Filipino-American Broadway star and Tony Award-nominee Conrad Ricamora will lead the cast of the upcoming Manila run of “A Chorus Line” for his Philippine stage debut.
Fresh off the heels of a star-studded “Into the Woods,” Theatre Group Asia is beginning the cast roll-out of its next production to be directed and choreographed by Fil-Am Karla Puno Garcia.
Karla is the first Filipino cast member and dance captain for “Hamilton,” performed three different “West Side Story” characters on Broadway, and toured the United States for “Wicked” and “The Addams Family.”
She made history as the first woman of color to choreograph the opening number of the Tony Awards back in 2023, winning her the Emmy for Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming.
“A Chorus Line” depicts the trials and triumphs of Broadway’s unsung heroes as it follows 17 performers enduring a grueling audition for eight coveted spots in a Broadway chorus, highlighting their personal stories of ambition, disappointment and perseverance.
Theatre Group Asia and Karla previously announced that only artists with Filipino heritage will be accepted for the “A Chorus Line” ensemble, and it starts with Conrad as Zach, the director and choreographer of the story auditions being held.
“Performing in the Philippines for the first time is incredibly meaningful for me because it’s my father’s homeland,” Conrad said. “To bring my work here feels like a kind of homecoming – a chance to connect with a part of my heritage that I’ve always carried in my heart.”
Conrad commended “A Chorus Line” for celebrating the “raw, vulnerable truth of being a performer,” and that playing Zach as the production turns fifty years old is another full-circle moment.
The actor pointed out how its story still speaks directly to the hunger, heartbreak, and needs of artists to be seen, “It’s thrilling to return to that sense of community and truth that only the stage can offer.”
The Fil-Am artist received Grammy nominations for his performances in “The King and I” and “Soft Power,” starred as Ninoy Aquino “Here Lies Love” on Broadway after numerous runs elsewhere and recently received a Tony nomination for his role as Abraham Lincoln in “Oh, Mary!”
Onscreen Conrad is best known as Oliver Hampton on “How to Get Away With Murder,” Jake Wong on “The Resident,” “How to Die Alone” with Natasha Rothwell and will next appear in the “The Devil Wears Prada” sequel.
“A Chorus Line” will run in March 2026 in Makati’s Samsung Performing Arts Theater.