David Byrne and Arbutus to Host HERE LIES LOVE Benefit This Thursday

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s Broadway production of Here Lies Love will host a sold out special benefit performance on September 28 with proceeds supporting Byrne’s non-profit, Arbutus.

Attendees will receive premium seating for the show, a gift bag, and an invitation to an exclusive post-performance conversation with Byrne, producers Clint Ramos (Tony Award-winning theatre/film designer and producer. Recent Tony-nominated designs for Broadway include KPOP, Slave Play, The Rose Tattoo, Eclipsed, Once on This Island, and Torch Song) and Jose Antonio Vargas (Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and Tony-nominated co-producer of Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me), and members of the all Filipino cast. In addition, VIP-level ticket holders will receive signed copies of a vinyl LP of the Here Lies Love concept album on Nonesuch Records.

Participating educational and community groups include Forest Hills High School Filipino Club, Apex for Youth, Broadway for All and NYU.

Founded by Byrne in 2018, Arbutus celebrates, re-presents and amplifies ideas found in surprising places, ensuring that our picture of the world contains the joy that it should, and is accessible to everyone. Arbutus’ primary project is Reasons to be Cheerful, an online news magazine that reports on solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. "David Byrne has reasons to be cheerful. In fact, he has an entire website called Reasons to be Cheerful. It's a solutions-based, online magazine of sorts, filled with uplifting success stories that may pull you out of your day-to-day frustrations... Remarkable." ––NPR

David Byrne said, “Our Filipino American cast and producers are the heartbeat of this show! We're thrilled they will have the opportunity to discuss the show's message with these community groups.”

From Talking Heads frontman and songwriter of “Burning Down the House,” David Byrne; the beat master of “Praise You,” DJ Fatboy Slim and Tony®-winning director of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Alex Timbers Comes Here Lies Love —the “sensational, one-of-a-kind musical like no Broadway show ever” (Time Out New York). The Broadway Theatre has undergone an “astonishing transformation” (The New York Times) into Club Millennium, where a young woman gets catapulted to a life of fame, excess, and intoxicating power after winning the hearts of two political rivals. Witness her dazzling rise and fall through “exhilarating songs” (USA Today) and “imaginative spectacle” (The Guardian) over “90 breathless minutes” (The Washington Post). Whether you sit in traditional seats or move on the dance floor, Here Lies Love is “the most entertaining new show” (ABC7) and “an experience the likes of which Broadway has rarely if ever seen” (Variety).

The show features the first all-Filipino cast to perform on Broadway: Arielle Jacobs (In The Heights, Aladdin, Between The Lines) as “Imelda Marcos,” Jose Llana (The King and I, The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee) as “Ferdinand Marcos,” Conrad Ricamora (“How to Get Away with Murder,” The King and I, Soft Power – Grammy nominations) as “Ninoy Aquino,” Melody Butiu, Moses Villarama, Jasmine Forsberg, Reanne Acasio, Jaygee Macapugay, Julia Abueva, Renée Albulario, Aaron Alcaraz, Carol Angeli, Nathan Angelo, Kristina Doucette, Roy Flores, Timothy Matthew Flores, Sarah Kay, Jeigh Madjus, Aaron "AJ" Mercado, Geena Quintos, Shea Renne, and Angelo Soriano. Filipino actress Vina Morales will join the show performing as “Aurora Aquino” for a limited guest engagement through Sunday, October 22 only.

From its world premiere at The Public Theater in 2013, Here Lies Love has enjoyed popular and critical acclaim. The show returned to The Public in 2014-2015, debuted at London’s Royal National Theatre in 2014, and most recently opened at Seattle Repertory Theatre in 2017.

The creative team for Here Lies Love on Broadway includes three-time Tony Award® nominee David Korins (scenic design), Tony Award® winner Clint Ramos (costume design), Tony Award® winner Justin Townsend (lighting design), M.L. Dogg & Cody Spencer (sound design), and three-time Tony Award® nominee Peter Nigrini (projection design), with casting by Tara Rubin CSA, Xavier Rubiano CSA, Gail Quintos and general management by Foresight Theatrical. Additional creative team members include ATW Jonathan Larson Grant recipient J. Oconer Navarro (music director), Billy Bustamante (assistant director), Renée Albulario (assistant choreographer), Bobby Garcia (casting consultant/Philippines), Gregory T. Livoti (production stage manager), and Ryan Gohsman and Sheryl Polancos (assistant stage managers). Giselle “G” Töngi is the show’s Cultural and Community Liaison.

Here Lies Love is produced by Hal Luftig/Kevin Connor, Patrick Catullo, Clint Ramos, Jose Antonio Vargas, and Diana DiMenna and Plate Spinner Productions, with Aaron Lustbader serving as Executive Producer.

They are joined by Lea Salonga, H.E.R., Jo Koy, Apl.de.Ap/Tala Creative Live, Rob Laqui, Giselle “G” Töngi, Adam Hyndman, Eva LaBadie, Georgina Pazcoguin, Marikit Ventures/Miranda Gohh, DJ CherishTheLuv/Garcia At Rodis, Don Michael H. Mendoza/Lora Nicholas Olaes, Celia Kaleialoha Kenney/Jeremiah Abraham, No Guarantees, Yasuhiro Kawana, Elise K. Haas, Len Blavatnik, Warner Music Entertainment, Shira Friedman, James L. Nederlander/Independent Presenters Network, LaChanze, Wendy Federman/Suzanne Niedland, Katler-Solomon/Charlotte Cohn, Cathy Dantchik, Elizabeth Armstrong, John Gore Organization, The Shubert Organization, Hunter Arnold, Creative Partners Productions, Eastern Standard Time, Global Creatures, The Public Theater, Triptyk Studios, Iris Smith, Michael Robin Productions/Anastasia Muravyeva, Alexi Melvin/Beesham A. Seecharan, Andrew Diamond/Patrick Trettenero, Buzzy Geduld/Gilad Rogowsky, Craig Balsam/David Brendel, Sok Sabai Productions/Ride or Die Productions, Marco Santarelli/Das Ellman & Howe, Linden Delaney/Smigelrutter Fitviavi, and Laura Ivey/Janet Brenner.

ABOUT APEX FOR YOUTH

Apex for Youth empowers underserved Asian and immigrant youth from low-income families in NYC to help them unlock their potential and a world of possibility. Their volunteers support and mentor youth, building the next generation of tomorrow’s change makers. They are in active pursuit of a more equitable future.

ABOUT BROADWAY FOR ALL

Broadway For All (BFA) is a Manhattan-based national organization that equips young artists and professionals with the programming, community, and vision to build a more inclusive and powerful arts industry.

Photo credit: Shervin Lainez