Meet Abigail Adriano, the New-Gen Theater Performer Representing Filipinas on the Global Stage

Born and raised in Sydney to a close-knit Filipino family, Abigail’s childhood was steeped in music and storytelling. “As with many Filipino families, music was always at the center of our lives,” she says, recalling Sunday mornings spent singing hymns on her father’s lap.

Despite excelling academically—including a year spent in law school—her path consistently led her back to the stage.

At eight years old, after spotting a flyer for dance classes near her home, she convinced her grandmother to enroll her. What began as a curiosity quickly grew into a commitment, eventually leading her to audition for Matilda—a pivotal moment that marked the beginning of her professional journey.

Her breakthrough came with Miss Saigon, stepping into a role long associated with Filipina performers like the iconic Lea Salonga. Abigail acknowledges the weight of expectation that came with that lineage. “Naturally, people were going to compare me to [Lea’s] work,” she explains.

Rather than resist the comparison, she approached the challenge with deliberate authenticity. “The only way I could do that was by loving myself authentically. If I didn’t love the version of myself, that would force me to create a façade.” Across hundreds of performances spanning Sydney, Melbourne, and Manila, Abigail shaped her own interpretation of Kim—honoring the role’s history while grounding it in her own lived experiences and perspective.

Transitioning from the historically grounded Kim to the animated Eurydice in Hadestown, Abigail embraced a distinctly different creative challenge. “In Kim’s storyline, her power unfolds slowly. Eurydice comes onstage already hardened by the world, and I got to slowly reveal her heart,” she reflects. The contrast, she says, allowed her to explore new musical textures and acting choices, relishing the creative freedom the production offered.

Throughout her career, Abigail has navigated questions of representation as a young Filipina in predominantly white industries. Growing up in a diverse Sydney suburb, she was sheltered from some of the harsher realities of racial bias, yet she remains acutely aware of her role in breaking stereotypes.

“With Hadestown, I felt proud to stand there being Filipino,” she says. “I’m not just Kim. I’m also Eurydice, and she’s not bound to any race or gender.” Her perspective is generational, shaped by both privilege and a changing cultural landscape that is increasingly embracing Asian excellence in the arts.

Even as she reflects on her rapid rise, Abigail remains grounded in gratitude. She credits her family—particularly her grandmother, who immigrated to Australia—with providing the opportunities that allowed her to pursue a career in performance.

“I always owe it back to them and the hard work they did for me to live a life where I get to perform and do my dream,” she says.

For young Filipinos and Asian-Australians dreaming of global stages, Abigail's advice is simple yet profound:

Abigail's story is one of talent nurtured by family, sharpened by dedication, and realized on stages around the world. But beyond her roles, it is also a story of a young woman carving space for herself—and others like her—in the evolving landscape of global theater.