Tony and Olivier Award winner Lea Salonga will join the Broadway cast of Here Lies Love by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim for a special guest engagement this summer.
Producers of the show announced the casting of the Filipina actor today. Salonga is also joining the show as a producer.
Salonga 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 what the producers described as “the abundance of talent” from Salonga’s native country.
This production marks the first time Salonga will serve as a producer on a Broadway show, and the first time she will play a Filipino role on the Broadway stage. Here Lies Love also will mark her return to the Broadway Theatre after making her Broadway debut there in 1991, when she won the Tony Award for her portrayal of Kim in Miss Saigon at age 20.
“I’m so excited to be joining Here Lies Love as both a performer and producer,” Salonga said in a statement. “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,” she continued, “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.”
Here Lies Love features a concept, music and lyrics from Byrne, and music by Fatboy Slim. Salonga joins previously announced cast members Jose Llana and Conrad Ricamora. An international casting search is underway for the remaining company of more than 20 actors.
The immersive musical, which will transform part of the Broadway Theatre into a dance club, 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.
The musical begins performances Saturday, June 17 ahead of an official opening night on Thursday, July 20.
“Lea Salonga has singularly secured a place for Filipinos on the Broadway stage,” said producer and costume designer Clint Ramos. “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.”