Every night, on stage at the John Golden Theater, stands a raven-haired woman who dons a starched white shirt paired with pin-striped trousers, a uniform similar to that of her fellow companions on stage. With an air of playfulness, she takes command as Jean Leslie, then transforms into a fast-talking officer with a clipped English accent within the blink of an eye.

This chameleon-like maven is Claire-Marie Hall, a Filipino-British West End actress who is now making her mark on Broadway, a testament to her determination and hard work, joining its community of Filipino musical legends and prodigies.

Over the years, Filipino talent has risen to the global stage, starting, of course, with the innumerable Lea Salonga who Claire looked up to from her time as a child star in the UK’s musical theater scene. This year alone, three Filipinos took home Tony Awards, including Francis’s win for Best Featured Actor in a Play and Darren Criss’s win for Best Actor in a Musical.

These wins not only showcase the immense talent of Filipinos in the theater industry but also mark a significant milestone in the representation of Filipino culture on the global stage.

And let’s not forget about Sunset Boulevard’s Nicole Scherzinger, who won the Tony for best actress in a musical. This was particularly significant, marking what Hall describes as “monumental” progress in Filipino representation on the theater stage.

Originally hailing from Newport, South Wales, Claire began acting at the age of 11 as ‘Ngana’ in the National Theatre’s touring production of South Pacific, where she started building her career as a musical performer. She later won a series of accolades that propelled her to the global stage.

Claire and I connected over Zoom from across the world, and the beginning of our conversation began warmly with her eager “Hello! It’s been a long time!” she said, smiling. It has been a few years since I interviewed her. Around that time, Claire was starring in the second iteration of Operation Mincemeat on the West End after it had already run with a sold-out five-week run at London’s intimate 80-seat New Diorama Theatre.

“I never saw that first run, but even when I joined, we only had a 10-show run in a 100-seater, and that sold out before I even signed my contract,” she recalls. What started as a small-scale production has grown steadily over nearly six years, building a devoted cult of fans who call themselves Mincefluencers.

For those who aren’t aware of what Operation Mincemeat is about, it might be time to revisit your old history books to scratch the surface of what British history deems one of the most essential historical military milestones during WWII. Part of the larger operation, Barclay, was a successful deception operation that successfully disguised the 1943 Allied Invasion of Sicily.

Its backstory consists of two members of British intelligence who obtained the body of Glyndwr Michael. They then dressed him in the uniform of a Royal Marine officer and placed personal items on him, identifying him as the fictitious Captain (Acting Major) William Martin. Correspondence between two British generals suggested that the Allies planned to invade Greece and Sardinia, with Sicily as merely the target of a feint.

How does this translate on stage into a comedy musical? Hall breaks it down: “The whole show’s comedic dynamic is tightly choreographed amongst each character, yet there is room to ad lib while still maintaining that camaraderie through slapstick humor.”

In the musical, Hall plays Jean Leslie, an MI5 secretary turned overnight war hero whose photograph was placed on Glyndwr Michael’s body, which played a big role in the operation’s success.

Over the years, Hall has evolved her character, always adding something new each night they perform on Broadway. Additionally, she plays 13 characters on stage, transforming into one after another, some for merely a matter of seconds. And I had to ask, does she have a favorite out of them all? She laughs, “Honestly, I have to say it’s Steve, a comic assistant to Hazelden in Spain.

He started with just one line but evolved into this full physical comedy routine—like a ‘Three Stooges’ skit. Every night’s a bit different. Americans, especially, love the silliness, even more so than UK audiences.”

Another core moment that stood out for her during the five weeks of previews was how the audience was so receptive to specific scenes. “What surprised me the most was how people reacted to my line at the finale—’If people like us blindly follow orders, the fascists won’t need to bash down the door; they’ll have already won’—and it started receiving spontaneous applause during previews. I think it resonates deeply given today’s climate.“

The last time Claire and I spoke was a few years back, right before the musical was staged on the West End. Back then, she had no aspirations of being on Broadway. “Truthfully, Broadway was never in my plans—getting here from the UK is tough,” she admits. “But now that I’m here, my dreams have expanded.” Now, with the progression of Filipino and Asian representation in the theater industry, she expresses interest in playing iconic roles like Eliza in “Hamilton,” Glinda in “Wicked,” or Eliza in “My Fair Lady.”

Hall recalls a magical moment at a Broadway Barkada event that happened during awards season, where “the first Filipina Eliza in Hamilton sang ‘Satisfied,’ and the room—packed with Filipinos—joined in, harmonizing unprompted (our much beloved talent, musicians around the world love that). That’s Filipino talent for you.”

Now that the awards season is over, Claire is looking forward to finally exploring New York beyond the theater district. “I want to experience everything—SoHo, Chelsea, the Upper and Lower East Side. I’ve barely seen outside of Midtown!” she laughs, acknowledging the tunnel vision that comes with performing eight shows a week non-stop.

And the last thing I had to ask was about her plans. “My goal now is to work across the globe, especially in the Philippines,” Hall says, her excitement evident. For Filipino performers and audiences alike, her journey represents both achievement and possibility—a reminder that with hard work and determination, you can make your way around the world, one step at a time.

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CREDITS: Photographer: Hannah Rozelle | Stylist: Jayson Villaflor | Hairstylist: Mako Ijima | Make-up artist: Hannah Lauren | Stylist’s Assistant: Bella Lagana | Photographer’s Assistant: Gabe Suazo | BTS Photographer: Justin Rafael | Shot on location at Times Square & The John Golden Theater NYC | Producer, Writer & Creative Director: Cyan Leigh Dacasin | Cover Design: Myrrh Fae Fernan | Editor-in-Chief: Natalie Tran Steger | Special thanks to Jade East PR