In musicals and straight plays alike, Filipino excellence and artistry shine through on Broadway
Filipino artists proudly wear the Philippine flag in their hearts as 12 theatre actors of Filipino descent play major roles in Broadway productions this year, with a handful of them making their debuts on the famed block.
In a series of Instagram posts, world-renowned theatre, film, and television actor and singer Lea Salonga recognises multiple artists as they headline Broadway shows in 2025. Starting with a modest list of four actors performing in musicals—including herself—Salonga constantly updated her list to include those participating in straight and one-act plays as well. Here’s the full list.
More from Tatler: IdeaFirst Live!’s inaugural production, ‘Anino sa Likod ng Buwan’, is set for a rerun in October 2025
Lea Salonga
As the first Asian actor to win a Tony Award and to voice two Disney princesses—namely, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan—Salonga has proudly represented our flag on the global stage with her crystal clear singing voice and mastery of the stage. Currently, she stars in the Broadway run of Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, produced by Cameron Mackintosh.
Don Darryl Rivera
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Rivera graduated from the Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in Theatre. He would manifest his destiny on stage as Jafar’s sidekick, Iago in Disney’s Aladdin—originating the role and continuing the tradition to today. So far, he has garnered three Gregory Award nominations and wrote the book for Harold and the Purple Crayon, receiving two 2011 Seattle Times Footlight Awards for Best Actor in a Musical and Top for Tots. In 2025, he continues to perform the role of Iago.
Nathan Levy

Above Nathan Levy (Photo: @bwayinbandw/Instagram)
In 2016, Levy joined the Broadway company of Dear Evan Hansen as the understudy for Evan, Jared, and Connor. Six years later, he returned to his beloved musical and made his Broadway debut in the lead role of Evan Hansen. Levy has also appeared in Once Upon a One More Time and Aladdin and is currently starring in & Juliet as François Du Bois.
See also: Tanghalang Pilipino’s ‘Kisapmata’: An unsettling family story that mirrors society’s ills and woes
Chris Renfro
A man of many hats, Renfro is an actor, writer, comedian, and sound designer from Los Angeles. Renfro has made multiple appearances in TV and film such as Queer as Folk, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Reno 911! among others. Right now, he made his Broadway debut as Mary’s Teacher in OH, MARY!
Conrad Ricamora
Best known for his portrayal of Oliver Hampton on the hit television show How to Get Away with Murder, one could say that Ricamora was destined to be on stage. After graduating from the MFA acting programme of the University of Tennessee in 2012, he played the role of Ninoy Aquino in the 2013 Off-Broadway musical, Here Lies Love. He would make his Broadway debut in 2015 in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I. In 2024, he played Abraham Lincoln in Oh, Mary!, a role he continues to play in the show’s 2025 run.
Kay Sibal
Actor, musician, and vocal director based in Los Angeles, Sibal rose to prominence after her performance of Laufey’s From the Start at the 26th season of The Voice Blind Auditions in the US. Onstage, she has played the roles of Juliet in Invincible, Snake in Grumpy Monkey The Musical, and most recently—and currently—as her Broadway debut, Katherine Howard in Six.
Jasmine Forsberg
Before making it big on Broadway, Forsberg has had a long presence in theatre across the US—playing Sue Snell in Carrie, Indigo in Broadway Bounty Hunter, and Mute/Wall in The Fantasticks, to name a few. She also played Jane Seymour in the first American national tour of Six, a role that she would reprise on Broadway the following year. Forsberg made her Broadway debut in Here Lies Love as Maria Luisa, Imelda’s inner voice, and the interviewer.
Daryl Tofa
After making his Broadway debut on Mean Girls playing multiple characters, Tofa returned to the stage in 2023 as Dave McFly, Slick, and the understudy of Marty McFly in Back to the Future. He then made his original Broadway cast principal debut in 2024 as Keith ‘Two-Bit’ Mathews in The Outsiders—a role he reprised for the 2025 run.
Darren Criss
A prominent actor, singer, and songwriter, Criss quickly rose to fame for his performance on the television series, Glee. He also played Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story in 2018 where he received critical acclaim from critics and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film. In 2012, he replaced Daniel Radcliffe in the role of J Pierrepont Finch in the revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying—making his Broadway debut. Currently, he’s playing the role of Oliver in the new musical Maybe Happy Ending.
Read also: Gab Pangilinan to Tanya Manalang-Atadero: 7 Filipina theatre actors and their must-see productions
Eva Noblezada
A known name in the theatre space, Noblezada has starred in West End and Broadway musicals—earning her a Grammy Award and two Tony Award nominations. In 2017, she debuted on Broadway with the revival of Miss Saigon as Kim—a role she had reprised from the West End revival years prior. Currently, she plays Sally Bowles in the revival of Cabaret.
Tatianna Córdoba
Having played multiple roles in educational theatre, such as Mimi Marquez from Rent, Eponine from Les Miserables, and Mrs Hathaway from School of Rock, Córdoba makes her mark as one of the industry’s most promising talents. She excitedly makes her Broadway debut as Ana Garcia in the musical Real Women Have Curves.
Angelica Hale
A young musician and actor from Georgia, Hale competed in the 12th season of America’s Got Talent, where she became the youngest runner-up in the show’s history for her performance of Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You). She ventured into acting in 2018—filming her first movie, American Reject and voicing the titular character in the animated series Maya Unstoppable. In 2025, she makes her Broadway debut with BOOP! The Musical.
NOW READ
Beyond the Hues and Shades: The kind and free-spirited soul of the late Pacita Abad
Past meets present: Chris Patio’s return to the Philippine art scene





