Lea Salonga and Dolly de Leon Will Lead REQUEST SA RADYO in Manila

Franz Xaver Kroetz’s Request Sa Radyo will premiere at Manila’s Samsung Performing Arts Center starring two of the world’s most acclaimed Filipino stage stars, Tony Award and Olivier Winner Lea Salonga and Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon.

Salonga and de Leon will perform the solo piece in scheduled alternating performances. The strictly limited engagement, directed by Bobby Garcia will begin performances on Thursday, October 10, 2024, and run for just 20 performances.

 Request Sa Radyo (Wunschkonzert/Request Program) shatters theatrical conventions with its hyper-naturalistic portrait of quotidian despair and working-class anxieties. Satisfying our most voyeuristic urges and laying bare our most private moments, this minimalist masterpiece explores the depths of human isolation with the force and resonance of a theatrical sledgehammer. Performed in the round, this production will spotlight the specifics of the Filipino working-class condition through its central character.

In a joint statement, the producers said, “Blurring the line between theater and performance art, Franz Xaver Kroetz’s wordless play speaks to the silent struggles of isolation and the deep human need for connection. Through its minimalist approach and profound storytelling, grounded in a specific Filipino lived experience, this production invites audiences to find extraordinary meaning in the everyday and the invisible. Featuring Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon, two of the most globally celebrated actors of their generation, 'Request Sa Radyo' is the international can’t-miss event of 2024.”” 

The creative team includes Clint Ramos (Scenic/Costume Design), Elizabeth Mak (Lighting Design) and Bradley Ward (Sound Design).

Biographies

Multiple award-winning actress, singer and producer Lea Salonga is renowned across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. Last summer, Lea starred in the new musical Here Lies Love at the Broadway Theater and headlined Old Friends (alongside Bernadette Peters) on London’s West End.

Lea is best known for her Tony Award winning role in Miss Saigon. In addition to the Tony, she has won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical Les Misérables on Broadway and returned to the beloved show as Fantine in the 2006 revival. On

Broadway, Lea starred in the 2018 Broadway revival of Once on This Island as the Goddess of Love, Erzulie. The show’s return to the Broadway stage earned a Tony Award for “Best Revival of a Musical” and also garnered Lea and the cast a Grammy nomination for “Best Musical Theater Album.” She has also been seen on Broadway in Allegiance and Flower Drum Song. In her 45-year career, Lea has performed for six Philippine presidents (from Ferdinand Marcos to Benigno S. Aquino III), four American Presidents (Joe Biden, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush), and for Diana, Princess of Wales and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was honored by Time Magazine as a Time100 Impact Award Recipient and received the Gold House 2023 Gold Legend Award.

Dolly de Leon is a Filipino film, television, and theater actress.  She is best known for her roles in the films Verdict, which earned her FAMAS Best Supporting Actress, and Historya ni Ha, and gained international recognition for the Palme d'Or-winningTriangle of Sadness. For her performance in Triangle of Sadness, she became the first Filipino actor to be nominated for the BAFTAs and Golden Globe Awards. In May 2022, de Leon signed with U.S.-based artist agency Fusion Entertainment. A FAMAS Award and LA Film Critics Award winner, de Leon has extensive stage experience and a BA in theater arts from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She is also a trained actress who has been in more than 30 stage productions and won numerous awards for her performances. In 2023, British Vogue listed de Leon among "30 of the world's most famous stars”.In 2023, de Leon was invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.