Filipino-American Broadway star Arielle Jacobs joining Lea Salonga in 'Into the Woods'
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-American Broadway actress Arielle Jacobs is the latest cast addition to Theatre Group Asia's (TGA) upcoming iteration of "Into The Woods."
Jacobs will portay Cinderella opposite Lea Salonga who is playing The Witch. It will be Jacobs' first full-length musical in the Philippines while it is Salonga's first in the country since "Sweeney Todd" in 2018.
The two actresses previously starred together in the Imelda Marcos musical "Here Lies Love" that had a brief Broadway run.
In the musical featuring an all-Filipino cast, Jacobs played the former First Lady and Salonga initially portrayed Aurora Aquino in a guest capacity, on top of serving as a producer.
Other roles Jacobs has performed include Nina Rosario in "In the Heights," Nessarose in "Wicked," Princess Jasmine in "Aladdin," and the Baker's Wife in a Florida production of "Into the Woods."
The actress said in statement that she was filled with joy and expressed her long desire to perform in the Philippines.
"I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to bring my art back to where my family came from, for the Filipino people I love so much, and in a show that is very special and dear to my heart," Jacobs added.
Related: Lea Salonga joins TGA's 'Into The Woods,' 1st musical in Philippines in 7 years
Getting to play Cinderella is a dream come true for Jacobs, even more so getting to do it opposite her friend and idol Salonga.
"As a kid, this musical was one of the first cast albums I heard. It has been my favorite show ever since!" Jacobs said. "The lyrics ask us to think deeply and differently about the world and how things are often complex, and not as one-sided as they may seem at first glance."
In a seperate statement, Tony-winning creative and TGA founding collaborator Clint Ramos — who is a co-producer and overall creative and artistic director on "Into the Woods" — shared his happiness about Jacobs joining their production.
"We're happy she can bring her experience and talent to our production of 'Into the Woods,' at the same time, she gets the chance to discover more about her heritage and roots," Ramos said.
The dark comedy by Stephen Sondheim features 18 main characters from popular fairy tales — fronted by a baker, his wife, and an aging witch — come together in one musical.
The original Broadway production was nominated for 10 Tonys, including Best Musical, winning three: Best Score for Sondheim, Best Book (Musical), and Best Lead Actress (Musical) for Joanna Gleason.
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