Ma-Anne Dionisio

Ma-Anne Dionisio
Born (1973-07-16) July 16, 1973
Taguig, Manila, Philippines
OccupationsSinger, actress
Years active1992–present
Children3

Ma-Anne Dionisio (born 16 July 1973)[1] is a Filipino-Canadian singer and actress. She is the middle child of five sisters; her parents moved the family from Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1990.[1][2][3]

Early life

Ma-Anne began singing at the age of 13 and immediately began winning awards and critical acclaim in the Philippines. She was chosen as a finalist in the Philippine television talent search program Discovery '88, which led to guest appearances on television programs in the Philippines and the opportunity to record her first single, "Ang Puso Ko'y Sa Iyo", with Vicor Recording Company. She also appeared in the television drama series Discovery Drama Theatre.

After emigrating to Canada, she won a leading role in Experience Canada: The Spirit of a Nation Tour, a cross-country musical tour celebrating Canada's 125th anniversary.[1][3] A TV presentation of the show was seen by someone in the casting department for the Toronto production of Miss Saigon who arranged for an audition for the role of Kim in the musical.[1]

Career

Stage

She won the role of Kim in the original Toronto production of Miss Saigon in 1993 at the Princess of Wales Theatre and was a celebrated success, earning a nomination for the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1994.[4] Dionisio has since performed as Kim in British, Australian and American productions of Miss Saigon.[5] She played the role of Éponine in the U.S. touring company of Les Misérables, joining Lea Salonga as the second Asian to play Éponine in western theater.

She played Bertrande de Rols in Martin Guerre in London,[6] performed in West Side Story as Maria at the Stratford Festival in 1999,[1] and appeared on Broadway as Little Girl in the 2002 revival of Flower Drum Song.[7]

Her stage work also includes productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Sunday in the Park with George, Mamma Mia!, Grease, and The Secret Garden on Broadway and London's West End.[8]

In July 2008, Dionisio reprised her original role as Kim in the seated production of Miss Saigon at The Muny in St. Louis, Missouri.[9] In July 2010, she also reprised this role in the second Toronto, Ontario, Canada production.[10][11]

She is a founding artist of Theatre 20, a musical theatre company in Toronto formed by artists in 2009, and performed in Theatre 20's 2011 Concert Series at the Panasonic Theatre.[12]

In 2011, she received a second Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.[4]

In August 2011, she reprised the role of Kim in Miss Saigon at Broadway at Music Circus, closing the Wells Fargo Pavilion's 61st season in Sacramento, California, directed by Stafford Arima.[13][14]

In 2013, she starred as Grizabella in a new all-Canadian production of Cats at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto, the first resident Canadian production of Cats in the city since 1985.[15][16]

In 2017, she appeared in The Secret Garden at Theatre Calgary, directed by Stafford Arima.[17]

In 2019, she won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role at the 40th Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, for her portrayal of Diana Goodman in the Toronto production of Next to Normal, produced by the Musical Stage Company and presented by David Mirvish.[18][19]

In 2020, she appeared in the world premiere of Marjorie Chan's Lady Sunrise at Factory Theatre, directed by Nina Lee Aquino, as part of an ensemble of six Asian-Canadian women.[20]

In May 2022, she appeared in the English-language world premiere of Lesson in Forgetting by Emma Haché, presented by Pleiades Theatre at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto's Distillery District.[21]

In July 2022, she starred as Elsie in Billy & the Dreamerz, a new original musical by Neil Coombs and Grace Kosaka, which had a showcase run at the Toronto Fringe Festival at Ada Slaight Hall, Daniels Spectrum.[22]

In the summer of 2024, she appeared in the world premiere of Ma-Buhay, an original musical celebrating Filipino-Canadian history, at Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg, playing the roles of Gloria and Galinda.[23]

In February 2026, she appeared as the Woman in the world premiere of The Tale of the Gifted Prince at Theatre Calgary, in partnership with Somerled Arts. The musical, with book and lyrics by Lezlie Wade and music by Daniel Green, is based on Lloyd Alexander's novel The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen. The production featured an all-Asian cast from across Canada and the United States, directed and choreographed by Darren Lee, and ran from February 14 to March 15, 2026 at the Max Bell Theatre (Werklund Centre).[24] Her character, the Woman, is a shapeshifting shaman who guides the titular prince through his journey — a role reimagined as female for the musical adaptation.[25]

In April 2026, she performed in Divine Women 2: A Celebration of Iconic Female Performers at the Victoria Playhouse Petrolia, a theatrical concert featuring five Canadian female artists from musical theatre, Broadway and concert stages, running April 21 to May 1, 2026.[26][27]

On May 30, 2026, she headlined Daan: A Journey Through Song, a one-night-only concert at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, alongside Stephanie Sy. The concert, whose title means "the road" in Tagalog, blended Broadway hits, works from the Filipino-Canadian musical theatre canon, and a preview of the upcoming musical Rizal, with book and music by Winnipeg composer Joseph Aragon.[28]

In the summer of 2026, she appeared in two productions at the Confederation Centre of the Arts as part of the Charlottetown Festival: Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™, running June 25 to August 29, 2026 at the Sobey Family Theatre,[29] and Come from Away, running June 30 to September 26, 2026.[30]

She is involved in the development of Rizal, an upcoming original Canadian musical about the life of Philippine national hero José Rizal, with book and music by Winnipeg composer Joseph Aragon, which received a public preview as part of the Daan concert at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in May 2026.[28]

Film and television

Dionisio has appeared in numerous film and television productions. An early credit is the voice role of Ariana in the Canadian animated film Mirabelle and Me (Bardel Entertainment/Nelvana, 1994). Her screen credits include the role of Patricia in The Waiting Room (2015), Circulating Nurse in Remedy (Global, 2015), Jazzagal #2 in five episodes of Schitt's Creek (CBC, 2016–2017), Caroler 3 in the television film Christmas Next Door (2017), Mrs. Kim in Good Witch (2018), Mae Wilson in Behind Closed Doors (2020), Angela Garcia in Coroner (CBC, 2021), and Helen in four episodes of Astrid and Lilly Save the World (Syfy/Crave, 2022).[31] She voiced the character Deedee Curazon in the video game Hardspace: Shipbreaker (2022) and played Jane DiMaapi in the Apple TV+ miniseries Five Days at Memorial (2022).

She also appeared in In Her Mother's Eyes (HERetic Films) and Flashpoint (CTV/CBS).[32] More recent credits include the role of Dolores in the short film Inang Reyna (2024), Tita Carmelita in the television film Recipe for Romance (2025), Judge Malinda Chang in Boston Blue (CBS, 2025), and appearances in the series Abroad (2023–2025).

Stage roles

YearProductionRoleVenue / Company
1993–1995Miss SaigonKimPrincess of Wales Theatre, Toronto (Canadian premiere)
1994Mirabelle and MeAriana (voice)Bardel Entertainment / Nelvana (animated film)
1996Les MisérablesÉponineAsian / 3rd U.S. Tour
1997Miss SaigonKimLondon West End
1997–1998Martin GuerreBertrande de RolsLondon West End
1999West Side StoryMariaStratford Festival
2002Flower Drum SongLittle GirlBroadway revival
2008Miss SaigonKimThe Muny, St. Louis
2010Miss SaigonKimToronto (second production)
2011Miss SaigonKimBroadway at Music Circus, Wells Fargo Pavilion, Sacramento
2013CatsGrizabellaPanasonic Theatre, Toronto
2017–2018The Secret GardenTheatre Calgary[17]
2019Next to NormalDiana GoodmanMusical Stage Company / Mirvish, Toronto
2020Lady SunriseTawnyFactory Theatre, Toronto (world premiere)
2022Lesson in ForgettingYoung Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto (English-language world premiere)
2022Billy & the DreamerzElsieToronto Fringe Festival
2024Ma-BuhayGloria / GalindaRainbow Stage, Winnipeg (world premiere)
2026The Tale of the Gifted PrinceWomanTheatre Calgary (world premiere)
2026Divine Women 2: A Celebration of Iconic Female PerformersPerformerVictoria Playhouse Petrolia
2026Daan: A Journey Through SongPerformerRoyal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg
2026Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown
2026Come from AwayConfederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Richard Ouzounian (2010-07-09). "The real-life Miss Saigon". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  2. ↑ Pat St. Germain (2001-02-02). "Ma-Anne teams with WSO for homecoming tour". Winnipeg Sun. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  3. 1 2 Patti Conley (2003-06-05). "'Miss Saigon' grows into role". Beaver County Times. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  4. 1 2 Canadian Who's Who 2003.
  5. ↑ John Hayes (2003-06-09). "Stage Review: CLO stages triumphant 'Miss Saigon'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  6. ↑ Stephane Ly-Cuong (1998-03-02). "PBOL Reports from Closing Night of London's Martin Guerre". playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  7. ↑ Andrew Gans (2002-09-04). "The Flowering of Drum Song: A Sneak Peek at the R&H Musical". playbill.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  8. ↑ ["Come From Away – Ma-Anne Dionisio cast bio"]. Confederation Centre of the Arts. Retrieved 2026.
  9. ↑ Gans, Andrew (2008-07-16). "Jue, Dionisio, Kunze, Tower, Lee and Voytko Cast in Muny's Miss Saigon". playbill.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  10. ↑ ["Dionisio returns to Toronto in Miss Saigon"]. CBC.ca. 2010-04-22. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  11. ↑ Gabriel, Maria Athena (April 30, 2010). "Ma-Anne Dionisio reprises role in Miss Saigon (Toronto)". The Philippine Reporter. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  12. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (12 April 2011). "Colm Wilkinson, Louise Pitre and New Musical Amelia Will Be Heard in Toronto Concert Series". Playbill. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
  13. ↑ ["Kevin Gray Will Be the Engineer in Music Circus Miss Saigon; Complete Casting Announced"]. Playbill. Retrieved 2026.
  14. ↑ ["Raw emotions rise and fall in 'Miss Saigon'"]. Davis Enterprise. August 24, 2011. Retrieved 2026.
  15. ↑ ["All-Canadian Cast of Cats Set for Toronto's Panasonic Theatre; Ma-Anne Dionisio Will Star"]. Playbill. Retrieved 2024.
  16. ↑ ["First Look: Ma-Anne Dionisio as Grizabella in the all-new Toronto Production of CATS"]. BroadwayWorld. May 1, 2013. Retrieved 2024.
  17. 1 2 ["Ma-Anne Dionisio, Susan Gilmour, Eric Craig and More Tapped for Theatre Calgary's THE SECRET GARDEN"]. BroadwayWorld. November 20, 2017. Retrieved 2026.
  18. ↑ ["Full List of Winners Announced For the 40th Annual Dora Awards"]. BroadwayWorld. June 26, 2019. Retrieved 2026.
  19. ↑ Nestruck, J. Kelly (June 26, 2019). ["Female playwrights win big at Dora Awards"]. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2026.
  20. ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe (2020-01-20). ["Factory Theatre Will Present the World Premiere of Marjorie Chan's LADY SUNRISE"]. BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2024.
  21. ↑ Lucas, Ilana (2022-05-15). ["BWW Review: LESSON IN FORGETTING from Pleiades Theatre Makes Much of Memory"]. BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2024.
  22. ↑ Cristi, A.A. (2022-06-23). ["New Musical BILLY & THE DREAMERZ To Make World Premiere At Toronto Fringe July 7"]. BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2024.
  23. ↑ Rainbow Stage Annual Report 2024 (Nov 1, 2023 – Oct 31, 2024). Rainbow Stage. Retrieved 2026.
  24. ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe (2026-02-20). ["THE TALE OF THE GIFTED PRINCE World Premiere to Open at Theatre Calgary"]. BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 2026.
  25. ↑ Ngan, Jadine (2026-02-23). ["Spotlight: Ma-Anne Dionisio"]. Intermission Magazine. Retrieved 2026.
  26. ↑ ["Victoria Playhouse Petrolia opens 2026 season with Divine Women 2: A Celebration of Iconic Female Performers"]. London Free Press. Retrieved 2026.
  27. ↑ ["Divine Women 2"]. Victoria Playhouse Petrolia. Retrieved 2026.
  28. 1 2 ["Daan: A Journey Through Song"]. Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Retrieved 2026.
  29. ↑ ["Anne of Green Gables – The Musical™"]. Confederation Centre of the Arts. Retrieved 2026.
  30. ↑ ["Come From Away"]. Confederation Centre of the Arts. Retrieved 2026.
  31. ↑ ["Astrid and Lilly Save the World – Full Cast"]. TV Guide. Retrieved 2026.
  32. ↑ ["Ma-Anne Dionisio"]. Theatre Aquarius. Retrieved 2025.
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