Meet the Cast of HERE LIES LOVE, Beginning Previews on Broadway Tonight!

Previews officially begin tonight for Here Lies Love, the musical from the minds of Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award winner David Byrne (concept, music and lyrics) and Grammy Award winner Fatboy Slim (music).

Here Lies Love is led by Arielle Jacobs ("Imelda Marcos"), Jose Llana ("Ferdinand Marcos"), and Conrad Ricamora ("Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino"). Tony Award winner Lea Salonga also joins the cast in a special five-week-only guest engagement from July 11-August 13.

The 23-member company includes 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.

Meet the cast below!

Arielle Jacobs

Arielle, a proud Fil-Am, has starred on Broadway as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and in the hit musical Wicked, and she played Nina Rosario in the final cast of the four-time Tony and Grammy Award–winning musical In the Heights. She also originated the roles of Gabriella Montez in the original cast of Disney on Broadway’s High School Musical, Jasmine in the original Australian cast of Disney’s Aladdin, and Nina Rosario in the First National Tour of In the Heights. Most recently she starred Off-Broadway as Delilah McPhee in the original cast of Between the Lines.

Jose Llana

Jose returns to this role after creating it at The Public Theater Off-Broadway (Lortel nom). Broadway credits include The King & I (Lincoln Center and US/UK tours), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Drama Desk Award), Wonderland, Flower Drum Song, Rent, Streetcorner Symphony, and the 1996 revival of The King & I. Additional New York theater credits include his many collaborations with The Public Theater including Saturn Returns, On the Town, and Twelfth Night. Appearing on numerous cast albums, Jose is also a best-selling recording artist on the VIVA Philippines label. He has made two appearances with “American Songbook” at Lincoln Center, which led to the release of his second solo CD, Altitude.

Conrad Ricamora

TV: Six seasons opposite Viola Davis in “How to Get Away With Murder” (Oliver), recurring role on “The Resident.” Film: Fire Island, Over the Moon, Talladega Nights, The Light of the Moon, Raising Christopher (writer/producer/actor). Broadway: The King and I (Lincoln Center, Grammy Nomination). Off-Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Here Lies Love (Public Theater; Theatre World Award, Lortel nomination), Soft Power (Public Theater; Drama Desk, Lortel, Grammy nominations). Regional: Soft Power (Ahmanson Theatre); Tartuffe, Woyzeck, Fuddy Mears (Clarence Brown Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Utah Shakespeare Festival); The Taming of the Shrew (North Carolina Shakespeare Festival). Education: MFA, University of Tennessee; Film Actors Studio of Charlotte. Awards: 2016 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award and 2017 Equality California Award.

Lea Salonga

Broadway: Miss Saigon (Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, and OCC Awards), Flower Drum Song, Allegiance, Once on This Island (Grammy nomination). Select TV: “Pretty Little Liars” (HBO Max); “Centaurworld” (Netflix); “Little Demon” (FX); “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” (CW); Les Misérables 10th and 25th anniversary concerts, and “Lea Salonga: Live From Sydney Opera House” (PBS). Film: the singing voices of Jasmine in Aladdin and the title role in Mulan, Yellow Rose. Honored as a Disney Legend, Lea has toured all over the world, performing sold-out concerts at some of the world’s most iconic venues including Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, London’s 02 Arena, and Royal Albert Hall.

Melody Butiu

Melody is honored to reprise her Lortel-nominated role of Estrella, which she originated at The Public Theater. She has performed on Broadway in Doctor Zhivago and just appeared in the film Easter Sunday, starring Jo Koy and other incredible Filipino-American artists. Her regional theater credits include Theatre Under the Stars (Houston), South Coast Repertory, Geva Theatre Center, Arena Stage, Denver Center, Wallis Annenberg, Huntington Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, ACT (San Francisco), and East West Players. TV: “Call Me Kat,” “Mom,” “This Is Us,” “NCIS,” “The Kominsky Method.”

Moses Villarama

Moses is making his Broadway debut with Here Lies Love. Most recently he was in Cambodian Rock Band at Signature Theatre, Berkeley Rep, The Alley, La Jolla Playhouse, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where he was a company member for five years. His Off-Broadway credits include Chairs and a Long Table (Ma-Yi Theatre Company), Fast Company (Ensemble Studio Theatre), and Sonic Life of a Giant Tortoise (The Play Company). MFA, National Theatre Conservatory. Love to Amy.

Jasmine Forsberg

Jasmine is overjoyed to be making her Broadway debut! First National Tour: Six (Jane Seymour). Off-Broadway: Broadway Bounty Hunter. Regional: Love in Hate Nation (Two River Theater, World Premiere), A Grand Night for Singing (Goodspeed), Wild Fire (Denver Center). TV: “One December Night” (Hallmark). BFA, Penn State. Love and thanks to A3, Tara Rubin Casting, Mom and Dad, and all my loved ones for their endless support.

Reanne Acasio

Reanne is proud to be Filipino and honored to be telling this story. She was most recently swinging on as Eliza, Angelica, and Peggy/Maria in the Angelica National Tour of Hamilton. Regional: The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Portland Stage Company, Orlando Shakes, Salt Lake Acting Company, Slow Burn Theatre Company, the Human Race Theatre Company. B.S. in Psychology, University of California San Diego. Endless love and gratitude to all her kapamilya and kababayan.

Jaygee Macapugay

Broadway: Shucked and School of Rock (Original Broadway Casts). Off-Broadway / The Public Theater: Suffs, Soft Power, Here Lies Love, Wild Goose Dreams. National Asian Artists Project: Hello, Dolly!; Cinderella. Recent Regional: Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation (5th Avenue), Hair (The Old Globe), “The Unofficial Bridgerton Concert” (Kennedy Center). TV/Film: False Positive (Hulu), “Watch What Happens Live” (Bravo), The Language Lesson (YouTube), “Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary Concert” (PBS).

Renée Albulario​​​​​​​

Recently seen alongside David Byrne in American Utopia, Renée is honored to work with this incredible team again and is especially thrilled to finally bring Here Lies Love to Broadway. Favorite projects include NY City Center’s The Wild Party (Nadine), Jason Robert Brown’s The Connector (Veronica), Reefer Madness (Sally), and the Untitled B52s Project. Regional: Seattle Rep, Weston Playhouse, NCT, Ogunquit, Gateway, NCT. TV/Film: “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” “One Life to Live,” MTV, Ricki & the Flash. Commercial: Amex, Match.com. Proud NYU/Tisch grad. Mahal kita!

Aaron Alcaraz

Aaron is an actor based in New York City and Los Angeles. He has been seen on Broadway in Mean Girls (Swing / Kevin G u/s), Off-Broadway in Trevor: The Musical (Jack), and in the National Tour of Rent (Angel). Film and TV credits include Trevor: The Musical (Disney+), “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” and “The Equalizer.” BFA, Ithaca College. All the love and thanks to his family, his friends, and his team at DGRW, Luber Roklin, and Zoom Talent.

Carol Angeli

Original Company of Here Lies Love! Born in Manila, Philippines! Broadway: Miss Saigon OBC revival (Dance Captain, u/s Gigi). Off Broadway/NYC: Here Lies Love (The Public OG), Sayonara (Takarazuka), Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical (Cheryl Song), Cinderella. Tours: Mary Poppins (First National, u/s Mrs. Corry), Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Regional: The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation (DC, u/s Madame Sherie), Miss Saigon (Kim), The King & I (u/s Tup Tim), Children of Eden (Yonah), Romeo & Juliet (Juliet). BFA, Penn State. Love to my son, London. Thanks to my agents, Sean & Rikky, Tara Rubin. For Jim Diego.

Nathan Angelo​​​​​​​

Nathan is extremely grateful to be making his Broadway debut in Here Lies Love! Born and raised in San Jose, California, he was brought up as a first-generation Fil-Am, and he’s overjoyed to share his culture alongside such a beautiful group of people. He is currently in his last semester at Montclair State University, soon to receive his BFA in Musical Theatre. Maraming salamat sa lahat, at kung may tinanim, may aanihin!

Kristina Doucette

Kristina is originally from Seattle, Washington, where they grew up training at Allegro Performing Arts Academy. She has been dancing and singing since the age of three, thanks to the encouragement of karaoke and mandatory family talent shows. In addition to being a class of 2023 Pace Commercial Dance graduate, they were most recently seen in Wicked on Broadway (Witch’s Mother / Ensemble). Much love to all of my Filipino family, it’s an honor.

Roy Flores

Roy is ecstatic to finally be at the disco! Some credits include the national touring production of Anything Goes and regional productions of Godspell
(as Jesus), West Side Story (as Chino), South Pacific, The King and I, and The Producers. He is a proud #ArtistWhoCode; when not performing, Roy keeps busy as a software engineer. Salamat Broadway Barkada. David, ma, nanay, tatay, pati si dimuan pamilya ko, salamat si higugma pati suporta bi.

Timothy Matthew Flores

Timothy is making his Broadway debut in Here Lies Love! Credits: National Tour of the LCT revival of The King and I (Prince Chulalongkorn). Regional: The Prom, Newsies (White Plains Performing Arts Center), Beauty and the Beast (Argyle Theatre). Endless gratitude, love, and thanks to my family, friends, mentors, and team (Hell’s Kitchen Agency) for helping make this little Jersey boy’s lifelong dream a reality.

Sarah Kay

Mabuhay! Broadway debut, ah! Sarah began her career journey as a biology major at UC Santa Barbara until realizing karaoke at Tita’s house wasn’t just a passion, it was a lifestyle. Proud second-gen Fil-Am making Broadway history with her fellow Filipinos. All thanks to Mom, Dad, Evan, Lola, Papa, Lakey Wolff & Company, and casting. Sisig lover. From Bio to Broadway! Pace MT ’23.

Jeigh Madjus

Jeigh is from Toronto, Canada, best known for his role as “Baby Doll” in the Original Broadway Cast of the Tony Award–winning Best Musical Moulin Rouge! 

As a Filipino-Canadian, he is so excited to represent and return to the disco dance floor of Here Lies Love, after appearing in both the world premiere Public Theater and Seattle Rep productions.

Aaron “AJ” Mercado

Broadway debut! AJ is a homegrown talent born and raised in the Philippines, where he began his professional career with Ballet Philippines before moving overseas. Credits: Here Lies Love at the Royal National Theatre in London, High School Musical Live, The Festival of Lion King at Hong Kong Disneyland, Rehearsal / Install Director for Celebrity Cruises. AJ is very proud of his achievements and is deeply grateful for the support he’s received throughout his career, particularly from his husband, Jackson, and from his family back home.

Geena Quintos

Geena just finished her run as “Neary/Sothea” in the National Tour of Cambodian Rock Band, as well as Audible Theater’s production of Good Enemy and Hartford Stage’s production of Kiss My Aztec!, written by John Leguizamo. Broadway/Tour: Miss Saigon, A Chorus Line. Off-Broadway/Regional: Soft Power (The Public Theater), Vietgone (Geva Theatre), Emojiland (Duke on 42nd), Here Lies Love (Seattle Rep), Undesirables (Kennedy Center), Interstate (NYSAF), Diamond Alice (Fiasco Theater).

Shea Renne

Shea is overjoyed to be back on the Here Lies Love dance floor! She was in the Seattle Rep production and it changed her life. Broadway: Hadestown (Fate, u/s Persephone), Allegiance. National Tour: Hadestown. Select Regional: South Pacific (Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Cape Playhouse, Music Theatre Wichita), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Fulton Theatre), Seussical the Musical (The Muny), Spring Awakening (Hangar Theatre). Training: University of Michigan. Thank you to Matt and the team at DGRW. Love to my family, my Van, and especially Mom!

Angelo Soriano

A proud, Tagalog-speaking native “Child of The Philippines.” Most recently seen performing in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway (swing u/s Iago, Omar) since 2015. Honored in the New York Times Magazine feature, “A Star Is Made” as a dedicated Broadway Swing / Understudy. National Tour: Flashdance: The Musical. Catch “Mr. Angelo” performing with “Ms. Rachel” on the hit YouTube channel “Songs for Littles.” Faculty at Joffrey Ballet School. Mabuhay ang sining Pilipino!

Photo Credit: Boneau/Bryan-Brown