munoz and Art Abellada.

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