Lea Salonga joins Philippine production of 'Into The Woods’ as The Witch
Lea Salonga is set to play the role of The Witch in the upcoming Philippine staging of Into the Woods.
Theatre Group Asia announced her as part of the cast on Friday, Jan. 17.
"She’s good, she’s nice, she’s more just right. LEA SALONGA IS THE WITCH!" TGA said in a Facebook post. "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.
Lea first portrayed the same character when she was 23 for the 1994 staging of the beloved Stephen Sondheim musical in Singapore.
"Playing her again 30 years later is going to be illuminating. So much life has happened in the intervening years. I’m hoping to bring as much of that as I can to this production," she said in a statement.
This would mark her first musical in the Philippines in six years, with the last one being Sweeney Todd, which was directed by the late Bobby Garcia.
Originally created in 1986 by Sondheim and James Lapine, Into the Woods weaves the stories of several well-known fairytale characters such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and more, all of which are tied together by a childless baker and his wife who set off on a journey to break a witch’s curse preventing the couple from having a child.
It's set to be staged in the country in August at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.
