Lea Salonga is joining perhaps one of the most controversial productions on Broadway right now.
The Tony-winning actress was announced to become a part of "Here Lies Love" for a special guest engagement this summer. (via Deadline)
Not only would Salonga become part of the cast, but also become a producer of the show.
Lea Salonga 'Here Lies Love' Role
Lea Salonga's "Here Lies Love" role will be Aurora Aquino, the mother of the slain senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., which sparked the 1986 Philippine People Power Revolution, leading to the ousting of dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and his wife, Imelda Marcos - the central character of the show.
Salonga is reported to have only a five-week limited run for the show. It would then be taken over by a Filipino talent, still unannounced, proving that talent from Salonga's home country was "abundant."
The "Miss Saigon" actress turned to Twitter to officialize the announcement as she was "incredibly excited" to finally be taking the "beautiful, impactful, and important musical" to the international stage on Broadway.
Check out her full announcement video below:
Performer AND Broadway producer! It’s happening! See you on the dance floor this summer! @HereLiesLoveBwy pic.twitter.com/dr3Cqu8Tm2
— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) February 27, 2023
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'Here Lies Love' Issue Explained
According to Broadway World, "Here Lies Love" is an immersive disco musical from the minds of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. It is based on the concept album that narrates the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos and the People Power Revolution of the Philippines.
It premiered off-Broadway in 2013 and starred Filipino actors such as Conrad Ricamora as Benigno Aquino, Jose Llana as Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and Korean actress Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda Marcos.
Backlash on the show has grown over time, especially after the announcement that the show would finally be brought to Broadway last January 2023. Netizens pointed out the timing of the show's arrival in New York City, considering that the former dictator's son reclaimed power in the Philippines when Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the central figures of the show, won president in the Philippines last May 2022 via landslide vote.
Meanwhile, the production addressed the pushback in a statement, saying that the show "offers a creative way of re-information - an innovative template on how to stand up to tyrant."
As to why it was brought to Broadway, producers believed that they could not tell the modern history of the Philippines without the United States as a main player as they were intertwined.
"Here Lies Love is an Anti-Marcos show. It is a pro-Filipino show, being told in a quintessential American form: the Broadway musical," the statement reads.
Check out how netizens are responding to the announcement:
Here Lies Love was something I could ignore before, but given the VIOLENT revisionist history that the Marcos dynasty is pushing so hard in the Philippines, bringing Here Lies Love more visibility in this time is RIDICULOUS
— silk sonic the hedgehog (@xtian_as) January 12, 2023
When Here Lies Love first came out, some theater critics said that it helped Imelda become more than just a caricature. Imelda herself commented that she was "flattered" by the OST.
— hilly new year (@CaptainHilly) February 28, 2023
If it's so anti-Marcos, I guess that message isn't reaching the audience? 😆🤡🤷♀️ https://t.co/qyGfxaVCyO
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