MANILA, Philippines, February 11 ------ Theatre Group Asia (TGA) is staging Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” to the Samsung Performing Arts Theater (S-PAT) this August, featuring an all-star cast led by Olivier and Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga. The Broadway icon who will take on the role of The Witch, is making her highly anticipated return to Philippine musical theater after six years — and this time, she will be sharing the stage with her son, Nic Chien, who has been cast as Jack.
Lea’s last major stage production in the Philippines was “Sweeney Todd” under the direction of the late Atlantis Productions head Bobby Garcia, a beloved figure in Philippine theater. Now, with “Into the Woods,” she finds herself immersed once again in Sondheim’s emotionally rich music. “The last show I did in Manila was a Stephen Sondheim masterpiece. Now, I’m coming in “Into the Woods,” yet another Sondheim masterpiece! If all I do for the rest of my life is perform in Sondheim shows, I’ll be very happy,” Lea shared in a media statement. “But most of all, to my dear friend, ‘This one’s for you, Bobby!’”
Lea first played The Witch at the age of 23, and now, three decades later, she is eager to revisit the role with new depth and perspective. “It’s very exciting, as well as, exhausting. Sondheim is no joke! Learning the material before day one of rehearsals takes a few weeks because his patterns can be puzzling and challenging but so rewarding once it all comes together,” she said. “It’s also cool that I get to revisit a role that I played as a younger adult. I was about 23 years old when I previously played The Witch. Playing her again 30 years later is going to be illuminating. So much life has happened in the intervening years. I’m hoping to bring as much of that as I can to this production.”
Adding another layer of excitement to this production is the inclusion of Lea’s only child, Nic Chien, in the role of Jack. Nic made his professional debut as Alice in Atlantis Productions’ “Matilda” and has since been honing his craft on stage. “I’m very excited to play such an innocent character. In the past, I’ve played characters who know what’s going on, but Jack is such a pure character. I think it will be so much fun to play,” Nic shared. “And I love everything about this show! The music, lyrics, the way things reference each other, how crazy and complicated it may be. Overall, it’s just beautiful! It’s beautiful music with smart, heartfelt, meaningful lyrics. You don’t always find that nowadays.” For Lea, the chance to act alongside her only child in a full-scale musical is a dream come true. “I’m most looking forward to working with Nic. We’ve done numerous concerts over the years, but this will be our first musical together,” she enthused.
TGA’s production of “Into the Woods” boasts a stellar cast, with Arielle Jacobs as Cinderella, Joaquin Valdes as Prince Charming/Wolf, Nyoy and Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante as The Baker and The Baker’s Wife, and Eugene Domingo as Jack’s Mother. Tony Award-winning creative visionary Clint Ramos, who serves as co-producer, overall artistic director, and stage and costume designer, expressed excitement for Lea’s involvement in the show. “We are so pleased and proud to have an actress of Lea’s caliber lead the spectacular and stellar ensemble of TGA’s production of ‘Into the Woods,’” Clint said. “This is Lea’s first musical in the Philippines in six years, and what a grand comeback it’s sure to be! ‘Into the Woods’ is a very complex and thought-provoking piece. We want to create a version that considers the Filipino condition. Hopefully, our context will give more meaning to the already rich work that is this Sondheim musical. And Lea, with her remarkable talent and abilities, will be very instrumental in imparting that message.”
Directing the production is Chari Arespacochaga, who steps in as a tribute to her late creative partner, Bobby Garcia. Based on James Lapine’s book and featuring Sondheim’s unforgettable music and lyrics, “Into the Woods” weaves together the lives of familiar fairy tale characters as they navigate their dreams, choices and the consequences of their actions. “What I love about this piece is the whole ‘what if’ premise of fairy tales. Continuing past ‘happily ever after’ is very interesting. Through the material, we realize that a witch isn’t always bad, and good people aren’t always entirely good,” Lea mused. “The famous line from the musical, ‘nice is different than good’ is one that hits home every time. The message is so poignant. The final song, Children Will Listen, is a reminder that what we do as adults impacts impressionable minds. Act One is about fairy tales, but Act Two explores darker, less defined territory. That’s when things get interesting!”
Source: philstar.com
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