Arielle Jacobs (Imelda Marcos) and Jose Llana (Ferdinand Marcos)
The David Byrne-Fatboy Slim disco-pop musical “Here Lies Love” began life as a concept album, before becoming a hit Off-Broadway production at the Public Theater. Led Screen
On July 20, the show, which tells the story of the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos and the People Power Revolution, arrives on Broadway. Uniquely for a Broadway show, audience members have the option of experiencing the show from a dance floor.
The production represents another exciting first. “Here Lies Love” will be the first Broadway show to feature an all-Filipino cast.
Ahead of the occasion, the actors Melody Butiu and Jasmine Forsberg told Forbes about the show, their roles, and this milestone for Filipinos on Broadway.
How would you describe the show and the story that it tells?
Jasmine: “Here Lies Love” isn’t a typical Broadway musical. It’s a completely immersive theatrical experience that invites audience members to dance along and become a part of the show.
Melody: We want the audience to get swept up in the journey, and truly feel like they are part of the story — witnessing and participating in political rallies, a wedding party, even a funeral and protest march. It uses the form of disco and dance music to explore the cult of personality, the corruption of power, the fragility of democracy, and how the fight for justice is constant and necessary.
Tell us a little about the characters you play in the show.
Melody: I play Estrella Cumpas, Imelda’s yaya (nanny and maid) and childhood friend. She helps to raise Imelda during her very humble beginnings and has a deep love and affection for her. As Imelda rises to power, Estrella feels immense pride, but also confusion when she is ignored, left behind, and ultimately denied by someone she considered her close friend.
I see her as a representation for the people, who elected President Marcos with such hope and faith, but then over the years, witnessed the betrayal, graft, corruption, and crimes against humanity that ensued.
Jasmine: I play a character named Maria Luisa, who historically was a member of Imelda’s socialite squad, the “Blue Ladies”. Within the context of “Here Lies Love,” Maria Luisa is a figment of Imelda’s imagination and appears as an extension of Imelda’s inner self.
As Imelda journeys through an array of emotional peaks and valleys throughout the show, Maria Luisa allows the audience to get an inside look at what Imelda is experiencing. She bolsters confidence while Imelda embarks on her husband’s presidential campaign trail; she pep-talks an overwhelmed Imelda in the bathroom of Studio 54; she taunts Imelda after the world finds out about a humiliating love affair in her marriage.
Outwardly, Imelda remains calm and composed, but inside, Maria Luisa champions and challenges her.
What is it like being part of the first all-Filipino cast on Broadway, telling a Filipino story?
Melody: I am truly honored and thrilled to tell this story. This project has held such a special place in my heart for many years, not only from originating the role of Estrella Off-Broadway at The Public Theater, but also from singing on some of the demos while David Byrne was writing it back in 2005. I have a long history with the show.
Filipinos have been performing on Broadway for decades, as we have seen in the incredible careers of Lea Salonga, Jose Llana, and many others, but up until now, we have been playing other ethnicities, telling other people’s stories. When I first started working professionally, I was told by agents and managers not to expect to play Filipino, because those parts did not exist, and most audiences did not know what Filipinos were. Over the years, I have played or have been asked to audition for Chinese, Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Latino, Middle Eastern roles.
'Here Lies Love' at the Broadway Theatre
It is unbelievably powerful to finally have an opportunity to tell a small part of Philippine history, and explore how it’s intricately tied to the history of the US. Sharing this experience with young Filipino performers who may not have known about the People Power Revolution, exploring our perspectives, diving into the research, having conversations with our own families and sharing our findings… It is something I do not take for granted. While there is certainly a history of colonization and occupation in the Philippines, we have 500 years of resistance and resilience, and thousands of years of survival running through our veins. We hope to honor the ancestors who came before us, who helped us get to this moment, and that it opens up more opportunities for our stories to be told.
Jasmine: There is no feeling quite like stepping into your power and giving voice to a story that is uniquely your own culture’s. This cast feels like a hug personified — familiar, warm, and home-like, even though this is my first time working with every person in this room. That has everything to do with our shared cultural experience and a Filipino person’s ability to make anyone feel like family.
Digital Dance Floor It brings me such joy to greet audience members at the stage door and see so many faces that look like mine. They are smiling back at me too, because they just witnessed Broadway history. Overall, there is an encompassing feeling of gratitude amongst my entire company that we get to share this space with each other and, hopefully, set a precedent for more stories like this to be told at the highest level of live theater.