Fil-Am H.E.R. joining as producer on Imelda Marcos Broadway musical 'Here Lies Love'
MANILA, Philippines — Award-winning Filipino-American singer-songwriter H.E.R. has joined the upcoming Broadway musical "Here Lies Love" as a producer.
"Here Lies Love" is an immersive musical based on the rise and fall of former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
It was conceptualized by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, who also did the music and lyrics, and the the upcoming run will see the musical turn the Broadway Theatre into a dance club as it details the imeldific life of the former First Lady.
Josa Llana and Conrad Nicamora will be reprising their roles from off-Broadway as the late dictator and Imelda's husband Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, respectively; more cast accouncements will be revealed at a later date.
"Filipinos are a global people. We come in all colors and build bridges across cultures. I am beyond excited to produce my first Broadway musical and forge a unique and meaningful partnership with 'Here Lies Love,'" H.E.R. said in a statement.
Byrne himself in a separate statement expressed how thrilled the team was to have H.E.R. on board.
RELATED: Lea Salonga returning to Broadway for 'Here Lies Love'
Theater legend Lea Salonga, a producer on the show and will be guest starring as Ninoy's mother Aurora Aquino for five weeks, also released a statement welcoming H.E.R. — whose real name is Gabriella Wilson — to "Here Lies Love."
"We welcome Gabi to the 'Here Lies Love' team with open arms! I am a huge fan of her genre-defying and multifaceted artistry, and it’s empowering to welcome another Filipino artist to our ranks," Salonga said.
This is the first time Salonga is portraying a Filipino character and producing on Broadway, and it just so happens the Broadway Theatre is where "Miss Saigon" — Salonga broke into the ranks because of her role as Kim — first ran.
Should "Here Lies Love" be a contender at the 2024 Tony Awards, at 26 years old H.E.R. could become the youngest EGOT winner and the fastest to complete it since only a Tony remains elusive and her first entry — a Grammy — was in 2019.
The youngest and fastest EGOT winner to date is Filipino-American composer Robert Lopez who was 39 years old when he completed the EGOT in just 10 years; he is also the only individual so far to have completed the EGOT twice.
The most recent EGOT winners were Jennifer Hudson in 2022 after winning a Tony and Viola Davis after receiving a Grammy earlier this year.
Performances of "Here Lies Love" begin on June 17 before an official opening night on July 20.
RELATED: Oscar winner H.E.R. proud of Kare-Kare cooking skills
- Latest
- Trending
