Olivier and Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga returns to Philippine theater as The Witch in Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods, set for August 2025 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater (S-PAT). This marks Salonga’s first Philippine musical in six years, following her acclaimed performance as Mrs. Lovett in another Sondheim musical, Sweeney Todd.
Tony Award-winning creative and founding Theatre Group Asia (TGA) collaborator Clint Ramos shared his excitement, saying, “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. This is Lea’s first musical in the Philippines in six years, and what a grand comeback it’s sure to be!”
Salonga, who first played The Witch at 23 years old, expressed her enthusiasm for revisiting the role: “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.”
Here is the TGA official announcement today of Lea Salonga’s casting:
Known for its intertwining fairy tale narratives, Into The Woods explores the consequences of life choices and the complexities of morality. Salonga noted, “What I love about this piece is the whole ‘what if’ premise of fairy tales. Through the material, we realize that a witch isn’t always bad, and good people aren’t always entirely good.”
Directed by Chari Arespacochaga, this production is a tribute to the late Bobby Garcia, a founding collaborator of TGA and Salonga’s director in Sweeney Todd. Ramos will serve as co-producer, overall artistic director, and designer for the stage and costumes.
Relive the magic of Lea Salonga’s past performances, including her iconic role in Sweeney Todd here.
TGA’s Into The Woods follows the success of Request sa Radyo in 2024, which featured Salonga alongside Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon.
Lea Salonga’s illustrious career spans Broadway, the West End, television, and film. Known globally as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine (Aladdin) and Fa Mulan (Mulan), Salonga is also a celebrated concert artist and a recipient of numerous accolades, including the Time100 Impact Award and the Disney Legend Award.
For ticket details and updates, visit the official TGA website and their social media pages. Head to Good Show for more iconic productions coming up in 2025!
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