Melody Butiu

Melody plays Sofia Flores in QUEEN OF VERSAILLES, a new musical by Stephen Schwartz and Lindsey Ferrentino, and starring Kristin Chenowith. The show had a wonderfully successful run at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston and will have its Broadway debut in the 2025/2026 season. Directed by Tony Award winner Michael Arden (Parade, Once on This Island), the musical tracks Jackie Siegel as she becomes the wife of David "Timeshare King" Siegel and mother to eight children as they endeavor to build the largest private home in the country in Orlando, Florida, only for the 2008 recession to dampen their dreams and lavish lifestyle. Also leading the cast are Academy Award Winner F. Murray Abraham as David Siegel and Nina White as Victoria Siegel. Watch Kristin and Stephen premiere the song, "Caviar Dreams," in the video above! For more information, click here.

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Melody returns to South Coast Repertory's production of A Christmas Carol for her fifth season, and this year, she tackles the role of Mrs. Cratchit for the first time! ​​Whether it’s your first time or a cherished tradition, this timeless classic is sure to rekindle your holiday spirit! Gather your loved ones and celebrate the season with festive music, joyful dancing and the heartwarming story of one magical, life-changing night in the life of Ebenezer Scrooge.​ Performances run November 30th-December 24th. For tickets and more information, click HERE.

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Melody provided the voice of Camille Garcia, the radio host in REQUEST SA RADYO, starring Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon, alternately, in a limited run at the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Makati City, Philippines. Directed by Bobby Garcia, Request sa Radyo (Wunschkonzert / Request Program) is Franz Xaver Kroetz's landmark theatrical piece that captures the poignant solitude of a woman through her meticulous evening routine. As she navigates her quiet, solitary life, her actions and her favorite radio program reveal the profound loneliness and yearning for connection that lie beneath. This masterpiece of modern theatre transforms the mundane into a powerful exploration of isolation and the human condition and leaves you contemplating the depths of solitude long after the curtain falls. 

 

Melody was thrilled to reprise the role of Estrella Cumpas for the Broadway production of HERE LIES LOVE. Here Lies Love is a groundbreaking musical about former Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos’s astonishing rise to power and subsequent fall at the hands of the Philippine People Power Revolution. From the minds of David Byrne (Academy Award®, Grammy® Award, and Tony Award® winner) and Fatboy Slim (Grammy Award winner), Here Lies Love has been called “ingenious” by The New York Times and “an ecstatic and dynamic party” by Time Out New York. Choreographed by Annie-B Parson (Olivier Award nominee) and developed and directed by Alex Timbers (Tony Award winner), the theater was transformed into a dance club where the audience was immersed in the story.​

 

As part of the the 2023/2024 Broadway season, HERE LIES LOVE was honored with FOUR Tony Award nominations, including Best Original Score, Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design, and Best Sound Design. We received FOUR Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and THREE Drama League Award Nominations, including Outstanding Revival of a Musical and Outstanding Direction of a Musical.

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The cast included: Arielle Jacobs, Jose Llana, Conrad Ricamora, Lea Salonga, Melody Butiu, Moses Villarama, Jasmine Forsberg, Reanne Acasio, Jaygee Macapugay, Julia Abueva, Renee Albulario, Aaron Alcaraz, Carol Angeli, Nathan Angelo, Kristina Doucette, Roy Flores, Timothy Matthew Flores, Sarah Kay, Jeigh Madjus, Aaron "AJ" Mercado, Geena Quintos, Shea Renne, and Angelo Soriano.

 

 

Melody plays Tita Yvonne in Amblin/Universal Pictures and Rideback's feature, Easter Sunday. The movie is based on the life and experiences of comedian, Jo Koy. 

"...Easter Sunday is the culmination of a lifetime of dreaming and decades of hard work," said Koy. "It's especially meaningful that we've been able to assemble such an incredible group of diverse and talented filmmakers and comedians to bring this slice of Filipino culture to the world." The cast also includes Eva Noblezada, Brandon Wardell, Tia Cerrere, Eugene Cordero, Asif Ali, Lou Diamond Phillips, Lydia Gaston, Rodney To, Joey Guila, and Elena Juatco. Easter Sunday is available on DVD/Bluray, and on Prime and AppleTV Plus. 

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Melody is honored to be the main narrator for the audiobook of Mai Nardone's "Welcome Me to the Kingdom." From Penguin Random House: "NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE: An immersive debut set across the temples, slums, and gated estates of late-twentieth century Bangkok, telling the story of three families striving to control their destinies in a merciless, sometimes brutally violent, metropolis." Click here for the Audible link or find it wherever you get your audiobooks. The multi-narrator audiobook experience also includes Brian Sounalath, Rachanee Lumayno, Su Ling Chan, Sura Siu, Patrick Lawlor, and James Tang.