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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Celebrities devider Pinoy-themed opening night for Broadway's first all-Filipino musical 'Here Lies Love'

Pinoy-themed opening night for Broadway's first all-Filipino musical 'Here Lies Love'

Published Jul 23, 2023 01:01 pm

The cast of 'Here Lies Love' (Images by Jenny Anderson)


On the night that the Broadway musical Here Lies Love opened at New York City’s historic Broadway Theater, the famous theater district’s environment was distinctly Filipino. The colorful jeepney was parked at the façade as the creators and cast of the musical and guests from Hollywood and the Philippines walked the red carpet. Among those who joined HLL stars Arielle Jacobs, Conrad Ricamora, Jose Llana and Lea Salonga, director Alex Timbers, producer Jose Antonio Vargas and creator David Byrne, were HLL producers H.E.R. and Jo Koy, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee with his children Jackson and Satchel, Korean actor-director Daniel Dae Kim of “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-O”, Fil-Am actress Tia Carrere, fashion designer Josie Cruz Natori, drag queen and reality TV star Manila Luzon, and Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang (who even wore a Barong Tagalog).

Jo Koy, one of the producers


H.E.R., one of the producers


David Byrne created the music and lyrics


Mark Bautista, who played the role of Ferdinand Marcos in the London and Seattle productions of Here Lies Love, also attended the opening, so did actresses Yassi Pressman and Yam Concepcion, HLL co-producers Bobby Garcia and Girlie Rodis, photographer BJ Pascual, and singer-actress Rachel Alejandro. The all-Filipino cast also took the opportunity to wear the Barong Tagalog and terno to express their Filipino pride.

Tia Carrere


David Henry Hwang


Daniel Dae Kim of 'Hawaii Five O' and 'Lost'


In a review, Entertainment Weekly (EW) gave *Here Lies Love* a rating of “A minus,” and said, “The all-Filipino cast does a marvelous job telling the Cold War history of the Philippines and making it resonate with our current moment…” The review by EW’s Christian Holub also noted the show’s upbeat and probing qualities “Bravo to a Broadway show that's willing to ask such big questions in such an entertaining way.”

Lea Salonga

Jackson Lee, Spike Lee, and Satchel Lee

Mark Bautista, Bobby Garcia, Rachel Alejandro, and Girlie Rodis

'Here Lies Love' creative team Clint Ramos, Hal Luftig, Kevin Connor, Patrick Catullo, Jose Antonio Vargas, Diana DiMenna


'Here Lies Love' director Alex Timbers

As stellar as the cast and the production was the big passenger jeepney, an icon of Manila, which was emblazoned with the musical’s title on the side. The cast couldn’t resist having their photos taken there. For updates about the musical, visit [herelieslovebroadway.com](http://herelieslovebroadway.com/) and follow herelieslovebway on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
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