Theatre Group Asia (TGA) proudly announces the casting of Tony and two-time Grammy Awards nominee Conrad Ricamora in the leading role of its Philippine staging of A Chorus Line*. The Fil-Am Hollywood, TV, and Broadway star is set to play Zach, the director and choreographer in the musical’s story who serves as the driving force and emotional mirror of the show. In the musical, Zach runs an audition, pushing the performing aspirants to their physical limits and unlock their motivations and insecurities while confronting his own in moments of vulnerability and emotional tension. Throughout, he uncovers the human side of the characters, driven by passion and ambition, yet mostly regarded as ‘in the shadows’.
On his first time
performing in the Philippines, Ricamora enthuses, “Performing in the
Philippines for the first time is incredibly meaningful for me because it’s my
father’s homeland. 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. The Philippine theater community is known for its passion, talent, and
heart. I’ve been so inspired watching artists from here make their mark
globally, and I can’t wait to share the stage with them and learn from their
artistry. There’s warmth and joy in Filipino storytelling that I’ve always felt
connected to, and I’m honored to finally be part of it.”
And about A
Chorus Line, he adds, “I’ve always loved A Chorus Line because it
celebrates the raw, vulnerable truth of being a performer. To step into Zach’s
shoes, especially in its golden year, feels like a full-circle moment. I’m
excited to explore how this show—written nearly fifty years ago—still speaks
directly to artists today: the hunger, the heartbreak, the need to be seen. And
as someone who started in musical theater before moving into television and
film, it’s thrilling to return to that sense of community and truth that only
the stage can offer.”
TGA Overall Artistic
and Creative Director and Tony Award winner Clint Ramos shares, “We are very
proud and overjoyed to have someone of Conrad’s caliber and experience in our
staging of A Chorus Line. We can’t wait for Manila to see his brilliance
centerstage. He brings the gravitas Zach possesses and likewise the raw
fragility the character requires. He is the quintessential triple threat whose
professionalism and impeccable talent have been embraced beyond Broadway. Not
only is he highly respected in the arts community for his talent, he also wears
his heritage and identity with pride, which is the ethos of TGA. We are very
excited about this collaboration. He is sensational.”
The musical’s director
and choreographer, Emmy Award-winner and Broadway powerhouse Karla Puno Garcia,
echoes, “A Chorus Line has to demonstrate the unflinching and
emotionally charged audition process for a coveted spot in the chorus line. For
the audience to see through those depths, we needed a powerful presence to lead
the audience through the immersion into the auditioning performers’ psyche. And
that’s exactly what Conrad brings. I can’t wait to start tackling the material
with him and embark this journey with someone of his accomplishments.”
On playing Zach,
Ricamora elaborates, “Zach’s job is to see people clearly, to push them to go
deeper—to reveal not just what they can do, but who they are. That’s something
I relate to deeply, both as an actor and as a human being. I’ve spent much of
my life learning to take down my own walls, to turn pain into art and
vulnerability into strength. 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”.
Ricamora most recently starred on Broadway in the
critically acclaimed Tony-winning play Oh, Mary! where he portrayed the
role of Abraham Lincoln. The role, earned him his first Tony
nomination in the category of Best Featured Actor in a Play
in 2025. In 2023, he was part of Broadway musical Here Lies Love as
Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino, a role he originated at the Public Theater Off-Broadway
in 2013, brought him back to the stage 10 years later with an all-Filipino cast.
Additional credits include timeless hit The King And I on Broadway, which
earned him a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2015; Off Broadway
shows Little Shop of Horrors, and Soft Power that got him his
second Grammy nomination.
On television, Ricamora was a series regular in the Hulu
and Disney+ Philippines series How To Die Alone and starred in the film Fire
Island from the same network. Most notably, Ricamora starred in six seasons
of the Shonda Rhimes ABC drama series How To Get Away with Murder as
‘Oliver’ and was also seen in the Fox series The Resident. Ricamora was
announced as a cast member in the forthcoming and highly anticipated second
film edition of The Devil Wears Prada.
A landmark in
American musical theatre and celebrating its 50th Anniversary this
year, A Chorus Line revolutionized Broadway by spotlighting the lives of
ensemble artists—the unsung heroes of every musical. As it follows 17 hopefuls
vying for eight spots, it becomes an ode to ambition, sacrifice, and
individuality. This local production of A Chorus Line honors the
groundbreaking legacy of its original 1975 premiere while breathing new life
into its message for a new generation. The musical is notable for its stripped-down
set, iconic choreography, and intensely personal monologues that explore
identity, perseverance, and the often invisible cost of chasing a dream. It
remains one of the few musicals to ever win the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
aside from winning the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of A Musical
(James Kirkwood), Best Original Score (Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban), Best
Director (Michael Bennett), and Best Choreography (Michael Bennett and Bob
Avian) that same year.
Tickets are
available through Ticket World premiere.ticketworld.com.ph. Ticket
prices start from PHP900 to PHP5,500. A Chorus Line will run from
March 12-29, 2026. Thursday and Friday shows are at 7:30 p.m. Two shows are
staged on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
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