“Witches can be right, giants can be good. You decide what's right, you decide what's good,” but Lea Salonga is just right to play the Witch in the much-awaited production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.”
You heard that right, after six years, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning actress is making a grand return to the Philippine theater stage, portraying the iconic singing of the Witch. The announcement was made through Theatre Group Asia’s (TGA) social media accounts on Friday, January 17.
“She’s good, she’s nice, she’s more just right. LEA SALONGA IS THE WITCH! 🧙♀️” TGA captioned their post.
“Making her grand return to the Philippine musical stage after six years, Lea Salonga is back and ready to weave her magic in Into the Woods! 🌲 This is the comeback you’ve all been waiting for! 🎭🌟 So hold tight to your cows, capes, golden hairs, and glass slippers… the journey into the woods is about to unfold!” it added.
Sondheim’s musical follows the story of a childless couple yearning to start a family but is suddenly cursed by the witch. The musical explores the aspects of making wishes and their consequences, intertwined with a retelling of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales.
It weaves the classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel, continuing past the “happily ever after” of their stories, alongside an original tale of a baker and his wife.
Lea gained international fame for her roles in Miss Saigon and Les Misérables. However, this is not the first time the Broadway actress will be portraying the role of the Witch in the musical, as she also played the same role in the 90s during a staging by the Singapore Repertory Theater.
“Into the Woods” will be staged by TGA at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati.
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