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Conrad Ricamora, Arielle Jacobs and more talk of Broadway's first All-Pinoy cast musical 'Here Lies Love'
For the first time in history, an all-Filipino cast musical is being staged in Broadway.
"Here Lies Love," the David Byrne-Fatboy Slim immersive dance musical about the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos, is selling out its previews at the revamped Broadway Theatre. The musical officially opens on July 20.
Reprising their roles from its original 2013 Off-Broadway run at The Public are Jose Llana (Ferdinand Marcos), and Conrad Ricamora (Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino).
Melody Butiu also reprises her Lortel-nominated role as Estrella.
In an interview with the New York Times, award-winning musician-composer David Byrne described Estrella as "Imelda's best friend, mother and maid, all rolled into one" who, despite promises that she would be looked after, was abandoned by Imelda.
Portraying Imelda Marcos is Arielle Jacobs ("Aladdin," "Wicked," "In the Heights"), while Lea Salonga will be portraying Aurora Aquino, the mother of Benigno, from July 11 through August 13.
Directed by the original director Alex Timbers ("Moulin Rouge") and choreographed by Annie-B Parson, the Broadway musical features an immersive dance club staging where audiences get to participate in a disco-style setting with Moses Villarama acting as the DJ.
The 23-member all-Pinoy company also includes Julia Abueva (Dovie), Jaygee Macapugay, Aaron Alcaraz, Kristina Doucette, Jeigh Madjus, Geena Quintos, Shea Renne, Angelo Soriano, Moses Villarama, Jasmine Forsberg, Reanne Acasio, Renee Albulario, Carol Angeli, Nathan Angelo, Roy Flores, Timothy Matthew Flores, Sarah Kay and Aaron "AJ" Mercado.
The show is also produced by a number of Filipino talents led by Jo Koy, H.E.R., Lea Salonga, Clint Ramos, Jose Antonio Vargas among others.
After watching a preview in New York, we were able to interview some of the cast members via Zoom – Conrad Ricamora, Jose Llana, Arielle Jacobs, Melody Butiu and producer-creative consultant-costume designer Clint Ramos. Below are excerpts from our interviews.
Conrad Ricamora (Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino)
How is it doing the role now in 2023 on Broadway, compared to doing it in 2013 Off- Broadway?
A lot of things have changed. I feel like because I did it 10 years ago, I've been able to now go dig deeper into the role, and really be more specific with everything that I'm doing in my performance.
Being 10 years older, I've had more life experiences to draw upon to play Ninoy, who's obviously, he's not a character, he's a real-life person. And, spending more time with him, watching videos, and reading more of his memoirs have been really helpful. Then also just being, living more life myself, I'm married now, and I know what it's like to be married and to commit your life to someone.
So, his sacrifice, the things he sacrificed for his family, I know what that means. What that cost him a little bit more now than I did when I was in my early 30s playing the role and still single.
Why do you think it is so important that the younger generation know about this story?
I think again, you asked what's the difference between now 2023 and doing it 10 years ago. Ten years ago, the 2016 election didn't happen in America. We've learned how precious and fragile democracy can be. And that's what this story, that's what "Here Lies Love" is about. How to follow blindly, following an idol, a leader, without questioning them, without demanding the truth and without demanding facts, and without demanding where the money is going.
We're seeing it play out now in our own country, and we saw it play out with Marcos as well. So, I think it's important to learn from that history, so it doesn't repeat itself.
In 2013, the president was Noynoy Aquino, and now we have Ferdinand Marcos' son, Bongbong. Do you think the perception of the people will change due to the political climate in the Philippines or it doesn't really matter?
I hope it just makes people pay attention to what's happening, no matter what country people are living in when they come and see the show. Because again, democracy is really fragile. It's not something we can take for granted.
So yeah, we have to demand answers from our leaders. We have to demand truth and facts from our leaders. And we have to educate ourselves about what's really going on and not just take at face value the people that we have in the office.
In your research about Benigno Aquino, what did you learn about the man, and can you relate to him?
Oh, gosh. I mean, watching the videos of Ninoy, he's got such an open spirit. Even in times when he was really in distress in his life, he's so jovial and has so much joy.
Then when he is talking impassioned about freeing the Filipino people and having a democracy in the Philippines, he becomes almost somebody else when he's talking about those issues.
It goes against every natural instinct for self-preservation, to speak up against somebody who is taking democracy away, for lack of a better word, to speak up against a dictator. And he did that, and it cost him everything. It cost him his family at first. It cost him his freedom at first, and then it ultimately cost him his life.
But I think he knew that if he didn't do it, then this could go on for decades and decades. And just to learn about a human being who is giving up their own well-being for the good of everyone else and for the cause of freedom and justice is really inspiring.
This is a breakthrough musical because it's an all-Filipino cast and then produced by a lot of Filipino talents from H.E.R. to Lea Salonga, from Jo Koy to Clint Ramos. So, what's the significance of this for you?
It's the first time I feel like we've ever been able to fully celebrate specifically our Filipino heritage, our Filipino-ness. And that feels like that's something that every one of us in the cast we've never been able to do before with a show. We've been a part of all-Asian casts before, but it's never been specifically telling a story about where our parents came from, or in some cases in the cast where we came from as well. So, it's the most special show I've ever been a part of.
In 2013, you had Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda, and now you have Arielle Jacobs. Talk about working with Arielle as Imelda.
She is just one of the most talented human beings that I've ever come across, in terms of she's so challenging and a lot of these scenes where she pushes me to be a better actor. Her voice is just one of the most glorious voices that I've ever heard on a stage. It's been such a treat to work opposite of her. And also, because I've done the show so many times and so long ago, she keeps me on my toes and keeps it fresh for me as well.
She's challenging me in ways that I never thought I would be challenged in this show. Because I think it's easy to get too comfortable in something that you've done a lot, many times for many years. So, she's definitely challenging me in that way.
What do you look forward to working with Lea Salonga as your mother, Aurora Aquino?
Oh my gosh. I mean, she's such a legend and I mean, she really paved the way for all of us as Filipinos and as Filipino performers. So, to be able to share a stage with her, I never thought I would be able to, in my wildest dreams. And now being able to is just such a gift to all of us really because we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her.
You started previews already, what challenges have you encountered and how are you overcoming them?
It's the same with doing any show eight times a week on Broadway. I'm so tired because we're also still in rehearsal during the day. I get off the Zoom with you right now, and then an hour from now we start rehearsal again on the notes that they have from last night's show. And we do that for the next month until July 20th. So really, it's just getting a lot of sleep, eating well, hydrating, and just trying to sleep as much as possible.
It's also very physical because you do a lot of jumping on the stage, running around. So how do you keep fit?
Even though I've been tired, I've been making myself go to the gym and train even when I'm not on stage and working on the show, just to build up that endurance and build up that strength. So doing cardio and strength training every day, even when I don't really want to do it.
They say that a lot of Fil-Ams don't know anything about the People's Power Revolution. What do you know about the People's Power Revolution?
I know that the spark of it was Ninoy's assassination when he was returning to the Philippines to try to break up this stronghold that Marcos had over the country, that he was changing laws so that he could stay in power forever. And I know that that happened in 1983, and then that sparked the People Power Revolution, that happened in 1986, that it was completely peaceful, which is amazing. And that everybody rose up together and demanded their democracy back, demanded their freedom back.
I feel like we learn a lot about revolutions that have a lot of violence in them, but the fact that this was a completely peaceful revolution is the thing that always strikes me. And the thing that always just brings me to tears is that, yeah, it was a nonviolent revolution and that everyone was behind it.
Jose Llana (Ferdinand Marcos)
Congratulations on reprising your Lortel-nominated Best Actor role as Ferdinand Marcos which you originated at The Public Theater. How is it doing this role now in 2023 compared to the one you did in 2013 at original Off-Broadway musical?
Thank you. The major change is that we're in a much bigger space. At The Public Theater, we were able to fit a couple hundred people on the dance floor, and then one row of gallery seating. And, to move uptown to the Broadway theater that we're in, just really increased the capacity. So, we added a lot more gallery seats, and we added many more people to the dance floor so that more people can enjoy the show.
The major difference too is that we're in a different world than we were, especially as Filipinos, ten years ago. Ten years ago, the show was about a time in the past. Hopefully, we were able to learn lessons from the show.
Now, we're in a different world, where Bongbong Marcos is back. So, I think the show has so much more relevance now than it did before.
In response to that, we have a full Filipino cast, which is history-making and groundbreaking. And I am so utterly proud to lead this company.
And also, you have producers who are all Filipinos too. Like Lea Salonga.
Yes. Clint Ramos. And Jose Antonio Vargas. Yes.
So, how amazing is that? You have an all-Filipino cast in Broadway, and Filipinos producing. What is the significance of this for you?
It's immense. I think, to have people behind the table that we say behind the table in positions of power. Jose Antonio Vargas, and particularly Clint Ramos have really flexed their muscles in terms of how the show is marketed and how the show is being presented to not just the theater audience, but specifically to the Filipino audience and the Filipino American audience.
It's a sensitive issue and we're boldly aware of that. But they're also boldly aware of the historical significance of having that many Filipino producers in a Broadway show which is why I think that artists like Lea, H.E.R. and Jo Koy have really come in and brought their audiences with them and given our show real authenticity in terms of the Filipino pride that is not just on stage, but behind the scenes as well.
I know when you did 2013, Noynoy Aquino was the president. Now 2023, it's Bongbong Marcos. Do you foresee a different reception from the public due to the different political climate or it doesn't really matter?
Well, it does matter. I was born in martial law in the Philippines in Quezon City. And we moved here in 1979 to escape martial law. And my parents were student activists. They were part of the First Quarter Storm. You know what I mean?
My mom and dad are baby boomers. They were in college in the late '60s. So, they were part of that generation of Filipinos that were really active politically. And my mom and dad raised me to really have an understanding of why we left.
Everyone has their own history, particularly Filipino Americans, whether they're first-generation, second-generation, or third generation living here, everyone has their own relationship with martial law and the Marcoses. And our job is to tell the truth about history.
The hard thing is that some people don't want to revisit that history, depending on how hard their lives were during martial law. Or how good their lives were during martial law.
What we want to avoid is people not talking about it. I think the only time you are doomed to repeat mistakes in history is if you ignore them. So, I think, that's where the power of our show is. And on top of that, we do it in a fun way.
Anyone who comes to the show understands that the show is about 80% fun and then 20% acknowledgment of history. I don't want to ruin the ending for people who haven't seen the show. But, in the last three songs, there's an awakening, and there's an acknowledgment that you can't snuff out democracy without being held accountable for it.
In your years of portraying Ferdinand Marcos, what did you discover about him in your research?
I discovered that he was very smart, very intelligent, and very calculating. He was someone who came about in power when the Philippines was needing someone to be very nationalistic and to stand up against not just the Spanish, but to stand up against Americans. And he rode that popularity to a landslide victory in his first presidency.
What I found is that there's a problem when leaders get too obsessed with holding onto their power. That is where I think the mistakes became really tumultuous in the country. It led to martial law, and it led to so much human rights violations and death. It's really important that people understand that. I want everyone to understand that we're telling the true story about what happened with martial law and we're not holding back anything.
You also worked with Ruthie Ann Miles before as Imelda. So how is it working now with Arielle Jacobs as Imelda?
It's a dream. They're both extraordinary talents. Ariel and I were friends for years before working together. I'm actually very good friends with her older brother, Adam Jacobs, who is also another Broadway star.
As we said, the show is of its time right now. It was incredibly important for us during this very sensitive time of Filipino pride and acknowledgment that the politics are very specific right now, that we are united as a Filipino company. And Arielle is ready for it.
She is extraordinary. She carries the show in such a beautiful way. On top of that, she's kind and truly aware of the historical nature of what we're doing right now.
Now, you also have shorthand with Conrad Ricamora, Melody Butiu and director Alex Timbers who have all done this before.
Yeah, we're siblings. I mean, Conrad, the company calls me Kuya, which is my favorite thing in the world. And Conrad is my little brother.
When we started doing "Here Lies Love" together 10 years ago, the world didn't know who Conrad Ricamora was. But now they do. But he is still the same incredible talent and little brother to me. We're really good friends, and he's fantastic, and he brings Ninoy to life in such an explosive, explosive way. We've just bonded as brothers in this whole thing.
And Alex Timbers, I was a massive fan of Alex before the show started. And the fact that he was involved, and David Byrne was involved was the reason when I heard about the show, the workshop was being done at The Public Theater about the Marcoses, I made a beeline there. I said, "I'd like to be a part of this show if you'll have me." And I've been involved with it since the very first workshop.
I also read your father watched 15 times the first original show. So, is he planning also to come and watch the show again another 15 times?
Numerous times. Numerous times. My mom and dad are both so extraordinarily proud. And it's complicated, right? They were both major anti-Marcos activists in the Philippines and now their son is playing this guy who is the main reason why we left the country.
But I think my parents have always stood behind me, trusted my choices, and trusted my judgment call. And, when we were still formulating what "Here Lies Love" was going to be and I got to know David Byrne, and I really understood his respect for history, and his respect for peaceful protest.
He knew that the show was going to end with a People's Power Revolution. And he knew that this concept album that he made that just came out of inspiration needed to end in a way that acknowledged that the Philippines isn't the only place in the world and in history that had a dictator.
It's happening over and over again in the world. And we're telling our story as Filipinos, but this story of corrupt power and martial law is happening all over the world today.
So, my parents are very proud of the show and they're proud that I'm part of it. They want their friends who may not want to talk about martial law because it was very hard on them, they understand that to come to see the show might be difficult, but it's cathartic. And hopefully, it spurs conversation amongst other Filipinos to acknowledge the mistakes that were made, and we can't make them again.
Do you look forward to working with Lea Salonga as Aurora Aquino?
Yes, I do. Lea and I worked together years ago, almost 20 years ago. We did "Flower Drum Song" on Broadway together. And we've both lived quite some lives since then. We've both gotten married. She has a child now. Nicole is fantastic. And Lea is a legend.
You can't talk about Filipinos on Broadway without talking about Lea's Salonga. She paved the way for all of us. And I remember being a freshman in high school in Northern Virginia when she won her Tony Award for "Miss Saigon." And I can't stress enough, her winning that Tony propelled me to say, "Maybe I could do it. Maybe I can go to New York and be a Broadway actor." And then, seven years later, we were playing opposite each other in a show. So, dreams come true. And then, you meet your heroes.
Arielle Jacobs (Imelda Marcos)
How did you prepare and research for your role as Imelda Marcos?
I did a lot of research. I read a few books and saw two documentaries. I've also been very blessed because the creative team has put together a huge database for the entire company. We have a lot of videos, we have a lot of things that were taken, pictures and primary source material from interviews that we have to work with. So, it's just been such a pleasure to be able to bring all of that together into this performance as Imelda.
Did you have to audition for this part or were you just invited?
No, I had several auditions, actually. It was a three-month process. I had several auditions. I had to perform six songs from the show. I had to perform a monologue, and I had to do two dance combinations. So, it was a very rigorous callback situation where I had to come in several times, and the whole team was there. It was a lot of fun, but it was definitely a lot of nail-biting, waiting to see what was going to happen.
Did you work immediately with Conrad Ricamora and Jose Llana?
I didn't work with them until the first day of rehearsal, so Jose was present at my final callback, and so we did one of our duets together so they could see the chemistry. But we actually didn't get any time other than that until we got to rehearsal.
Were you able to see the original, "Here Lies Love," with Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda?
Yes, and it was fantastic. I actually auditioned for the role of Imelda 12 years ago before it was at The Public Theater when they had initial developmental workshops. My very first audition was 2011. Then I had another audition in 2014 when the show went back to The Public Theater after the initial run. Then this was my third time auditioning for Imelda, and I guess the third time's the charm.
In your research about Imelda, what did you learn about the woman?
There's a lot out there. There's a lot of information, and we know some stuff is accurate and we also know some stuff is not accurate, and so deciphering her history and trying to figure out why some of the choices that she made, where did they come from?
So, for me, I discovered there was a lot of heartbreak in her life. There were also a lot of people, her family and society and neighborhood shunning her as a child. There was a lot of wanting to prove herself as worthy of attention. She wanted to be seen. There's also reasoning there behind why so much beauty, why beauty is so important, why glamour is so important, and recognizing that sometimes when people get hurt, they grow up and they make choices that might end up hurting people.
In this case, that is definitely happening in the story of "Here Lies Love" and that represents what might have happened to a lot of people there in the Philippines.
This musical is also a breakthrough since it's an all-Filipino cast and then produced by a lot of Filipino talents, from H.E.R. to Lea Salonga, from Jo Koy to Clint Ramos and to Jose Antonio Vargas. So, tell us about the significance of this for you.
This show is a Filipino cultural phenomenon. This is all the most skilled and genius Filipino icons coming together to tell this story, and to be a part of that, to be a part of the force that this show is feels like it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I'm just so blessed to be a part of it.
And to get to meet H.E.R. and to get to work with Lea Salonga. I feel like I'm learning from the best. I feel like I'm surrounded by the best and just so happy to be able to have so many people supporting this story because it is an important one.
You portrayed Princess Jasmine in the Australian and Broadway productions of "Aladdin," and then now you are working with Lea Salonga. What do you look forward to when Lea comes and joins you to portray Aurora Aquino?
I've been working with Lea Salonga quite a bit because of rehearsals. She's been in the process as well, and she comes with so much experience, she comes with so much wisdom, and she also comes with so much fun.
She's so playful and I love having her around, having her energy around. It just makes everyone stand a little taller and wants to just do their best because we all look up to her so much. I grew up watching "Aladdin" and watching "Mulan," and she's been such an icon to me my entire career as somebody who I want to aspire to be like. So now that I get to be working on stage with her in this production, it's just a dream come true.
Then also how was it working with Conrad Ricamora and Jose Llana?
Conrad plays Ninoy and he is so good because he has this passion, and he has also this boyish quality that you just feel like he's so easy to fall in love with on stage. Then Jose Llana comes with so much experience as well because he has done a gazillion Broadway shows, just like Lea Salonga.
So, getting to work with Jose Llana, I feel so supported, I feel so taken care of, and I feel like we have a really good chemistry on stage where I feel like we have an immense amount of trust. No matter what happens, I know he has my back and vice versa, so I love getting to work with both of them.
And is this your first time working with director Alex Timbers?
Yes, and I've been such a fan of Alex Timbers for so long. I absolutely loved everything he's done from "Beetlejuice" to "Moulin Rouge," even to "Rocky," the Broadway musical based on the film "Rocky," and everything he's done, I've just been in awe of.
To get to be now in the center of one of the biggest shows he's ever created, it feels like I've been waiting for this moment for so long. I feel so blessed because I also know that no matter what happens, he's going to make it entertaining, extravagant, humongous, and mind-blowing in the way that I know he can because I've experienced his shows. I've watched him create these productions. So, from inside it, it's hard to know what the world is that people are seeing, but I trust, and I know that if it's his mind creating it, it's a phenomenal experience.
A lot of people say that Fil-Ams do not know anything about the People's Power Revolution. What do you know about the People's Power Revolution?
I'm definitely learning a lot now, and it's something that it's true. I think a lot of Filipino Americans don't know the history because their parents didn't want to talk about it, which is also why I think this production of "Here Lies Love" is so important, because everybody who has this culture, should be aware of what happened because this is our history.
We survived through something that made a big impact on the whole country, but not just the country, but the people who are still living in the Philippines, the people who've left the Philippines, and the people who don't want to talk about it.
As a child of a Filipino immigrant, I also wasn't told much about this history. So, getting to tell this story and to learn about it myself, I feel like I'm not only helping to educate through this art form, but I'm also offering a sense of healing and a sense of space for people to experience the emotions that they went through, or their parents or grandparents went through and creating this opportunity for people to see it and to heal from it.
Imelda Marcos was also a fashion icon during her heyday, and you've been wearing a lot of Clint Ramos-designed ternos and gowns. What was your favorite one and how did you feel when you wore the ternos?
I feel like such a queen wearing ternos. I think my favorite costume that I get to wear in "Here Lies Love" is the very last one.
I wear a white dress with butterfly sleeves, and just the way that it just feels so elegant. And he's designed it in the back so that it's like half a cape, so it attaches at the shoulder, but then it's open and then attaches again at the hip. So, if you see me from the side, you can see a cape behind my body, but you can see through it, and it just blows in the wind, which is also really fun to play with, especially because at the end of "Here Lies Love," the helicopter comes to take Imelda from Malacañang. So, getting to have that dress that just blows in the wind, feels so appropriate and so fun to play with.
And gosh, Clint Ramos, his designs for every single costume in this production are so specific and beautiful and appropriate. I wore about 18 costumes in the whole show. It's only a 90-minute production, so it's quick change after another quick change. And a lot of my quick change happens on stage, so you get to go from one outfit into another one right before your eyes in half a second.
I saw how you changed from the pink coat and then took it off and then it's a disco gold dress.
Yes. Everything's very magical, very well-planned.
Melody Butiu (Estrella)
Congratulations on reprising your Lortel-nominated role here as Estrella. What are the differences between when you did it in 2013 and now in 2023?
The difference is from the original production, it's really grown. The heart is the same, but I also feel like the work has deepened, the research has deepened, and the resources that they have had available to us, especially because we have so many Filipinos on the producing and creative team who really wanted to make that available to us.
We have Clint Ramos and Jose Antonio Vargas joining the lead producers. They've really been such an incredible resource and I feel like the piece itself has deepened and grown. I also feel like the world is a different place than when we did it 10 years ago.
My goodness, so much has changed in politics, not only in this country and not only in the Philippines but around the world. So, I feel like the message and the exploration of the story we are telling are even more resonant and more relevant now.
Having an all-Filipino cast and also produced by Filipino talents is amazing! How significant is that for you?
It's so incredible. As you know, we spoke about when I did "Easter Sunday," it's like when I first started my career, I was told, "Oh, people don't know where the Philippines is. They don't know what Filipinos are. So, you should mutate yourself to fit into what other people's needs are in this industry."
Whether it's changing my name, learning another language, just be prepared to audition, and play other roles besides my own ethnicity, play other ethnicities. This has been so profound and so powerful to be able to share this experience with such an incredible group of Filipina talent.
To be able to share our experience and share our stories and share this history has been incredible, has been just unbelievable and so powerful.
Last night we had so many Filipinos in the audience and in the final number, to look out onto the sea of faces, young and old, to dance with them and to see them tearing up, to see them throw up the Laban sign, oh my gosh, I was losing it.
It was so emotional, so hopeful, and it was really incredible to witness and to know that the others in the cast were so affected by it as well, was really very powerful.
How important is it for the younger generation to know about this part of history?
It's incredibly important like history is repeating itself. There is so much misinformation and disinformation about their teaching in the schools again. They're just rewriting history. And the Marcoses are very good at perception.
Perception is everything. So, it's like they write their own truth and then people see it. They see it on Facebook, they see it, they learn it in their classrooms, and they believe, "Oh, okay." And they forget all the history that's happened. They forget the lives that were lost. They forget the billions of dollars stolen. They forget the wars, the crimes against humanity. And we can't forget that.
When I talk about the research that Jose (Antonio Vargas) and Clint (Ramos) and their research assistant, Sandra Leandro, put together for us, they're all primarily sourced. They're all verified information. So, to know that was of the utmost importance to them, that we weren't just creating this piece of art based on rumors and conjecture and "Oh, I heard this," that they really wanted that as a foundation for us, is really important. While this is not a documentary, while it is a piece of incredible art, we want it to hit people in a visceral way. That's what we hope to create with this piece.
When you staged the first play in 2013, the president was Noynoy Aquino, and this year it's the son of Ferdinand Marcos. Do you think the political climate will change the reception to the play or it doesn't really matter?
I'm not sure. I don't know how many Filipinos from the Philippines are going to get a chance to see it. I know it feels like there's been some reaction because they just hear that it's a play about the Marcoses. But I feel like it's so much more.
To me, it's more a play about the people and the power of the people to use their voices and to stand up for what they believe is right. I know that the current president was elected in a very popular... millions of votes, but I also know that there are many Filipinos who still remember, who remember the history, and want to continue educating those around them.
Where were you during the People's Power Revolution?
I was in the States, and I was a child, but I do remember seeing the assassination of Ninoy on the news. I remember my parents and my grandparents, my aunts, and uncles, just gathered around the TV and watching what was happening and paying attention to everything that was happening back home. So yeah, I was in the States during that time, but I remember how much it impacted them and how much it was seen around the world.
How much did you know of Estrella before you performed her?
There isn't a whole lot. There's a bit in Carmen Pedrosa's book that talks about her and her relationship with Imelda. She was put under house arrest, and they didn't want the book to be released.
They didn't like the fact that she was speaking with the press or with an author. But then beyond that, there isn't a whole lot of documentation about her.
So, a lot of it is for me, kind of imagining, but also just seeing the character, as a symbol of the people, the people who loved the Marcoses. They were very popular. They entrusted them to really put their country first and then they felt the betrayal. So, I feel like that storyline parallels the heart of the people, and that's what I really take with me on this journey.
You have worked before with Ruthie Ann Miles as Imelda. How is it working now with Arielle Jacobs?
Arielle is so lovely, one of the kindest, calmest people. For someone who's carrying the show, she has such an ease about herself, and yet she is incredibly focused. She is so specific. She's got an incredible voice and she's just one of the loveliest people.
And I love Ruthie. Ruthie is one of my dearest friends, and I'm so excited that she's got so many incredible things on her plate and know that she's an artist that I will admire for the rest of my life.
To get to have the opportunity to work with Arielle is so lovely. It's different because it's supposed to be different. So, it's so exciting to see what she brings to the table, her ideas and her voice, and just her openness and willingness to explore and grow. I'm very excited to see it because we're just at the beginning of our preview process. So, to see how it's going to continue to grow and deepen, I'm thrilled to be able to witness it and share that experience with her.
Do you have shorthand now with Jose Llana and Conrad Ricamora who are reprising their roles as well, and with director Alex Timbers?
Yeah, I mean, there are times when it does feel like we're riding a bike, right? Where it feels like we've done this. So, it allows us to deepen the work.
But then there are also times, even before last night's show, they made some big, major changes to some of the blocking. So, it's like this thing that we've done a certain way for so long, Alex is shaking it up. But also, for reasons, not just to make things different, but to really take in the new space, to take in the new perspectives of audience members at all levels. Some of the staging is changing, some of the way that we present things, and the storytelling is changing and evolving.
That's very exciting. But there is a little bit of shorthand in that it's kind of in our bones, but then we're allowing ourselves to think outside the box a little bit too.
What do you look forward to in working with Lea Salonga in this musical?
Oh, well, she's been here during rehearsals and everything and will be joining us on July 11th. But she is the funniest. She had seen it all. She is such a wonderful inspiration to us on this show. She brings such a great perspective. She brings so much joy, so much enthusiasm.
We have a group, a WhatsApp chat, and she's always jumping in, even when she's out of town, she's like, "I want to know what's happening. I want to know what's going on."
So, she is incredibly involved and so fun to work with. Actually, during our rehearsal process, we went to see a show together and she's the best audience member too. She just lights up, laughs loudly, cheers and screams. I'm always happy to have Lea on our side.
Clint Ramos (Producer, Creative Consultant, Costume Designer)
Congratulations for producing this revival of the disco pop musical "Here Lies Love" on Broadway. We watched it last night and we really had fun. So, what made you want to produce it?
I've been involved with this project since 2003. I had just gotten out of grad school and David invited me to work on it. I remember when he sent me those two CDs of those karaoke tracks and he was singing all of the parts. But I think that, for me, I've never seen or heard anything like it.
It stuck with me through all these years, and I just think it's a special thing. I felt like it was going to go to Broadway. I wanted to be involved in it because I really wanted to have input on how we make the musical because it is about us, about our people. But it's also a piece of art that I feel really connected to. So, I think all of those stars aligning, kind of like that confluence of things made me say, "I really, really want to be involved in it."
This is also the first all-Filipino cast on Broadway and also produced by a lot of Filipinos from H.E.R. to Lea Salonga to Jo Koy. How amazing is that? What's the significance of that for you?
I've been in this business for a long time and a lot of that time has been spent on Broadway. It goes beyond representation. I think for me and for Jose Antonio Vargas, and for a lot of our kababayans, I think this really is a watershed moment and it is a cultural project for us. It's not only this great piece of art that's on Broadway, but it is a cultural project. It is about our culture.
So, I think H.E.R., Lea, Jo Koy, and we're announcing a couple more co-producers and all of our Filipino co-producers partnering with our American partners really makes an effort into a bi-national producing team and in a real way. It's not just names.
All of our co-producers are very, very involved in financing the show to actually input on how we make the musical, how we outreach to the community. It's a deep, deep involvement that also spans both countries. It's a watershed moment for us. There's never been a moment like this on Broadway, not only for Filipinos, but for Broadway, in general.
How did you do the casting of Arielle Jacobs?
We have a fantastic cast. Alex Timbers and David Byrne over the years of doing the show in New York and London and Seattle, and when they went to the Philippines in 2016, I think, to cast the London production, they had a long list of talented Filipinos.
As you know, our talent pool is deep and wide. It was a global search for the cast and for Imelda. They saw a lot of folks. But Arielle stood out in terms of not only her Broadway experience but her ability to actually give us a fresh take on what this character is, considering that it is told through this pop disco sensibility.
Arielle just really rose to the top. She went through a series of auditions with Annie-B Parson, our choreographer, with David, and Alex, and it was pretty obvious in the end that she was the perfect mix. And boy, was she great.
I noticed there were also some new things that you implemented. So aside from the finale song or the line dancing, the more prominent role of the DJ, what other changes did you make?
I think we really looked at when we first did this show, which was 10 years ago, I think the world was different then in both countries.
This time we really wanted to highlight what had been there before. Number one was the complex relationship between the US and the Philippines and this sort of post-colonial relationship that we have with the United States. But also, we really wanted to make sure that we represented the way Filipinos think about themselves and their politics.
There are millions of ways to be Filipinos. There are millions of ways, millions of Filipinos globally so I think there's just not one opinion, but for us, it was important that we honor history, although it is a piece of art, it is based on historical events, and we wanted to make sure that we didn't contribute to what is happening to democracies all over the world, which is the erosion of democracy through misinformation.
We really studied each scene, and looked for opportunities where we could punctuate those. We wanted to be responsible and present human beings as human beings.
There is a misconception that personalities who we deal with in the musical, that somehow, they are magical, that they're mythical, that somehow, they just come out of the ground. No. They're little girls first. They win beauty contests, they dream of marrying well, and then through a prolonged period of power, those personal issues play out on a national scale, or on a global scale in the case of Imelda.
So, there is really such a marked difference between what is quote-unquote "glamorizing" versus what is humanizing, right? It is important for us to identify these personalities in our midst because they do come, and most of the time, they do come from these obscure and humble beginnings.
You're wearing so many hats in this production - producer, creative consultant, and costume designer. Talk about doing all of that at the same time and your challenges as a costume designer as well.
Well, the costumes. I know these clothes because they're my mother's clothes, they're everybody's clothes as we know.
I grew up under martial law so I'm very familiar with it. It's secondhand. It's like riding an old bike. I know exactly how I want butterfly sleeves and what was important, that we keep them flat and all of that kind of stuff. And so, that in a way was the least challenging.
But also, because I had done the clothes in every iteration of this show coming from The Public Theater, to the National, and then to Seattle. So, I'm familiar with it. I also wanted to honor our national dress.
But in terms of the creative consultant and the producing, that kind of goes hand-in-hand because we really see this as a multi-pronged effort. It is a piece of art. It is also a Broadway show, and it is also a cultural project. I can't really sift out the creative consultancy from the producing, because I think those two come hand-in-hand.
What do you look forward to working with Lea Salonga in this musical?
Lea and I have known each other for a bit because we did "Once On This Island." She is a producer on this and a very active producer. I'm looking forward to just working with her in every capacity.
She has been very, very involved and very present, both as an artist and as a producer. I'm just looking forward to this new chapter of her life and her career where she really is focusing on this legacy building and opening doors for Filipinos and AAPI artists.
She cares very much about that. And then, I think that aligns with my mission to highlight our stories. I just look forward to working with her more and more, whether it's at producing capacity as an art or as an artist.
So, after August 13, who will take over Lea?
We don't know. We are curating that presently. There are a couple of thoughts around it, but we can't share it yet. But I think it is such an opportunity for us to actually highlight Filipino talent, global Filipino talent.
—MGP, GMA Integrated News
