Lea Salonga To Lead Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends” On Broadway In 2025
Following her 16-week run on West End, Salonga will also be performing on the show’s Broadway run, as well as its North American debut in LA.
Courtesy of @LeaSalonga
Courtesy of @LeaSalonga
Esteemed singer and actress Lea Salonga is once again heading to the Broadway stage this 2025.
Together with fellow musical theatre veteran Bernadette Peters, Salonga will be headlining Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends” in its highly anticipated Broadway debut –– with previews beginning on March 25, 2025, for its Manhattan Theatre Club production at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.
Following a triumphant 16-week stint at London’s esteemed Gielgud Theatre, helmed by renowned producerProducerThe person who guides the creative and technical process of making a recording, shaping its sound, arrangement, and overall quality. Producers can write, compose, engineer, and direct performances, and aGo to Producer Glossary Cameron Mackintosh, the musical revue, curated from Sondheim’s timeless repertoire, is making its North American debut at the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. Under the expert guidance of Matthew Bourne and Julia McKenzie, responsible for the musical staging and choreography, the show is poised to enamor audiences once previews kick off in Manhattan next year. As for its Los Angeles stint, specific performance dates at the Center Theatre Group have yet to be unveiled.
The genesis of “Old Friends” stems from Sondheim himself, conceptualized during the throes of lockdown, as revealed by Mackintosh. Although Sondheim’s passing in November 2021 cast a shadow, Mackintosh, alongside McKenzie, persevered to honor the legendary composer’s legacy with this poignant “farewell show.” Mackintosh reflected on the overwhelming success of the London run, describing it as a “sensational success” with sold-out shows and televised broadcasts, which spurred them to fulfill Sondheim’s vision for the production.
Aside from the West End run of “Old Friends”, Salonga had recently performed on Broadway last 2023 for a five-week run for Here Lies Love, wherein she played the role of Aurora Aquino. Salonga has also announced that she will be performing her third U.K. concert tour, Stage, Screen & Everything In Between, this Summer 2024, which will include a performance at the Theatre Royal, in Drury Lane, London.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lea Salonga and fellow musical theatre veteran Bernadette Peters headline “Old Friends” in its Broadway debut. The production is a Manhattan Theatre Club presentation of the Sondheim musical revue, with Salonga returning to Broadway in 2025.
Previews for “Old Friends” were set to begin March 25, 2025, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in Manhattan. The Manhattan Theatre Club production marks the revue’s Broadway debut.
“Old Friends” is a musical revue curated from Stephen Sondheim’s repertoire. Producer Cameron Mackintosh says Sondheim conceived it during lockdown. After Sondheim’s death in November 2021, Mackintosh and Julia McKenzie completed what he calls a “farewell show.”
“Old Friends” first played a 16-week run at London’s Gielgud Theatre on the West End. Mackintosh described it as a “sensational success,” with sold-out shows and televised broadcasts. The show’s North American debut was announced for the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles.
Salonga performed a five-week Broadway run of Here Lies Love in 2023, playing Aurora Aquino. She also announced her third U.K. concert tour, Stage, Screen & Everything In Between, for Summer 2024, including a performance at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London.