Lea Salonga Takes on the Role of the Witch in “Into The Woods”

Still fresh from receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last June, international actress Lea Salonga is excited to step into the role of the Witch in Theater Group Asia’s Into The Woods. The musical, which features an impressive all-Filipino ensemble cast, officially opens this month.

Insights from the Press Conference

During the press conference for the show held on July 31, the Tony Award-winning actress discussed the advantages of having a more compressed rehearsal schedule for this project.

“The whole process was fun but it’s a lot. It’s a Sondheim musical and it’s challenging on the brain,” Lea explained. “Finding entrances, figuring out what the internal logic of the music is challenging. And Chari (Arespacochaga), our director, staged the show with such speed, like in two weeks. And that is a feat for any musical. But the cool thing about that is that we had the luxury of being able to do a gazillion run-throughs before today, which allowed all of us the opportunity to take ownership of the material and ownership of our characters, and to really further deepen our relationships as characters with one another in the show.”

Lea also took a moment to honor the late director Bobby Garcia, who was supposed to co-direct the musical but passed away unexpectedly last December.

Working with Eugene Domingo

Lea shared her thoughts on collaborating with seasoned actress Eugene Domingo, who plays Jack’s mother in the show.

“You’re all going to be surprised how amazing she is in this. We know that she’s funny, we know that she’s an incredible actor. But the fun thing about watching her — I don’t think we have scenes where we’re talking to each other — but every time she does a line read, it’s never the same each time she does it. Napansin ko ‘yun,” she remarked.

Lea elaborated on how each rehearsal with Eugene felt like a masterclass in acting. “You can basically throw all the stuff at the wall and see what sticks. In her case, she throws everything at the wall and everything sticks,” Lea added. “So I think she can just pick any random line read for any of her lines and they will all be correct and we will all just have to react and respond accordingly to what that might be.”

Performance Details

Into the Woods will run from August 7 to 31 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Mall Makati. With a talented cast and a beloved story, this production promises to be a memorable experience for audiences.

Lea Salonga’s return to the stage, combined with her insights into the rehearsal process and her collaboration with fellow actors, sets the stage for an exciting rendition of this classic musical.