Jose Llana, Conrad Ricamora to reprise original roles in ‘Here Lies Love’ on Broadway
Jose Llana and Conrad Ricamora (Photo: Billy Bustamante)
The producers of “Here Lies Love,” the groundbreaking musical which tells the story of former first lady Imelda Marcos’ rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution, announced that Jose Llana and Conrad Ricamora will recreate on Broadway the critically acclaimed roles they originated off-Broadway.
“Here Lies Love,” will begin performances Saturday, June 17 ahead of an official opening night on Thursday, July 20. The musical was created by Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner David Byrne (concept, music and lyrics) and Grammy Award winner Fatboy Slim.
Jose Llana (The King and I, The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee) portrays Ferdinand Marcos, the tenth president of the Philippines whose 20-year dictatorship spanned 1965-1986. He was the husband of Imelda Marcos. He lived in exile in the United States until his death in 1989.
Conrad Ricamora (“How to Get Away with Murder,” The King and I, Soft Power – Grammy nominations)
portrays Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, a Philippine senator, opposition leader and the Marcoses’ primary critic. His assassination in 1983 ignited the People Power Revolution which finally ousted Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos from power.
Both actors received Lucille Lortel Award nominations for their performances at the Public Theater off-Broadway. Ricamora previously reprised his role in the show’s Seattle Rep production.
Developed and 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.
Llana said, “This is a dream: to be a Filipino actor, playing a Filipino character, telling a crucial part of Filipino history, which is also part of American history. I’m honored to return to Here Lies Love. We built a family creating this show 10 years ago, and now we get to do it again on Broadway. See you on the dance floor!”
Ricamora said, “Working on “Here Lies Love” allowed me to embrace my Filipino heritage––all that Pinoy pride! This is a huge moment for increasing representation on stage, and I’m so excited and proud to bring this revolutionary show to Broadway.”
Tickets: 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 Monday, March 13 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.
