Lea Salonga | Contributed photo
Award-winning Broadway superstar Lea Salonga is set to take on the iconic role of The Witch in the upcoming Philippine staging of “Into the Woods.”
Salonga is slated to follow in the footsteps of Hollywood legend Meryl Streep, whose portrayal of the character in the 2014 film adaptation earned her an Academy Award nomination.
This will mark Salonga’s return to Philippine theater after six years. She was last seen in “Sweeney Todd,” directed by the late theater maverick Bobby Garcia.
“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. But most of all, to my dear friend, ‘This one is for you, Bobby!’” she said.
The Olivier and Tony Award-winning actress who already played The Witch 30 years ago expressed how excited she was to reprise the role.
“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 stated.
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“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,” continued the actress-singer.
The Tony Award-winning musical, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, intertwines beloved fairy tale characters in a dark exploration of mature themes and happy endings.
The Philippine production is slated to open in August at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, promising a fresh take on the beloved classic.
“Into the Woods” is set to follow the success of Theatre Group Asia’s (TGA) “Request sa Radyo” in 2024, which was headlined by Salonga and Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon.
Aside from her noteworthy theater career, Salonga also rose to fame as the voice of Princess Jasmine from “Aladdin” and Fa Mulan for “Mulan and Mulan II.”