'Here Lies Love' closing on Broadway due to low ticket sales
MANILA, Philippines — "Here Lies Love," the musical based on the rise and fall of former First Lady Imelda Marcos, will be having its final show on Broadway this month because of low ticket sales.
The musical will have its closing performance at the Broadway Theatre on November 26. By then it will have done shy of 150 shows since opening last July 20, excluding previews that began June 17.
"As the first-ever fully binational producing team, we are deeply proud and honored to have brought this pioneering theatrical event to Broadway," the musical's producers said in a statement, praising the first all-Filipino acting company on Broadway.
The cast includes Arielle Jacobs as the former First Lady, Jose Llana as her husband the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and Conrad Nicamora as the assassinated senator who criticized the couple Ninoy Aquino. Llana and Nicamora reprise their roles from the 2013 off-Broadway run.
Theater legend Lea Salonga appeared on the musical in a guest capacity as Ninoy's mother Aurora, best known in the musical for the number "Just Ask The Flowers."
Related: Imelda Marcos video dancing with Saudi businessman inspired 'Here Lies Love'
Actress Vina Morales took over the role after Lea finished her run, with Reanne Acasio stepping in from time to time.
Unlike most Broadway musicals, the production by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim replaced orchestra seats with a disco dance floor.
According to The Washington Post, "Here Lies Love" costs about $700,000 (P39 million) weekly to mount, but only makes about $500,000 to $620,000 (P28 million to P34.7 million) each week.
Data from Deadline shows that last week "Here Lies Love" only filled 79% of seats at the Broadway Theatre.
The musical was also apparently not able to reciprocate the critical success and audience favor it received during its off-Broadway run.
Still, "Here Lies Love" will be taped for New York's Theatre on Film and Tape Archive, and plans are being developed to bring the musical to Japan and Australia.
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