Theater News

Lea Salonga Will Star in Fun Home

The Tony-winning Broadway musical will premiere in Manila in late 2016.

Lea Salonga will star in the premiere of Fun Home in Manila.
Lea Salonga will star in the premiere of Fun Home in Manila.
(© David Gordon)

Tony-winning musical Fun Home will make its international premiere in late 2016 with Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group in Manila, according to published reports. Miss Saigon Tony winner Lea Salonga, currently on Broadway in Allegiance, will play Helen Bechdel, the role created and currently played on Broadway by Judy Kuhn. A story in the Philippine Daily Inquirer written by Salonga reported the news.

Inspired by Alison Bechdel's graphic novel-memoir of the same title, Fun Home follows the real-life Bechdel's journey to accept the death of her stern, closeted father, Bruce, while coming to terms with her own sexuality. The production won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Musical, along with Tonys for Best Score (Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron), Best Book (Kron), Best Actor in a Musical (Michael Cerveris), and Best Director of a Musical (Sam Gold).

Cerveris leads the cast alongside 2015 Tony nominees Kuhn, Beth Malone, and Emily Skeggs, as well as Roberta Colindrez, Zell Steele Morrow, Joel Perez, Gabriella Pizzolo, Oscar Williams, Lauren Patten, Marrick Smith, Jim Stanek, and Nicole Van Giesen. The production began performances at Broadway's Circle in the Square Theatre on March 27 and opened April 19.

No further casting was reported for the Manila production of Fun Home.

For tickets and more information about the Broadway production of Fun Home, click here.

Judy Kuhn as Helen Bechdel and Gabriella Pizzolo as Small Alison in the Broadway production of Fun Home, directed by Sam Gold, at the Circle in the Square Theatre.
Judy Kuhn as Helen Bechdel and Gabriella Pizzolo as Small Alison in the Broadway production of Fun Home, directed by Sam Gold, at the Circle in the Square Theatre.
(© Joan Marcus)

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