Broadways Here Lies Love is a dynamite showcase for actor and singer Arielle Jacobs , whose chilling, full-throttle performance has made the immersive musical a must-see. The show is also a raucous dance party and a historic first , featuring an all-Filipino cast.

Still, Jacobs understands why some audience members leave the theater feeling conflicted a bit fearful, even by much of what theyve just witnessed onstage.

I knew that the telling of this story was going to open wounds for a lot of people, the California native told HuffPost after the musical opened at New Yorks Broadway Theatre last month. Theres a big weight in taking on a character like this, especially a real-life person who caused a lot of damage and trauma to her people and her country.

She went on to note: But this show is not one-note. We are telling a cautionary tale. My hope is that, in opening those wounds, we are making space for healing and conversation, and allowing families and friends to talk about things they didnt want to address. So I think the experience of the show isnt something to avoid. Its something to encourage.

Featuring a disco-pop score by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, Here Lies Love tells the real-life story of Imelda Marcos (played by Jacobs), who rose from obscurity to become the first lady of the Philippines on the arm of President Ferdinand Marcos (Jose Llana ) in 1965.