ABOUT
About Joan Almedilla
Joan Almedilla is an acclaimed Filipina-American musical theater performer from Cebu, Philippines, known for her powerhouse vocals, emotional depth, and significant contributions to Asian representation on stage. Her career encompasses Broadway, national tours, regional theater, and screen work, where she brings nuance and strength to every role.
Currently, she stars as Aurora Aquino—the devoted mother of Ninoy Aquino—in the immersive musical Here Lies Love (by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim). Presented with an all-Filipino cast at the Mark Taper Forum (Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles), the production has been extended through April 5, 2026, due to strong audience demand.
Her landmark credits include:
Kim in Broadway's Miss Saigon
The first Asian performer to portray Fantine in the national tour of Les Misérables
Lady Thiang in Lincoln Center's national tour of The King and I, directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher
Critics praised her Lady Thiang, especially her moving performance of "Something Wonderful":
"Gorgeous-voiced Joan Almedilla wrenches maximum emotion from her sublime rendition of 'Something Wonderful.'" — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times
"Almedilla's 'Something Wonderful' pushes and pulls through a range of raw emotions." — KDHX
"Joan Almedilla... delivers her signature number 'Something Wonderful' with aplomb... Almedilla is just that in her delivery — something wonderful." — Rachel Weinberg Reviews / Perform.ink
Recent Highlights
In 2025, Joan gave a compelling performance as Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Master Class (Sierra Madre Playhouse).
"Musical theater star Joan Almedilla delivers a tour-de-force performance as opera legend Maria Callas... Alternately acidic and agonized, self-absorbed and sympathetic, and possessed of a wicked sense of humor, Almedilla commands the stage like nobody’s business." — Steven Stanley, StageSceneLA
Photo by Diane Sobolewski
Photo by Jason Williams
In 2024, she portrayed Bloody Mary with depth and sensitivity in Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific(Goodspeed Musicals).
"I very much admired Joan Almedilla's Bloody Mary, making a complex and fully realized character. (She sang beautifully, too.)" — ShowRiz
Additional theater credits include Donna in Mamma Mia and Jane Moore in Assassins with East West Players (praised by Variety as "majestic... best-in-show by far" in Krunk Fu Battle Battle, a "scorching jazz singer" in Road to Saigon, and singing "with impeccable purity... Her golden notes lend depth" in Songs for a New World at Rubicon Theatre); appearances in Mama Bares in Concert productions such as Once Upon a Play Date, Criers for Hire, Chess, Krunk Fu Battle Battle, and Road to Saigon; and leading roles in Songs for a New World (directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera) and It’s Only Life (directed by Daisy Prince) at Rubicon Theatre.
In 2007, she performed the vocals for Imelda Marcos in a concert presentation of the Here Lies Love song cycle alongside David Byrne at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium—a meaningful connection to her current role in the full musical.
On screen, Joan has appeared in Bupkis (Peacock), Griselda (Netflix), New Amsterdam (NBC), Pam & Tommy (Hulu), Mayans M.C. (FX), Shatter Belt, Commencement (Amazon Prime), and Next of Kin. View Film & TV Reel and more media.
Offstage, Joan is a dedicated supporter of Honolulu Broadway Babies, a Hawaii-based organization that fosters musical theater talent, and has performed in many of their revues and benefits.
Joan was discovered after her performance of HOME on SHOWTIME AT THE APOLLO. Here she is with the “Tree of Hope.