Jose Llana was born in Manila, Philippines and raised near Washington,
D.C. He moved to New York City after high school to attend The
Manhattan School of Music Conservatory as a classical voice major. At
the age of nineteen, during his freshman year, he landed his first
starring role on Broadway in The King and I as Lun Tha opposite Lou
Diamond Phillips and Donna Murphy. Other Broadway: Chip Tolentino in
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Drama Desk Award), Wang Ta
in Flower Drum Song (starring opposite Lea Salonga), Angel in Rent,
Jessie-Lee in Streetcorner Symphony. Off-Broadway: Gabey in On the Town
(Delacorte Theater, NYSF) and Saturn Returns at The Public Theater.
Regional: Martin Guerre (Guillaume, Guthrie Theater), Ballad of Little
Jo (The Steppenwolf Theater, Jefferson Nomination - Best Supporting
Actor), Candide (The Prince Theater, Barrymore Nomination - Best
Actor).
He was nominated for a 2001 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for "The Ballad of Little Jo" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.