LOS ANGELES, USA – Conrad Ricamora, as Ninoy Aquino, proudly intones that he is a “Child of the Philippines.” Arielle Jacobs, originating the Imelda role on Broadway, implores, “Why Don’t You Love Me?”

Melody Butiu, as Estrella, a little-known but important person in Imelda’s early life, laments, “When She Passed By.”

Those three are among the standout songs, composed by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, which gain extra resonance in the Broadway production of Here Lies Love. I caught a recent preview performance of the musical which I first saw in its off-Broadway version a decade ago.

Conrad and Melody reprise their Ninoy and Estrella roles, respectively, in the Broadway incarnation directed again by Alex Timbers. Jose Llana also returns as Ferdinand Marcos.

After three tries to land the plum former First Lady part (Ruthie Ann Miles played her in The Public Theater production), Arielle gets to originate the complex, challenging Imelda character on Broadway.

The San Francisco-born Arielle has starred on Broadway as Jasmine in Aladdin (her brother Adam Jacobs has played the title role) and Nessarose in Wicked, and debuted on the Great White Way as Nina, opposite Lin-Manuel Miranda, in the closing cast of his In the Heights.

Conrad, who played Lun Tha in the 2015 Broadway revival of The King and I, is familiar to TV viewers and filmgoers as Oliver Hampton in Viola Davis’ How to Get Away with Murder and Will in Fire Island. He stars in Natasha Rothwell’s How to Die Alone, Hulu’s comedy series premiering this year.

Melody, who played Tita Yvonne in Jo Koy’s Easter Sunday, first appeared on Broadway as Kubarikha in Doctor Zhivago. She has extensive credits in regional theater.

Melody, Arielle, Conrad, Jose, and the fine ensemble are making history as the first-ever all-Filipino cast on Broadway.

Tony and Laurence Olivier Award-winner Lea Salonga will join the cast in a limited guest engagement from July 11 to August 13 as Aurora Aquino, Ninoy’s mom. I can’t wait to see what the Philippines’ national pride does with Aurora’s song, “Just Ask the Flowers.”

Reanne Acasio has the Aurora role in the ongoing preview shows. After Lea’s special summer engagement, guest stars from the Philippines, reportedly including two very popular talents, will take over the role.

Lea is also on the musical’s producing team alongside such luminaries as Oscar and Grammy winner H.E.R., Pulitzer Prize recipient Jose Antonio Vargas, actor-comedian Jo Koy, and Tony winner Clint Ramos, who is also the show’s costume designer.

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As in the 2013 staging, Here Lies Love, which officially opens on July 20, is an immersive dance musical. DJ Moses Villarama helps ensure the club ambience (all orchestra seats were removed so the audience in that section will feel like they’re on dance floor).

But amid the disco setting is the all-too-real story of the rise and fall of Imelda and Ferdinand and Ninoy’s intertwined fate with the couple.

The following are excerpts of my interviews with Conrad and Arielle (both by email) and Melody (by Zoom).

Conrad Ricamora

It has been a decade since I saw you as Ninoy Aquino in the off-Broadway production at The Public Theater. How have the intervening years and your growth and maturity as a person impacted your performance of Aquino this time around?

I just got married! So that has definitely deepened my understanding of what Ninoy sacrificed when he was imprisoned for seven years. The fact that he gave up his family because he believed in democracy and justice so much is really overwhelming.

How do your big songs in the show resonate with you now or perhaps give you a deeper meaning in this latest staging of Here Lies Love? Which one of your songs moves you the most every night?

I love singing “Child of the Philippines” so much. Especially as a child of a Filipino immigrant, it is so nice to stand in the center of a Broadway theater and sing those words every night.

A lot of immigrants want their children to assimilate into American culture and that was definitely the case with my dad. So now to say those words loud and proud is definitely a profound moment for me.

What does Arielle Jacobs bring to the role of Imelda?

Oh my gosh. Arielle has the most incredible voice I’ve ever heard. The power and the nuance that she has through this incredible arc of our show is something that I’m in awe of every night. She definitely pushes me to bring it daily.

The footage (also shown during the show) of Aquino inside the plane that just landed in Manila – with that look on his face – is haunting and unforgettable for viewers, especially knowing what happened afterward on the tarmac. What was your reaction when you first saw that footage?

You are absolutely right. It is haunting. Because you can see Ninoy’s body and face completely change when the guards come on the plane to grab him. It’s like he knew at that moment what was going to happen.

And it’s so heartbreaking because moments before, you can also see the footage of him being so happy to be going back to the Philippines. He wanted and needed to go home. As hard as it is to watch, it is definitely important that we have it in the show.

How important is Here Lies Love as a reminder of the Marcos years, especially amid the charges that there are attempts to rewrite or revise those chapters in our history?

There is an overall assault on the truth, not only in the Philippines but all over the world. Even here in America. Political leaders denying the truth or rewriting history is something we cannot allow as citizens of the world.

Because those leaders are always using those means to serve their own interests and not the interests of the people. People Power is something that we must continue to fight for if we want to survive as humans.

As a follow-up to the previous question, how important do you think Here Lies Love is in telling the story of Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos and Ninoy Aquino, especially to the younger generations of Filipinos all over the world?

Specifically for Filipinos, I think it’s critical. Not only for the sake of standing up for the truth and facts but also because it allows us as Filipinos to have our story put front and center on the biggest stage in the world.

So often in our history, we have been overlooked and colonized over and over again. Now it is our turn for our country, our people, and our story to stand in the spotlight.

Can you talk about being part of a historic production, the first-ever all-Filipino cast on Broadway?

It is so meaningful. As Filipino performers, we have been a part of other people’s stories for so long. You can really feel it among the cast that none of us are taking it for granted. We know how long we’ve waited for this moment.

Melody Butiu

I had the pleasure of watching you as Estrella in the off-Broadway production a decade ago. So how have the years deepened or evolved your understanding of Estrella and her role in Imelda’s life?

Oh my goodness. I do feel like the world is a different place than when we did the show 10 years ago. So a lot of that has deepened my appreciation for the story itself.

And I do think of Estrella, while she’s based on a very real person (Estrella Cumpas), someone who raised Imelda, loved Imelda, considered her family, and then felt betrayed by Imelda, I feel like she is a representation of the heart of the people because the people loved and trusted the Marcoses when they were elected very popularly and then were subsequently betrayed by them over the years.

So I take that story very seriously. Over the years, I just really appreciate it even more.

So how has that impacted you or inspired you even more, especially in your big number, “When She Passed By?”

I really try…I just think of how happy Estrella is. But there is the complexity of, she’s singing from outside the gates. So for me, it’s like there’s this separation.

There’s this deep love and joy that she feels for someone that she considers her sister but then also, she’s far away and she’s trying to make excuses for her. It’s like, oh it’s fine – well, there was a lot of people.

So I just feel it’s really fun to play with the mix of emotions that happened there. Like I mentioned, the world has changed so much in the last 10 years and I feel that there is a lot of mixed emotions.

There are people who put their faith in very popular politicians. They put their trust in them and they believe everything that they say.

Then when things aren’t exactly what they expected, they try to make excuses for it or they try to say, “Oh, well that’s just fake.” So I feel like those kinds of complex emotions are bubbling inside Estrella when she sings that song.

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Speaking of emotions, I saw how emotional you got last night with the tremendous audience reaction. Can you talk about that? And how is it being part of a cast that’s making history on Broadway, the first-ever all-Filipino cast on Broadway?

Yeah, I feel that it’s incredibly powerful to share this experience with Jose, Conrad, Jay (Macapugay), the performers who did the original production, but also a whole new generation of young performers.

To share this experience, to share this story, to deepen this work has been so profound. Oftentimes in the past when we’ve done this show, and I think it continues, a lot of performers start conversations with their parents that they hadn’t had.

A lot of audience members whose parents immigrated to the States and just didn’t focus on what was happening in the past, didn’t really talk about their time in the Philippines, it opens up that communication and stories and how impactful that time was.

To be able to share that with a cast of Filipino Americans, I’m getting emotional just thinking about it. Seeing Filipinos in the audience react to the show and feel the impact of the show.

Because sometimes people come in not knowing what they’re walking into, thinking, oh, maybe it’s a celebration of the Marcoses, which it’s not. It’s a celebration of the people.

It’s a celebration of the power that people have to use their voice, make themselves heard, make history, and move mountains. To me, that is the important takeaway from the show.

So to share that with other Filipinos for the first time…. Filipinos have been on Broadway for so many years, as demonstrated by Lea Salonga, Jose, and their long careers, but playing other ethnicities. So to be able to share our history and tell our story is so powerful and impactful.

Last night, I saw you sing powerfully. You move around, you go up the mezzanine and encourage the audience to sing and dance along. How do you prepare before the show to keep your stamina and energy?

I like to meditate a bit before the show but you just get your blood going, running around, dancing. I also have a playlist that I listen to of powerful Filipino artists, like Ruby Ibarra. So that’s really fun.

And then some of our cast members have also put together an incredible Spotify playlist of Filipino artists that we can listen to, which is really fun, too.

A lot of that helps fill my heart with joy, pride, and excitement, and yeah, it really is just such a fun story to tell. It moves so quickly and takes you on all of the emotions.

What does Arielle Jacobs bring to the role of Imelda?

Oh my goodness. This is her first time doing the role. She brings such openness and curiosity. She’s a wonderfully specific storyteller so I really appreciate that.

She’s incredibly kind and calm and her voice is incredible. She just brings a whole new perspective.

I feel like I’m also just watching her explore her Filipino roots and the blood that runs through her veins, in exploring this character and this history. So that’s really wonderful and exciting. Yeah, I’m grateful to be on this journey with her.

How does being in a larger theater this time, the Broadway Theater, affect or inspire you in your performance?

It’s incredible to see so many people moved and affected by it.

To be in that bigger space, really, I find myself opening up to the back of the house, whereas when it was in the smaller space, you’re just looking right at the people in front of you but you really want to include everyone in that theater and make everyone feel like they’re part of it and they’re invested in the story.

So the way that David Korins (scenic designer) and Alex (Timbers) designed the show to wrap the entire theater from front to back, it’s really amazing. The use of media, the video design by Peter Nigrini and his team, really help, even if you’re further back, to feel you’re there and you’re in it.

So that’s been really exciting with a bigger space because I think this is probably five times the size of when we did it at The Public Theater. Even the number of people on the floor has doubled.

So it’s very exciting trying to create an immersive experience for everyone. But I also feel like then it’s our duty to deepen and expand the work and reach out to everyone in the audience.

You touched on this a little bit but last night I saw Filipino men and women bringing their non-Filipino boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, and husbands. I saw how they got emotional and explained to their companions what’s going on. This is really an eye-opener for a whole new generation.

Yeah, I agree. I also feel like the more specific you get when you’re telling a story, the more universal it becomes.

So because politics have changed so much, populism and authoritarianism have cropped up all over the world with abandon, people see themselves and see their own experiences reflected in this very specific story. That’s what’s really exciting.

You don’t have to be Filipino to enjoy the show. You can really follow and then walk away and want to learn perhaps more about the history of the Philippines but also how it affects and impacts what’s going on all over the world.

Then what you can do to fight that, to make your voice heard, and know that there is power in sharing knowledge and information.

Arielle Jacobs

I understand that this is your third time to audition for the Imelda role over the years. Can you share your reaction when you heard the news that you landed the role?

When they told me that I would be playing Imelda Marcos on Broadway, I burst into tears. I had been auditioning for the Broadway production of Here Lies Love for three months, with many rounds of intensive auditions, work sessions, dance calls, and callbacks.

When I got the actual call, my agent and manager were both on the phone calling me together. Normally, this means either “very good news” or “very bad news.” So, I was hoping that it meant “good news.”

I was overwhelmed with gratitude and I also felt an immediate and immense responsibility all at once. To make my family proud. To give it all that I have. To make our people proud.

What are your earliest memories of hearing or learning about Imelda Marcos?

My earliest memory about Imelda Marcos was, of course, hearing about her immense shoe collection whenever someone had “too many shoes.”

How do you regard your Imelda role amid all the memorable roles you’ve portrayed, in terms of challenge and complexity?

This is, definitely, the most complex character I’ve ever had the opportunity to play. All of the other roles that I’ve played so far have all had the benefit of a happy ending.

So, no matter the subject matter, those characters were always pointing towards solving conflict and living towards a happier experience in the end.

In this role, Imelda’s actions create more and more conflict and the show ends with her being banished from her country during the People Power Revolution. There is a deep internal conflict, a need for loyalty, a sense of betrayal, and denial of circumstance, that I need to tap into every night onstage.

There is a darkness to it that grows more intense as the show goes on. I’m learning how to tell this story while also maintaining my own sense of light and brightness offstage and in my personal life as well.

It is a challenge. But I love challenges. That’s what makes the work exciting as an artist and as a storyteller.

What do you look forward to about performing every night with the cast, especially Jose Llana, Conrad Ricamora, and Melody Butiu?

I sincerely love all three of them. Everyone knows they are brilliant artists but they are also absolutely wonderful as people.

Jose Llana is such a magnificent actor and I love performing with him. He is powerful, present, supportive, and so talented.

I trust him completely and know that whatever happens, as things can sometimes go wrong in live theater, he is so reliable, dependable, and such an incredible scene partner that, together, I know we can handle anything that happens.

Melody Butiu is such a pure soul and a big-hearted person. I love our connection onstage and off. She is able to just radiate truth from her soul in a really beautiful and rare way.

Conrad Ricamora is a dream. His ability to tap into so many emotional colors as an actor is inspiring to me. And he has an energy and “it factor” that just allows his charisma to fill these massive spaces in a way that feels so effortless.

The three of them are a dream team to act across from.

For you as a singer-actor, which one of your songs moves you the most every night and why?

My finale song, which is called “Why Don’t You Love Me?,” is a culmination of Imelda’s journey in our show and the one that feels like a key to understanding the character (from her perspective in this portrayal).

It unlocks the hurt that she has carried through her whole life of feeling this need to be loved more and more since her childhood upbringing, building through the years in her personal relationships with both Aquino, Marcos, and with the people themselves.

When I sing this song, I feel like I’m unleashing a tidal wave towards the audience and pouring out decades worth of internalized anger and resentment. It’s an emotional ride every night.

How do the costumes of Clint Ramos help in your portrayal of Imelda and how do they transform you? What does wearing that white terno bring on in you?

Clint Ramos’ costumes are everything to me onstage. Especially because, over the course of 90 minutes, I portray Imelda over roughly a 40-year time period.

So, the costumes themselves tell such a specific and complete story of where Imelda is on her journey through the decades of our show. At each specific moment. How she has changed.

The costumes have a huge impact on my ability to tap into Imelda’s mindset, emotional state, and eventual opulence that she lived in.

Wearing the white terno at the end of the show brings a regality and a sort of otherworldly glamor, showing how she is now transformed into this new state that is clearly different from who she once was. It absolutely affects my performance very much.

How important do you think Here Lies Love is in telling the story of Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos and Ninoy Aquino, especially to the younger generations of Filipinos all over the world?

What a beautiful question. Our show is a metaphor and a cautionary tale about leadership, oppression, and the power of the people to change their destiny by coming together.

Here Lies Love is shining a light on such an important part of our history and is sharing this history with Filipinos and non-Filipinos all over the world.

Many of the younger generations of Filipinos are not fully aware of what really happened during Martial Law and it’s important for this history to be shared.

But there is also another level. Because they have not lived through many elections, many people in the younger generations may not yet realize that when corruption rises to power within a democracy, those individuals usually do not initially appear “scary” or “bad.”

What is happening isn’t necessarily “obvious,” or those leaders wouldn’t be elected by the people in the first place.

The way that leaders, who eventually oppress the people, become elected…is so often through their extreme confidence, personal charisma, or charm that leads the people to think “someone like this can solve all of our problems.”

And, once something like Martial Law occurs and the people realize that democracy has been threatened, it can be too late.

In world history, many people never get their democracy back.

The story of the People Power Revolution, and of the Filipino courage to rescue our democracy, can serve as an inspiration to people all around the world that it can be done if we stand together!

But Here Lies Love is a cautionary tale, especially for young people, to show that, when eventually corrupt leaders rise to power, on the surface it feels like “a party.”

That is the metaphor of Here Lies Love.

Can you talk about being part of a historic production, the first-ever all-Filipino cast on Broadway?

To be leading the first-ever all-Filipino cast on Broadway is the highest honor of my lifetime. It is fulfilling not only my dream of originating a role on Broadway but it is also giving me the gift of performing alongside an entire cast of fiercely talented and passionate Filipino artists every night.

I am telling this story in honor of my own Filipino ancestors. Their resilience and dreams.

I am so proud of my heritage and so proud to be Filipino.

I hope to make them, and all of you, proud. – Rappler.com

Visit https://herelieslovebroadway.com/tickets/ for the most current performance schedule. Tickets are on sale at Telecharge.com, by phone at 212-239-6200, or in person at the Broadway Theater box office (1681 Broadway at 53rd Street).