Meet Karla Puno-Garcia, the Emmy-Winning Choreographer Directing A Chorus Line in Manila

(SPOT.ph) At first glance, Karla Puno-Garcia is a study in contrasts. Her lithe figure and warm smile just barely conceal a larger-than-life personality and a fervent passion for performance and dance—one that has fueled a stellar 20-odd years' worth of shows on and off-Broadway, and a handful of career-defining moments as a dancer and choreographer. First Filipino cast member and dance captain for Hamilton? Check. First woman of color to choreograph the opening number for the 2023 Tony Awards—an opener that won her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming that same year? Also her. And yes, she’s riding this wave of success to its peak and beyond.

Now stepping into the director’s chair for Theatre Group Asia’s (the folks who brought us Into the Woods and Request Sa Radyo) much-anticipated production of A Chorus Line, Puno-Garcia is set to bring that passion to the stage, promising a show that, in her own words, is going to be "Fire!"

If there’s been one constant in Garcia’s life, it’s dance, which she picked up at age three through tap lessons. But her strong Filipino roots—shaped by summer visits to the motherland every two years—also played a big role. "I learned traditional Filipino dances like the itik-itik and the bangko," she notes. "It was my first exposure to communal dancing."

From there, she pursued more formal education in dance, eventually attending the world-renowned NYU Tisch School of the Arts to complete her BFA in Dance with a minor in Journalism. "My training over there was very diverse. I studied modern (dance) and concert work, but my specific goal as a dancer was really to perform in musicals," she adds. 

That said, the sweet spot between her training as a dancer and her passion for the craft has given her a deeper appreciation for the different forms of dance and movement, and it shows in her work.

"Everything just washes over me. At one point, I was part of the Hip Hop scene, and the world infused my dancing with a different kind of vocabulary," says Garcia. "When I work, I try to incorporate this appreciation of all the genres into my own aesthetic, regardless of what story I’m telling."

To add to that, as her way of giving back to the craft that has impacted her life so much, Garcia also teaches at the Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, conducts global dance workshops, and has been a guest dance coach at the International School of Manila.

Looking back, Garcia is candid about how dance and movement have had a profound impact on her formative years, shaping her days as a young performer. "I had a lot of insecurities growing up. I was told I wasn’t allowed to show off or that I wasn’t supposed to shine. I think that bled into my career a little bit, even if it was just a feeling," she ponders. "That’s why I speak of the importance of a sense of self, which I built over time. It’s not about performing. The moment I let that go and just move the way I want to move, embrace who I truly am, that is when I feel the most powerful." This becomes her guiding light as she moves forward with A Chorus Line. She hopes to inspire the same confidence in the artists who will eventually join the cast. 

For Puno-Garcia, all the world is indeed a stage. And it has allowed her to wear many different hats—choreographer, director, performer, and dance educator—over the course of an already stellar career. Slowing down is the farthest thing from her mind. Not only is she a new mom, but, in fact, just two days before flying to Manila, she was at the premiere of the off-Broadway production, Romy & Michele The Musical, which she herself choreographed.

Little did Garcia know that her years working in an ensemble would become the building blocks of her strong connection to the characters of A Chorus Line—the landmark 1975 musical that follows a group of dancers baring their hopes, fears, and personal histories during a grueling audition—despite never having performed in the show itself. "I have lived its story. I have been part of an ensemble for the past 20 years, and I believe they form the backbone of a musical," she explains. "I think the spirit of the show is something I’ve trained all my life to embody."

Her impressive lineup of credits as a performer alone is proof of that—she’s played Lupe, Gigi, and Hot Feet in West Side Story, and most notably became the first Filipino cast member and dance captain of Hamilton on Broadway. She later joined the touring companies of Wicked and The Addams Family. Behind the scenes, she’s also built an impressive choreography résumé, working on Days of Wine and Roses with Sergio Trujillo, as well as Cher, The Connector, Noir, and Rent.

Garcia then took her talents to the small screen with much aplomb, appearing on So You Think You Can Dance, the Megan Hilty-starrer Smash, Annie Live!, and Disney+’s Better Nate Than Never, among others. Even Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Oscar-nominated Tick, Tick…BOOM! felt her magic touch, with Garcia contributing to the choreography and even appearing in the film. But perhaps the cherry on top of all these accomplishments was being tasked to choreograph the opening number of the Tony Awards in 2023. It was a two-fer for the Filipina dance dynamo, as not only was she the first woman of color to be tasked with the job, but she also won the Emmy for Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming.  It’s an impressive feather in her cap, and one she wears proudly. It’s this same passion she intends to bring into the studio when rehearsals for A Chorus Line begin early next year.

To say that Garcia’s Manila visit was a bit of a whirlwind of activity is an understatement. Almost as soon as she landed, she was thrust into final callbacks for A Chorus Line, after having reviewed tapes of over 500 hopefuls selected from nationwide auditions, including stops in New York and other cities. For the show, Theatre Group Asia was intent on having an all-Filipino, or with deep Filipino roots, and Garcia was intent on working towards that. While the rest of the roles have yet to be announced, Filipino-American musical theater artists Conrad Ricamora and Lissa de Guzman have been confirmed to play the roles of Zach and Cassie, respectively. 

If there is one thing Garcia expects from the artists who will be joining her on the dance floor for this production, it is a fiery commitment to the material. "This show calls for singing, acting, and dancing. You have to be a triple threat," she explains. "Being a Broadway dancer, it can be a thankless job some of the time, but you can’t do the show without us. So the actors in our show have to be able to show that fight."

One thing that Garcia promises once rehearsal starts is a space for the cast to create and express who they are as artists. "I make the same type of space where I can create. One that is a friendly but firm environment. I expect a lot, but I will also give them a lot of trust," she points out. "As long as we are getting a lot done, and we are discovering things in a timely and efficient way, then I need it to feel playful and fun. Because that’s who I am, and that’s how I best create." Her other guarantee? "This show is going to be FIRE!"

Listening to Karla Puno-Garcia talk about a life shaped by dance, movement, and the stage — her life — is akin to listening to an orchestra reach its crescendo. Her love for the craft is only surpassed by her passion for creating it. With callbacks for A Chorus Line over, and her cast waiting in the wings to be announced, her Manila visit was a brief yet productive one. Come the new year, she returns to transform her vision into reality. "I’m excited to bring my own aesthetic to the show.  And to be able to do it here in Manila, working with amazing Filipino talent, it’s truly a gift. I can’t wait for you all to see it." We can’t either, so March cannot come soon enough. 

Theatre Group Asia’s A Chorus Line opens in March 2026 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Tickets are available now through Ticketworld.