Filipino-American Broadway actress Lissa de Guzman is set to make her homecoming to the Philippines as she stars as Cassie in Theatre Group Asia’s (TGA) upcoming production of ‘A Chorus Line’.
De Guzman is famously known as the first Filipina actress to play the role of Elphaba in the national Broadway tour of musical classic ‘Wicked’.
She has also taken the spotlight as Ann Darrow in ‘King Kong’ and Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’. Among her other stage credits are ‘Waitress’, ‘Legally Blonde’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘West Side Story’.
De Guzman to bring ‘new dimension’ to the beloved character
Cassie Ferguson is one of musical theatre’s most iconic and technically demanding roles, with TGA’s executive producer, Christopher Mohnani, describing Cassie as one that “requires a unique blend of vulnerability, strength and dance mastery.”
“Lissa de Guzman’s talent, passion, and dedication to her craft will bring a new dimension to this beloved character,” said Mohnani.
The Wisconsin-born actress expressed excitement about coming to the Philippines, as she finds bringing her craft to her father’s homeland “incredibly special.”
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Fil-Am actor Conrad Ricamora leads ‘A Chorus Line’
Joining de Guzman is fellow Filipino-American actor Conrad Ricamora, who has made a name for himself in Hollywood, TV and Broadway.
He will portray Zach, the director tasked with the heavy responsibility of choosing between his dancers.
Ricamora rose to fame in American thriller series ‘How to Get Away with Murder’, where he portrayed Oliver Hampton alongside award-winning actress Viola Davis.
He also originated the role of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino in the Off-Broadway production of ‘Here Lies Love’ in 2013, before reprising it on Broadway in 2023 with an all-Filipino cast.
Ricamora recently earned his first Tony nomination for ‘Oh, Mary!’ in 2025. He is also a two-time Grammy Award nominee for ‘The King and I’ and ‘Soft Power’.
‘Like a homecoming’: Ricamora
“Performing in the Philippines for the first time is incredibly meaningful for me because it’s my father’s homeland,” Ricamora told Together Manila.
“It feels like a kind of homecoming—a chance to connect with a part of my heritage that I’ve always carried in my heart.”
Ricamora also shared his love for ‘A Chorus Line’, saying, “It celebrates the raw, vulnerable truth of being a performer.”
“The show’s core question—‘Who am I, and why do I dance?’—is universal. We’re all just trying to be chosen for who we really are.”
On his role as Zach, he said: “To step into Zach’s shoes, especially in its golden year, feels like a full-circle moment.”
First staged in 1975, ‘A Chorus Line’ tells the story of a group of dancers as they put everything “on the line” in hopes of landing a role in an unnamed Broadway musical.
‘A Chorus Line’ made a significant impact in the musical theatre scene as it showcased the performers who are often in the shadows or overlooked.
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the show has already garnered numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Musical.
TGA’s ‘A Chorus Line’ will open on March 12, 2026, and will run until March 29 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.
Tickets are now available at TicketWorld, with prices ranging from PHP900 to PHP5,500.
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