Lea Salonga dedicates her performance in “Into the Woods” to late theater stalwart Bobby Garcia

By Boy Villasanta

International singer-actress Lea Salonga is back in musical theater in the Philippines.

While Lea was a sought-after stage artist in foreign productions, she now returns at home.

Salonga is slated to play The Witch in the Theater Group Asia (TGA) production of Stephen Sondheim musical “Into The Woods” at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in August.

In an interview written in publicist Toots Tolentino’s press briefs, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning actress said she is honored to be part of the award-winning musical piece and dedicates her forthcoming performance to theater icon Bobby Garcia who directed her last Sondheim’s act in “Sweeney Todd” in Philippine theater six years ago.

“The last show I did in Manila was a Stephen Sondheim masterpiece. Now, I’m coming in ‘Into the Woods,’ yet another Sondheim masterpiece! If all I do for the rest of my life is perform in Sondheim shows, I’ll be very happy. But most of all, to my dear friend, ‘This one is for you, Bobby!’” exclaimed Salonga.

Tony Award-winning creative visionary and a founding collaborator of TGA, Clint Ramos shared: “We are so pleased and proud to have an actress of Lea’s caliber lead the spectacular and stellar ensemble of TGA’s production of ‘Into The Woods.’ This is Lea’s first musical in the Philippines in six years, and what a grand comeback it’s sure to be!

“’ Into the Woods’ is a very complex and thought-provoking piece. We want to create a version that considers the Filipino condition. Hopefully, our context will give more meaning to the already rich work that is this Sondheim musical. And Lea, with her remarkable talent and abilities will be very instrumental in imparting that message.”