Lea Salonga leads 'God of Carnage' cast

MANILA, Philippines - Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga returns to the Manila and Singapore stage in the Tony and Olivier Award-winning comedy God of Carnage.

A joint production of Atlantis Productions and The Singapore Repertory Theatre, God of Carnage is a comedy of manners, without the manners. From Yasmina Reza, the author of Art, the play begins as two couples meet to amicably resolve a playground fight between their sons. Lines are drawn, allegiances are made and broken, and the evening quickly turns into a laugh-out-loud train wreck, served up with clafouti, espresso and a bottle of rum.

God of Carnage will mark Salonga’s return to a straight play, her last being Proof almost 10 years ago, also with Atlantis Productions. She will be joined by one of Singapore’s top actors Adrian Pang (whom she performed with in They’re Playing Our Song), award-winning actress Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (whom she also performed with in Proof), and Kitchen The Musical star Art Acuña. It will be directed by Bobby Garcia and is part of Atlantis Productions’ much-heralded 2012 season that includes Rock of Ages starring MiG Ayesa, an all star cast production of Nine, and the Asian Premiere of Disney’s newest full length family musical Disney’s Aladdin.

Salonga says, of her return to the stage, “It’s been almost 10 years since I last did a play, so I come into God of Carnage with a lot of excitement and fear. Excitement that I get to do this Tony Award-winning dark comedy by Yasmina Reza, and fear for that exact same reason.”

Salonga says of her future co-stars. “I’m also excited that I get to do this with Adrian Pang, my partner in They’re Playing Our Song, a man with whom I couldn’t ever keep a straight face when doing a scene, and with Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, a personal and professional partner in crime (we first worked together in Rep’s Fiddler on the Roof as members of the ensemble, a billion years ago, and have since sang, acted, and even coached together) whose body of work I have only the deepest and more ardent respect for, and I’m thrilled that Art Acuña will be with us, too. I don’t know him personally, but only by reputation, and a very good one follows him from show to show. Bobby Garcia, a frequent collaborator and dear friend, will be at the helm, which only guarantees more belly-splitting laughter at every turn of this creative process. I look forward to sharing all this in July when God of Carnage finally arrives in Manila. We hope you all laugh with us as we explore the baser, more primitive levels of seemingly civilized society.”

Immediately after God of Carnage, Salonga will be flying to San Diego to begin rehearsals for Allegiance, a new musical that will play at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego from Sept. 7-Oct. 21. 

Manila will not be the only stop for God of Carnage. The production will also travel to Singapore in November for a three-week run with the Singapore Repertory Theatre. The Singapore Repertory Theatre has collaborated with both Salonga and Garcia on numerous productions in the past.

God of Carnage will have a limited engagement from July 13 to 22 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets, call Atlantis Productions at 892-7078.