The Broadway musical Here Lies Love will close this month due to low audience turnout resulting in poor ticket sales.
The production’s last performance at the Broadway Theatre is set to take place on November 26. By then, the musical will have recorded 33 previews and 149 regular performances since beginning previews on June 17 and officially opening on July 20.
Here Lies Love stars an all-Filipino cast, which is a first in Broadway history. It follows the story of former First Lady Imelda Marcos during her rise to power with the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and eventual fall after the EDSA People Power Revolution.The ensemble cast includes Tony-winning actress Lea Salonga in a guest performance as Aurora, the mother of assassinated senator Ninoy Aquino. It is led by Arielle Jacobs, Jose Llana, and Conrad Ricamora, among others.
Several of the cast members have since reacted to the musical’s conclusion.
Jacobs penned a lengthy caption to a past video of her learning she had gotten the lead role in Here Lies Love. “To every Asian artist who dreams of being on Broadway, to every Filipino artist who dreams of being on Broadway. Remember that glass ceiling I mentioned before? It has been shattered. It is gone. I say it Loud and I say it Proud. Now, and Forever. I, Arielle Jacobs, am a Child of the Philippines.”
Ricamora took a picture of his stage costume as Ninoy Aquino, a role he reprised from the musical’s 2013 off-Broadway run. He captioned it with a broken heart emoji.
“Mabuhay ang sining Pinoy at mga kababayan natin sa mundo na ito. Salamat po sa iyong lahat [Long live Filipino art and our people in this world. Thanks to all of you.],” actor Angelo Soriano added.
The Washington Post reported that the musical costs USD 700,000 (roughly PHP 39 million) weekly to mount, below its weekly box office revenue of between USD 500,000 to USD 620,000 (roughly PHP 28 million to PHP 34 million).
David Byrne wrote Here Lies Love’s concept and lyrics while producing the music with Fatboy Slim. Alex Timbers was in charge of the development and direction of the production, which was choreographed by Annie B-Parson. Filipino-American singer H.E.R., who has won an Emmy, 5 Grammys, and an Oscar — is also part of the musical’s producing team.