Jaygee Macapugay as Imelda Marcos in HERE LIES LOVE. Photo by Lia Chang
I had the best New Year’s Eve ever, dancing the night away at Club Millennium, a/k/a as the Off-Broadway production of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s smash hit musical, Here Lies Love at The Public Theater’s LuEsther Hall in New York.
It is a whirlwind for Jaygee Macapugay, who stars as Imelda, with eighteen hair and costume changes, but she graciously allowed me to be her shadow for a fabulous all access pass.
Melody Butiu as Estrella, Jaygee Macapugay as Imelda and Company. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay as Imelda Marcos in HERE LIES LOVE. Photo by Lia Chang
I’ve seen Here Lies Love three times and it worked in my favor while documenting this talented ensemble of rock stars backstage and during the 90- minute show.
Within a pulsating dance club atmosphere, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim deconstruct the astonishing journey of Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos retracing her meteoric rise to power and subsequent descent into infamy and disgrace at the end of the People Power Revolution. Here Lies Love is neither a period piece nor a biography, neither a play nor a traditional musical but an immersive theatrical event combining songs influenced by four decades of dance music, adrenaline-fueled choreography, and a remarkable 360-degree scenic and video environment to go beyond Imelda’s near-mythic obsession with shoes and explore the tragic consequences of the abuse of power.
The evening culminated in ringing in 2015 with David Byrne, his Here Lies Love cast and crew, while the countdown to the New Year from Times Square was projected on the walls of the theater. Special thanks to all, including Josiah who navigated the show for me, Rachel Brown and Kate Wallace.
Billy Bustamante, Lia Chang, David Byrne, Melody Butiu, Diane Phelan, Renee Albulario, Ali Ewoldt, Jaygee Macapugay and Aaron J. Albano on New Year’s Eve at HERE LIES LOVE. Photo by Rogier de Boer
Under the direction of Alex Timbers, Here Lies Love played a critically raved-about, sold-out run last year at the same space, which was extended by popular demand four times.
David Byrne and the HERE LIES LOVE cast and crew usher in 2015 on the set at The Public Theater’s LuEsther Hall in New York on December 31, 2014. Photo by Lia Chang
In addition to Macapugay as Imelda, this commercial run of Here Lies Love stars Jose Llana as Ferdinand Marcos, Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino, and Melody Butiu as Estrella. Produced by Joey Parnes Productions and EMURSIVE (Jonathan Hochwald, Arthur Karpati, and Randy Weiner, principals). You have five more chances to see the show, before the final performance on January 4, 2015.
Jose Llana and Jaygee Macapugay as Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos in HERE LIES LOVE. Photo by Lia Chang
Ben Brantley of The New York Times writes, “Imelda is now played, quite devastatingly, by Jaygee Macapugay. (The excellent Jose Llana, as Marcos, and Conrad Ricamora, as Aquino, are still on board.) She bears a less exact physical resemblance to her character than her predecessor, the wonderful Ruthie Ann Miles. But she adds an extra dash of molten steel that makes this Imelda a red-hot chiller. Enjoy the privilege of being burned by her at least once more before she leaves town.” Click”From Rapture to Regret in a Tale of Love, Martial Law and Shoes” to read Times Writers Share Last Chance Theater Picks.
Here Lies Love features, in alphabetical order: Aaron J. Albano, Renee Albulario, Carol Angeli, Billy Bustamante, Melody Butiu, Natalie Cortez, Debralee Daco, Kristian Espiritu, Rob Laqui, Jose Llana, Jaygee Macapugay, Jeigh Madjus, Diane Phelan, Conrad Ricamora, Enrico Rodriguez, Janelle Velasquez, and Tobias Wong.
Jaygee Macapugay, David Byrne and Melody Butiu usher in 2015 on the HERE LIES LOVE set at The Public Theater’s LuEsther Hall in New York on December 31, 2014. Photo by Lia Chang
The production received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical; an Obie Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics; Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music, Lighting Design and Projection Design and Theatre World Awards for Ruthie Ann Miles (Imelda Marcos) and Conrad Ricamora (Aquino). Here Lies Love received a record 11 Lucille Lortel Awards nominations, and garnered 5 Lortel Awards, including Alex Timbers for Outstanding Director, Ruthie Ann Miles for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical, Clint Ramos for Outstanding Costume Design, Justin Townsend for Outstanding Lighting Design and M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer for Outstanding Sound Design.
Schedule:
Friday, January 2 @ 5 PM & 9:30 PM
Saturday, January 3 @ 5 PM & 9:30 PM
Sunday, January 4 @ 5 PM
Tickets for Here Lies Love range from $99-$139. A limited number of $40 day-of-performance rush tickets will be available at The Public’s Taub Box Office (425 Lafayette Street, NYC) one hour before the start of each performance. Tickets subject to availability, and the offer is good for two tickets per person, cash or credit cards. For more info and tickets to Here Lies Love, please visit http://www.herelieslove.com/.
Jaygee Macapugay and Company in HERE LIES LOVE. Photo by Lia Chang
The New York production will close on January 4, 2015. The show is also currently running at London’s National Theatre through January 8, 2015. A production will open in Sydney in May 2015 as the theatrical center piece of the Vivid Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi577d7fUDA
Lia Chang and David Byrne on New Year’s Eve at HERE LIES LOVE. Photo by Diane Phelan
Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, and made her jazz vocalist debut in Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz “LADY” at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York. She is profiled in Jade Magazine.
Here Lies Love articles:
Up Close and Personal with Jose Llana; HERE LIES LOVE Star Set for Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Debut on March 12, 2015
Jaygee Macapugay stars as Imeda Marcos in Here Lies Love at The Public, Beginning October 20, 2014
Catch Jaygee Macapugay as Imeda Marcos in Here Lies Love at The Public through August 23, 2014
Jaygee Macapugay to appear as Imeda Marcos in Here Lies Love at The Public, July 5-7, 2013
Lucille Lortel Awards for Here Lies Love, Fun Home, The Open House, Good Person of Szechwan
Other Articles by Lia Chang
Photos: Fashion Designer Josie Natori at New Boutique in Nolita; Honored by Asian Cultural Council
Photos: Artist Arlan Huang, One Brush Stroke at a Time
Photos: Tommy Tune, Bob Avian, Lee Roy Reams, Christine Toy Johnson, Orville Mendoza, Lori Tan Chinn, Raul Aranas, Virginia Wing and More Celebrate 2014 Paul Robeson Citation Award Recipient Baayork Lee Crafting a Career
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
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