Lea Salonga returns to the stage after 27 years with fellow Tony winner Bernadette Peters
Lea Salonga and Bernadette Peters, beloved Tony winners, head to London as they headline Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends on West End for 16 weeks only beginning in September. This falls as Cameron Mackintosh’s tribute concert to the late musical theatre trailblazer Stephen Sondheim.
On Instagram, on February 13, the Filipino icon wrote, “I cannot wait to start working on this along with some old friends of my own!!! This is going to be fun!”
This will mark the first time that Lea will return to the London stage in 27 years. To note, her last appearance at the West End was for the musical Les Miserables where she played the huge role of Eponine at the Palace Theater in 1996.
In addition, Christine Allado, Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford Jeremy Secomb, Beatrice Penny-Toure, Joanna Riding, Jac Yarrow, and more, join Lea and Bernadette in Old Friends. Other members of the cast will be announced soon.
Cameron recalled how Old Friends started its journey to the West End, according to broadwayworld.com.
“Old Friends began its journey to the West End in a conversation I had with Steve during our enforced pandemic isolation – ‘It’s time we did a third show’ said Steve, and complete the trilogy that started with Side-by-Side by Sondheim in the 1970s, followed by Putting It Together in the ’90s.”
“Bernadette and Lea head a stellar cast of co-stars, many of whom also appeared in last year’s unforgettable Gala. Steve was always a Broadway Baby at heart, so I’m delighted that I have been able to put together one last great hurrah for my old friend, containing many of the greatest songs ever written for the musical theatre, in one ‘great big Broadway show’ – just as he wanted,” Cameron said later on, appreciating the cast he has put together.
According to broadwayworld.com, Old Friends will be staged from September 16, 2023, to January 6, 2024, at the Gielgud Theatre from September 16, 2023, to January 6, 2024.
Tickets will go on sale on February 22 to prioritize bookers and DMT+ members. A general on-sale will happen on February 27 at 11 am.
