Way back in 2010, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim joined forces for Here Lies Love, a concept album about Imelda Marcos, the wife of Filipino dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Even when it was just an album, Here Lies Love was an ambitious undertaking; it had guest vocals from singers like Santigold, Florence Welch, Cyndi Lauper, and Tori Amos. In 2013, director Alex Timbers adapted Here Lies Love into a rock musical, which debuted off Broadway at the Public Theater. Over the years, there have been a few productions of Here Lies Love around the world. Now, it’s coming to Broadway.
David Byrne is now a familiar name on Broadway; his American Utopia show has been running since 2019, and Spike Lee turned it into a movie. The Here Lies Love musical is now set to open this summer at the Broadway Theatre. Alex Timbers, now a Tony winner, will return as director, and it’ll feature choreography from Annie-B Parson.
According to a press release, the show “will transform the venue’s traditional proscenium floor space into a dance club environment, where audiences will stand and move with the actors.” The show’s producers have given this statement:
As a team of binational American producers — Filipinos among us — we are thrilled to bring Here Lies Love to Broadway! We welcome everyone to experience this singularly exuberant piece of theatre. The history of the Philippines is inseparable from the history of the United States, and as both evolve, we cannot think of a more appropriate time to stage this show. See you on the dance floor!
You can sign up for early access to tickets here.
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