Grab your playbills and raise your voices in celebration because we’re shining a spotlight on Conrad Ricamora as he marks his 45th trip around the sun! Best known for his television work, Ricamora stole our hearts as the beloved Oliver Hampton in the thrilling How to Get Away with Murder. He was also great in Fire Island, a delightful gay film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. But what we’re focusing on today is this talented star’s stage appearances in Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals. From classic tunes to contemporary hits, Ricamora’s resume offers up a medley of musical theatre treats, seamlessly blending classic shows with exciting new pieces. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, he not only lights up the stage with his charisma but also shines as a beacon of visibility and acceptance, having been presented with the Human Rights Campaign’s Visibility Award. So, join us as we explore five musicals that have showcased Ricamora’s sparkling charm and wish him the happiest of birthdays!

5. Allegiance

Allegiance marched onto the Broadway stage in 2015, but not without first cutting its teeth on the stage of San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre back in 2012 – which is when Ricamora appeared in the show. With a score by Jay Kuo and a poignant book crafted by Kuo in collaboration with Marc Acito and Lorenzo Thione, this musical shines a light on a dark chapter of American history, the Japanese American internment during World War II. Inspired by the personal journey of the indomitable George Takei, who also performed in this show alongside Lea Salonga and Telly Leung, Allegiance follows the Kimura family’s struggles as they are uprooted from their California home and moved to the Heart Mountain Relocation Centre in Wyoming. Ricamora was a swing in this early staging of Allegiance and so there isn’t really a record of his work in the show for posterity, even though his presence in the room undoubtedly contributed to the show’s impact. But it’s important to mention Allegiance here for two reasons. Firstly, it’s a testament to Ricamora’s talent and part of his journey to bigger stages and brighter lights. Even more significantly, Allegiance is a milestone in Broadway history because it is a musical created by Asian Americans with a distinctly authentic Asian-American perspective. As such, it broke new ground, paving the way for greater representation and diversity on stage. It is a remedy to shows like Anything Goes, in which Ricamora made his professional debut and was asked by the director to ‘sound more Chinese,’ an experience which Ricamora himself has identified as a low point in his career.

4. Here Lies Love

Here Lies Love isn’t just a run-of-the-mill musical – it’s a disco-infused whirlwind of politics, power, and pop, set against the backdrop of Imelda Marcos’s glamorous yet tumultuous time as first lady of the Philippines. But Here Lies Love isn’t just Evita with a killer beat and some even hotter shoes, it’s a vibrant, intelligent exploration of idolatry and its consequences. Born from the creative minds of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, this immersive dance party extravaganza first graced Off-Broadway in 2013 before shimmying its way onto the Broadway stage a decade later. Looking back the this show’s history, there is nobody better to embody the fiery spirit of Filipino opposition leader Ninoy Aquino than the multitalented Ricamora, who not only took on the role in both productions but also dazzled audiences in a 2017 rendition in Seattle. It’s the show so nice, he did it thrice! Playing this role holds personal significance for Ricamora, as the show sparked meaningful conversations within his own family about their heritage and history, his father having come from the Philippines. This show is as infectious as it is insightful, and it is a dynamic reminder of the power of diverse storytelling in a thriving theatre culture.

3. Soft Power

In the dazzling constellation of musical cyberspace, Soft Power gleams like a comet, flashing brightly in the theatrical cosmos. Premiering in Los Angeles in 2018 ahead of a 2019 Off-Broadway run, this idiosyncratic musical is the brainchild of David Henry Hwang, who wrote the book and lyrics, and Jeanine Tesori, who wrote the music in addition to providing additional lyrics. Partly taking its inspiration from a 2015 incident where Hwang was stabbed by a stranger in New York, Soft Power is witty and wise, a satire dealing with cultural identity, appropriation and representation that leaves you spinning. This kaleidoscope of culture and comedy sees Ricamora play the role of Xuē Xíng, a Chinese film executive who approaches DHH (a fictional stand-in for Hwang himself) to make an American-style romantic musical comedy film aimed at Chinese audiences. When DHH is stabbed, he is wheeled off to surgery where he has a vision of a musical that subverts the tropes of The King and I and sees Xuē Xíng meeting and falling in love with Hillary Clinton during her presidential campaign. As Xuē Xíng, Ricamora proved to be both charming and charismatic, handling the more sympathetic moments as well as the broader comic set pieces equally well. Hwang and Tesori’s score is a gem. Whether it’s being more introspective or uproariously satirical, songs like “Dutiful,” “Fuxing Park,” “I’m With Her,” and “It Just Takes Time” all add up to a symphony of brilliance. A finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Soft Power gives us the chance to look at both musicals and politics and challenges us to deconstruct the way we think about both of them.

2. The King and I

The King and I is one of the grand old dames of Broadway, having danced a graceful but not always flawless polka through the annals of theatre history since its debut in 1951. Penned by the iconic duo of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, The King and I has seen its fair share of triumphs. Both the original production and its most recent revival won five Tony Awards and the 1956 film adaptation won five Oscars. Yet, even amidst the glittering kisses, lies the shadow of criticism. The tale of Anna Leonowens, the English schoolteacher thrust into the royal court of Siam, where cultural conflicts and forbidden romances abound, is as timeless as it is fraught with complexities. The King and I has increasingly drawn criticism for the stereotypical depictions of some of the characters, its pro-colonialist narrative and the historical, cultural and political biases and inaccuracies that are wrapped up in the original creative team’s good intentions. The most recent revival was directed by Bartlett Sher, who navigated these complexities admirably, partly by focusing on the element of The King and I that truly steals the show, which is the timeless beauty of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s score, and partly in his direction of the actors, which included Ricamora as Lun Tha opposite Ashley Park’s Tuptim. Together, the two offered a trajectory for the doomed lovers that seemed to gain an extra layer of poignancy. They offer tender renditions of “We Kiss in a Shadow” and “I Have Dreamed” that make the subsequent tragedy all the more effective.

1. Little Shop of Horrors 

Little Shop for Horrors is a classic. For the uninitiated, this isn’t your typical horticultural tale. It’s a quirky, toe-tapping romp through the perils of plant parenthood, with a killer score to boot. The show follows Seymour, who finds an innocuous-looking plant during a total eclipse of the sun – but which grows up into a manipulative, people-eating monster. Originally sprouting Off-Broadway in 1982, this musical marvel has since taken root in the hearts of theatregoers worldwide, most recently in the form of a long-running Off-Broadway revival that’s been delighting audiences in New York since 2019. And who better to step into the shoes of the lovable but luckless Seymour Krelborn than Ricamora? He was the fourth actor to take on the role in this revival, following Jonathan Groff, Gideon Glick and Jeremy Jordan. With Alan Menken’s catchy tunes and Howard Ashman’s wickedly witty lyrics, Ricamora’s portrayal of Seymour is like a perfectly pruned bonsai – nerdy yet endearing, with just the right touch of darkness rooted in the character’s initial heartache and loneliness. His performance is the kind that sends fans scrambling to their keyboards, searching for every snippet and clip they can find, and let me tell you, it’s worth the hunt. Ricamora brings his own unique flair to this iconic role, infusing it with a blend of comic charm and poignant emotion that’s simply irresistible.

And there you have it, dear theatre aficionados! As we bid adieu following this whirlwind celebration of Conrad Ricamora’s career on his 45th birthday, we’re left with a plethora of memories and melodies that have echoed across stages far and wide. Ricamora has proven time and again that he is a force to be reckoned with in the world of entertainment. As we toast this talented actor, let’s not only celebrate the roles he’s brought to life but also the impact he’s had as a cultural and social activist. May he long continue to illuminate our hearts and minds, and may his future endeavours be as bright and joyous as the songs he’s shared with us so far!