New photos have been released of the immersively-staged Here Lies Love, currently in previews at The Broadway Theatre. Opening next week on July 20, audiences can get a fresh look at the disco-fied musical.
Here Lies Love is based on the real story of Filipino First Lady Imelda Marcos, whose husband Ferdinand Marcos was the 10th president of the Philippines and ruled as dictator for 20 years until 1986. The musical features a score by Grammy, Tony, and Oscar winner David Byrne and Grammy winner Fatboy Slim, with music by both, and concept and lyrics by Byrne.
Leading the cast is Arielle Jacobs as Imelda Marcos opposite Jose Llana as Ferdinand Marcos. Completing the leading trio is Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino, a Philippine senator who critiqued the Marcos family during its regime until his assassination in 1983. His murder sparked the People Power Revolution which resulted in the removal of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos from power. Both Llana and Ricamora reprise their performances from the musical's 2013 Off-Broadway run.
Take a look at the production:
Jose Llana and cast of Here Lies Love
Jose Llana, Arielle Jacobs, and the cast of Here Lies Love
Arielle Jacobs in Here Lies Love
Audience at Here Lies Love
Arielle Jacobs in Here Lies Love
Conrad Ricamora and Arielle Jacobs in Here Lies Love
Arielle Jacobs in Here Lies Love
Arielle Jacobs and the cast of Here Lies Love
Conrad Ricamora, Arielle Jacobs, and the cast of Here Lies Love
Melody Butiu and the cast of Here Lies Love
Conrad Ricamora and the cast of Here Lies Love
Melody Butiu, Arielle Jacobs, and the cast of Here Lies Love
Arielle Jacobs and cast of Here Lies Love
Arielle Jacobs and Jose Llana in Here Lies Love
Conrad Ricamora in Here Lies Love
Lea Salonga and cast of Here Lies Love
Moses Villarama in Here Lies Love
Cast of Here Lies Love
Here Lies Love at the Broadway Theatre
Lea Salonga plays Aurora Aquino, Ninoy Aquino's mother, in a limited guest engagement July 11-August 13. Following her run, guest stars from the Philippines will take over the role. It's an important moment in the Tony and Olivier winner's career as it marks her first time playing a Filipino role on the Main Stem while she also gains her first Broadway producing credit. Returning to the Broadway Theatre will also be a homecoming for Salonga, who made her Broadway debut there in 1991 as Éponine in Les Misérables shortly before starring in Miss Saigon in the same theatre.
The all-Filipino cast, a first for Broadway, also includes Broadway alums Melody Butiu (Doctor Zhivago), Jaygee Macapugay (Shucked), Julia Abueva (KPOP), Aaron Alcaraz (Mean Girls), Kristina Doucette (Wicked), Jeigh Madjus (Moulin Rouge!), Geena Quintos (Miss Saigon), Shea Renne (Hadestown), and Angelo Soriano (Aladdin), as well as Moses Villarama, Jasmine Forsberg, Reanne Acasio, Renée Albulario, Carol Angeli, Nathan Angelo, Roy Flores, Timothy Matthew Flores, Sarah Kay, and Aaron "AJ" Mercado.
Returning to the project are original director Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge) and choreographer Annie-B Parson. They are joined on the creative team by music director J. Oconer Navarro, Tony-nominated scenic designer David Korins, Tony-winning costume designer Clint Ramos, Tony-winning lighting designer Justin Townsend, sound designers M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer, Tony-nominated projection designer Peter Nigrini, and cultural and community liaison Giselle “G” Töngi. Casting is by Tara Rubin, Xavier Rubiano, and Gail Quintos. Bobby Garcia served as casting consultant. General management will be by Foresight Theatrical. Tom Gandey and J Pardo have also contributed additional music for the production.
The immersive staging of the musical transforms the Broadway Theatre into a disco dance club complete with a performance catwalk and "satellite stages." It also features 360-degree lighting and video screens as part of the design.
Developed over the past decade since its original 2013 Off-Broadway run at The Public, Here Lies Love ran at the National Theater in London in 2014 and Seattle Rep in 2017. Each production was met with a variety of responses, and conversations have cropped up again on social media as attention returns to the musical with the upcoming Broadway run. In response to online criticism, the official Here Lies Love Broadway accounts on Twitter and Instagram published a lengthy statement that included the production's intentions in portraying this vulnerable moment in Filipino history onstage in 2023. Read more here.
Here Lies Love was recently embroiled in another controversy after it officially revealed a plan to perform to only pre-recorded tracks. The move would have been a historic first for a full Broadway musical. American Federation of Musicians steadfastly opposed the plan. the production and the union came to an agreement which includes hiring 12 musicians from the Local 802 of American Federation of Musicians to play performances. Nine of these musicians are new hires as Here Lies Love had already planned on using three actor-musicians, who have had to become members of Local 802 as part of the agreement. Read more about the compromise between Here Lies Love and American Federation of Musicians here.
