Manila, Philippines - Theatre Group Asia proudly announces acclaimed iconic Filipino performer Celeste Legaspi will take on the role of Older Allie in its highly anticipated production of The Notebook, The Musical.

A defining figure in Philippine performing arts, Legaspi brings with her not only a storied career, but a lifetime of shaping the very landscape of Filipino music, theater, and cultural advocacy.

Born into a family of artists as the daughter of National Artist for Visual Arts Cesar Legaspi, Legaspi’s creative foundation was established early. She began singing in kindergarten and rose to prominence in 1969 as part of The Ambivalent Crowd before transitioning into a solo career that would redefine the possibilities of Original Pilipino Music.

Her splendid recording career boasts legendary successful albums such as Ako si Celeste and Bagong Plaka, Lumang Kanta that achieved gold and double platinum status, while songs like “Saranggola ni Pepe,” “Tuliro,” “Mamang Sorbetero,” and “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal?” became enduring Filipino classics. These works not only solidified her place in OPM history but helped popularize Filipino songwriting on an international scale.

Parallel to her music career, Legaspi cultivated an extraordinary presence in theater. She appeared in early productions such as Showboat and Oliver! before gaining widespread acclaim through performances at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, where she collaborated with literary giant Rolando Tinio. Her repertoire would come to include seminal works like Manila, Manila, Doon Po Sa Amin, Jesus Christ Superstar, Katy!, Paglipas ng Dilim, North Diversion Road, and Ang Larawan, each contributing to the development of a distinctly Filipino theatrical tradition.

In 1988, alongside longtime collaborator Girlie Rodis, Legaspi co-founded Musical Theater Philippines, a company that became instrumental in producing original Filipino musicals.

Through this platform, she helped bring to life works such as KenKoy Loves Rosing, Alikabok, Sino Ka Ba Jose Rizal, Fire Water Woman, and Saranggola ni Pepe, championing narratives rooted in Filipino identity and history.

Her contributions extended into film and television, where she worked with acclaimed directors including Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, and appeared in projects ranging from Santiago and Mamang Sorbetero to contemporary series such as Can’t Buy Me Love. In recent years, she has taken on roles that explore aging and memory, including a critically recognized performance as an elderly woman living with dementia, earning a Best Actress nomination and further demonstrating her range and relevance.

Offstage, Legaspi’s impact is equally profound. She served as founding president of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), advocating for the rights and recognition of Filipino musicians, and helped establish PHILSTAGE, the country’s alliance of professional performing arts companies. She continues to serve the industry as Vice President of the Performers’ Rights Society of the Philippines, reinforcing her commitment to protecting and uplifting artists.

Her lifetime of achievement has been recognized through numerous accolades: Aliw Awards forEntertainer of the Year and Best Actress, multiple Tinig Awards, the TOWNS Award, the Natatanging Gawad Buhay Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Ryan Cayabyab Award.

TGA Creative and Overall Artistic Director Clint Ramos remarks, “It is our honor to have a Philippine icon play the role of Older Allie. This is a dream casting for us. Ms. Celeste Legaspi is a titan in the musical theater industry and Philippine music in general. She brings gravitas and wisdom to the role; and we can’t wait for the Philippine audience to see another side of this legendary artist. We are so excited to see the evolution of Allie’s character from her younger version with the vulnerable innocence of Sheena Belarmino, her blossoming through the strength and prowess of Morissette, and onto her full unravelling into the masterful insight of Ms. Celeste Legaspi. In stepping into The Notebook, The Musical, Legaspi embraces both the artistic challenge and emotional depth of the role. She reflects: “The characters in Notebook are interesting. How it shows their growth and learnings. To be able to portray that is a challenge. And as I study the music of older Allie I learn that the music is modern and exacting; at the same time I will need to get to the heart of her. A great challenge. And I love challenges. Accepting challenges has been my motivation through all my years.”

Her portrayal of Older Allie is shaped by personal experience as well. “My family suffered when my mother got sick with Alzheimer’s for 10 years. It was one of the most difficult times in our lives. Although remembering that is painful, it will be my responsibility to honor my mother by bringing understanding and compassion to my role.”