TGIF FEATURE: Lea Salonga returning to Broadway

Lea Salonga

LEA SALONGA will be back on the Broadway stage just in time for Christmas.

She will play Ersulie, the Goddess of Love, in the revival of the Tony-award winning  Once on This Island, 

Salonga, who won a Tony for her role in Miss Saigon, will be joining a diverse cast that will include Alex Newell (Glee), Merle Dandridge (Greenleaf), and Quentin Earl Darrington (Cats).

“In casting the Once on This Island, it became imperative for me to break expectations and stretch beyond the bounds in which Gods are traditionally represented. It felt important that young people watching our production see themselves reflected back from the stage at them,” commented director Michael Arden in a press statement. 

“The Gods are simply that: Gods. They are not bound by gender, race, sexuality or being human at all. I'm so very pleased to be collaborating with these four artists exploring the important and timely themes of this musical through their unique and incredible abilities.” 

The musical, which was first produced on Broadway in 1990, follows peasant girl Ti Moune and her star-crossed romance with a young man from the wealthy side of her island, a world ruled by four island gods.

The new production will be directed by Tony nominee Arden and choreographed by Camille A. Brown. 

Salonga, who just finished a concert tour in Southeast Asian and Australia, last appeared on Broadway last year in George Takei's Allegiance, a musical about the WWII internment camps for Japanese/Americans.

The show will premiere in December with previews in November at the Circle in the Square Theatre.
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