Llana came to the U.S. with his family at the age of 3 to escape Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law. Decades later, he portrays the dictator in an immersive Broadway musical
When veteran Broadway actor Jose Llana walked into the audition room for musician and writer David Byrne’s musical “Here Lies Love,” he declared, “I'm the blood of two major anti-Marcos activists, and I'm here and I would like to play your Ninoy Aquino.” Llana, 47, entered with such bravado and authority that the creative team likened the personality to that of former Philippine president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The immersive musical with an all-Filipino cast narrates the rise and fall from power of the Philippines’ former First Lady Imelda Marcos.