Mark Bautista as Crisostomo Ibarra in TP's Noli Me Tangere.

I haven't been blogging as much as I used to, but as a treat for you guys, here's a brief interview with one of the actors playing Crisostomo Ibarra in Tanghalang Pilipino's Noli Me Tangere: The Musical, Mark Bautista.

So is this your first play or musical?

First musical na play. 

And how does it feel?

Ang sarap. Iba yung fulfillment sa stage, sa theater. Iba yung atmosphere, iba yung passion ng mga katrabaho.

What did you do to prepare for your role as Crisostomo Ibarra?

Well, may background na kasi ako since high school, may Filipino na subject. Tapos ngayon, syempre mas lumalim sa tulong ni Direk Audie. Nagkaroon ng characterization, pinaintindi niya sa amin yung character, and then yung story din, and we discussed yung aming ginawa, para magampanan yung role ng maayos. And nag-voice lesson ako. And hindi na ako lumalabas. I mean for the entire month, siguro, hindi ako lumalakwatsa, yung mga ganun. So talagang focus, concentrate ako dito sa play na ito. Actually, mahirap siya. Mahirap dahil hindi talaga ito yung usual na ginagawa ko [tulad ng concert], pero masarap na mahirap, kung may ganung mang term. Pero nage-enjoy ako.

Do you find any similarities between you and your character (Ibarra)?

Woah. Totally different. I think ang kapareho ko lang sa kanya, pag may gusto kaming mangyari sa buhay, gagawin namin. At masunurin din, para sa magulang. Para sa minamahal.

What’s the most challenging thing you had to do in rehearsals?

Rehearsals... Well, nung first kasi, yung adjustment ko, iba. [Kung] kailangan kong mag-adjust sa pagkanta, sa pag-arte. Kasi sa theatre, mas malaki yung acting. At syempre first time ko ring makatrabaho yung lahat ng cast. Malaking adjustment sakin. And siguro yung first week ng rehearsals, yun yung pinakamahirap sakin. And yung pag-memorize, kasi ang lalalim ng Tagalog. Tapos ang mga songs kasi ang tataas, so parang hinahanapan ko siya ng paraan na maabot ko at hindi ako mapagod.

Do you have any memorable experience so far?

Siguro yung first time kong ma-experience yung CCP Little Theater. At ito mismo, Noli Me Tangere, binigay sakin na lead role. Hindi ko makakalimutan yun. At yung kung paano magtrabaho din yung theatre actors. Tatak yun sakin.

You have a pretty busy schedule...

Actually yun din pala yung mahirap. During rehearsals, diba nag-abroad ako... as in sobrang abroad, so talagang malaking challenge.

So how do you balance it?

Well, sa plane, actually may dala akong script... Sa trabaho ko, dala ko yung iPod, nakikinig ako lagi sa plane dahil mahaba yung biyahe. Sa mga train, pinapakinggan ko, memorize. So dito naman, pag may Party Pilipinas, ang hirap din kasi pag Sunday... Saturday may performance, diba? Minsan pag susunod na Sunday, wala ka nang boses, minsan hindi ka na nakakapag-rehearse ng Party Pilipinas. Hindi ko nga alam kung pano ko ginagawa eh. Iniisip ko lang na parang, kailangan kong tapusin itong show na parang, hindi ko na iisipin yung hirap na pinagdadaanan. Kailangan lang siguro i-manage ko yung time ko. After ng mga shows, hindi na magsasalita, matulog ng maaga. Wala nang extra-curricular activities.

May sinabi ka kanina about gusto mong tapusin ito...

In a good way, ha? Gusto kong tapusin na, alam mo yung, iba kasi yung fulfillment pag matapos ito, at iba yung pakiramdam, masarap. Kaya gusto ko ma-feel na yung feeling na yun. Na pagkatapos, wow, nalampasan ko... nagawa ko. Gusto ko ma-feel yung sarap na yun.

Would you do more plays?

Alam mo, at home ako sa teatro. Nung mga rehearsals nga, or every performance, hindi ako yung kinakabahan. Ibig sabihin hindi ako yung natatakot na, “Shucks, ito nanaman...” Parang hindi burden sakin. Parang excited ako lagi.

What’s your favorite song or scene in the musical?

Ang dami. Well, gusto ko yung sa amin ni Padre Damaso, yung ending namin ni Maria Clara. Yung mga ballads na solo, gusto ko yun. Actually yung mga ending ng mga songs, yung talagang parang sinadyang nagging masakit yung mga awitin.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Well, ang dami kong nakukuhang advice. Una, yung kay Direk Audie. Kasi iba ang acting sa stage, diba? Ang dami niyang tinuro na dapat hindi ako emosyon lang, wala man lang movement sa katawan. Lakihan pa ang movement, or mag-react... [From] Co-stars, sa pagkanta rin, pinagtutuunan ko ng pansin, kasi siyempre iba yung singing dito. Lagi kong sinasaisip na dapat relax lang para di ako mapagod. Dapat may technique. So far, yun.

What’s the best advice you could give?

Siguro dito ko mas lalong naintindihan yung pagmamahal sa trabaho. Pag hindi mo mahal yung ginagawa mo, parang pabigat. And dito sa larangan ng teatro, bawal ang hindi mo mahal ang trabaho mo. Bawal ang nabibigatan ka. Dapat gusto mo, dapat passionate ka.

Noli Me Tangere The Musical is running until August 28, 2011 (Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 3pm & 8pm, Sunday at 3:30pm), at the CCP Little Theater. Call 832-3663, 832-1125 local 1620/1621 or 832-3704.

Photo courtesy of Tanghalang Pilipino.

Brief pondering.

It's been quite a long time since I made a somewhat cryptic post, but I guess this won't be that cryptic.

Snippets during a weird conversation some time ago...

"Wag ka ngang ganyan. Baka mapalayo lang lalo ako sa iyo."

"Dahil sa iyo, hindi ako magkaroon ng ______."

"Bakit parang umiiyak ka?"

"Hindi ah. Pagod lang ako."

The first phrase kind of irked me a little. Just a little. It just made me shut up.

Regarding the last, I realized how I'm such a bad liar. Especially when it comes to certain people. I can be so transparent. Even when I just shut up and close my eyes.

As for the second one, I don't know what it really meant. I sort of got annoyed and amused and weirded out all at the same time. Why blame me for something that can't seem to happen to you? I don't really have a choice, anyway, so I can't do anything about it. It still boils down to your choice, right? So why do I have to still be a big factor?

OK, I'll stop rationalizing now. Good night.

Yes, I'm still alive.

Wow, I haven't written anything in almost a month. Was I that busy? Either that or I sort of lost the drive to blog because I was trying to keep myself preoccupied with the show. And to think that I haven't even finished writing any of my accomplishment reports yet. Yikes.

So anyway, I totally owe this blog a huge update, but I doubt this entry will be similar to the long entries that I usually make. In my last entry, I had mentioned that our rehearsals had moved from Elizalde Hall to the CCP Conference Room. I was so relieved because everything was already within reach. And there's air conditioning! I love the Conference Room so much, hahaha.

When we finally moved to the Little Theater, there were so many stage adjustments, from blocking to nonstop adjustment of the choreo. It seems like every rehearsal day, there was something to add or subtract. Crazy, but there's nothing we could do about it, ahehe.

So anyway, Noli Me Tangere the Musical opened last Friday night, and I'm so glad that we finally opened. Even though there was quite some mishap during the Saturday evening show, causing the powers that be to cancel the show, the Sunday afternoon show made up for it. It's a good weekend all in all.

Shameless plug to end this post. Please make me happy and watch Tanghalang Pilipino's Noli Me Tangere the Musical. It runs every weekend of August (Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm, Sundays at 3:30pm) at the CCP Little Theater. It features Cris Villonco as Maria Clara, Gian Magdangal and Mark Bautista alternating as Crisostomo Ibarra, Bodjie Pascua as Padre Damaso, Al Gamaitan as Padre Salvi, Red Nuestro as Kapitan Tiago, Jenny Villegas as Tia Isabel, Jonathan Tadioan and Garry Lim alternating as Don Tiburcio, and Ring Antonio as Donya Victorina.

Another week.

After rehearsing in the Aliw Theater's Elizalde Hall for 3 weeks, we've finally moved back to the CCP Conference Room. So from a fairly warm rehearsal venue (where we always have about 5 fans going) to a pretty cold one.

At the beginning of the week, I did something that I was planning to do about over a year ago but never got to due to certain circumstances. Never mind the reality of the cost, I just went ahead. But now, I'm thinking, is it worth it? Am I looking for something in exchange? Maybe, maybe not.

Lambert caught me yawning during one rehearsal and he had asked how I was going to survive tech week, considering I'm also juggling another part-time job during early mornings. Not really a problem, I guess. Filing for a 2-week leave won't be so bad, right? I had already filed for the first week, and will do so for tech week by the end of this week. That way, I won't look like a total zombie by the time the show opens.

I just realized that I haven't done much except go to the office and CCP ever since rehearsals began. Thank goodness the Virgin Labfest was just in the area, so I was able to catch the final 2 weekend evenings for the festival. I had already bought a ticket in advance to the final 8pm show on Sunday, because ever since my first Labfest experience, I know for a fact that the closing weekend can be quite a toughie to get into. It's actually nice to know that there were a lot more people who came to watch this year. I saw bigger audiences during sets' opening shows on the first weekend, while before, I could practically lie down on the bleachers on a set's first show.

On Saturday night, after an afternoon music rehearsal with none other than Mr. Ryan Cayabyab himself, Minay and I rushed to the Conference Room to catch the 6pm staged reading of Hermano Puli, written by Miss Lallie and directed by Tuxqs. It already began a half hour before we made it inside, but at least we got to watch most of it.

After the show, I stepped outside the south entrance to grab my umbrella and found George talking with Trixie. She had asked me earlier when she will see me act onstage, and I had shrugged, so she asked me again. Hahaha, I told George to still consider me in his next plays, as I had declined his offer to be in the thesis production of Titus Andronicus (because I had already signed up for Noli). I sure hope he's serious, hahaha.

Afterwards, I found myself killing time in the lobby while waiting for the rain to let up. There were still quite a bunch of people waiting outside the Batute even after the 1st play began, in hopes of getting in, but as for me, I knew I didn't have a fighting chance. Dingdong, on the other hand, was still waiting for some of his guests to arrive, and because some people didn't make it, a couple of my friends managed to nab the just-released tickets. Haha, I managed to nab one of the last tickets (and I still haven't paid you back, Dingdong, sorry!), so I still managed to catch the second to the last show of both Kinaumagahan (congrats, Riki!) and Kafatiran (congrats, Dingdong, JK, Marco, Acey, Abner, Ian and Tamtam!).

I got to hang out with Lara (Lara Mae), Lara (the Other Lara), and Roan after the show. A few bites and a bunch of pitchers of drinks, and a whole lot of chatter and laughs at Dencio's made up for the time I didn't get to join those ladies' nights. I love these girls to bits.

So anyway, as I mentioned earlier, we finally moved into the Conference Room on Sunday afternoon. No director that day, so with Chie as our fearless leader, we got to clean up most of the scenes that included the chorus so as to prep up for the choreography. After rehearsal and a short meeting with Chie, Wowie and Minay, I practically flew to the Batute to fall in line for the final Labfest set's closing (Set C: Streetlight Manifesto, Kawala, and Evening at the Opera). I got to watch this set's DTR a couple of weeks ago, but didn't really get to watch the first play because I had to step out and have dinner because I was practically starving after our own rehearsal. Anyway, I was glad to have bought a ticket to this set way in advance so I don't have to bother waiting outside. Jenny and Ring found that I was alone, so they invited me to sit with them (with Opa sitting in front of us). We had a perfect view of Evening at the Opera from where we were sitting, as they were advised to sit near the entrance, where we had a full view of Ana at the dresser table.

After the show's curtain call, VLF founder and festival director Rody Vera announced that Tuxqs will be the new festival director next year. Woohoo!

Congratulations to everyone involved in Virgin Labfest 7!

As I haven't talked with Opa in ages, and I was starving the whole day, we decided to catch up while I ate in KFC after the show. It was great to know she was busy with something she enjoyed.

Anyway, it's about time I hit the sack. Again. It's good enough that I had one day to hibernate and just be dead to the world, and dwelling on certain things, hahaha.

So dear blog reader, how are you?

Monday off.

It really does seem that I update weekly, considering that Monday is the only day of the week that I get to have all that time to myself.

Still busy with Noli rehearsals. We mostly covered blocking this past week, but it was quite a challenge blocking all the actors, considering that there are always absentees everyday. We had to contend with their other scheduled commitments, such as shootings as well as rehearsals and shows of the Virgin Labfest in CCP. But at least we made lots of progress, even if it meant standing in for absentee actors along with Minay and Wowie.

Speaking of Virgin Labfest, I managed to catch a couple of sets this weekend, as we only had afternoon rehearsals on Saturday, and none on Sunday. I managed to watch Set D (The Valley Mission Care, Mga Lobo Tulad ng Buwan, and Bawal Tumawid, Nakamamatay) on Saturday evening (thanks, Miss Nikki!). Then I got to watch Set A (Requiem, Kinaumagahan, and Kafatiran) on Sunday afternoon, along with Betty. Two of my best bets for Labfest revisited are in the latter set, as I had a blast watching them. One play flowed so seamlessly and effortlessly, while the other one made me want to roll along the lone aisle with laughter. Anyway, I'm hoping to catch a couple more shows this coming weekend, if schedule permits. Plus I already got a ticket to another Labfest set because I know how hard it is to get walk-in ticket purchases when a set is closing on a weekend.

In the evening, I got to watch The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Main theater, thanks to Tin and Sam. I managed to get Minay and Anna to tag along. The show was delightful, yes, I have to admit. Their voices were inspiring enough for me to think about taking voice lessons again. But I have to say that watching the actual plays featured in the revue is more thrilling. But don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the show.


There are times when I feel like I'm just going around in circles in this certain situation. Sometimes I feel like things are getting better, yet there are times when things are just static, or moments just drop. And my paranoia doesn't help, either. Are the efforts worth it?

Just before another busy week begins.

Another weekly update.

I don't really have much time at home to myself during the busy days. It seems that I spend more time sleeping in our office lounge than at home in my own bed during days that I have rehearsal in the evening.

We had music rehearsals this past week, and despite dealing with temporarily changing venues once in a while, plus the crazy rains that began midweek, it still didn't faze us. Well, so we did have to cancel one rehearsal due to certain flooded areas, but we managed to make up for that.

Haha, even with the cancelled rehearsal, I managed to get in a brief spur-of-the-moment rendezvous with a good friend that day, plus I got to watch Atlantis' Aida on its opening night. I loved the music, I loved their voices. Ima Castro's voice was so powerful. I'm already wondering if I could watch it again, but I guess because of my busy rehearsals days, I'm kind of doubtful.

Despite busy schedules and all, I guess I'm somewhat enjoying going back to stage management. Somewhat, hahaha. I suddenly remember that conversation with Lambert when he had asked me why I wanted to pursue acting. I then asked if I could find balance between stage management and acting, but I do seriously doubt that there could be any. I think I have to choose and focus on just one.

I miss reading book after book. I actually envied Rayna when she hung out with us during a music rehearsal with some of the lead actors (during that crazy stormy night). She was reading an English translation of "Noli Me Tangere," something that I'm dying to do since pre-prod days began.

I'm still in the middle of reading "Passport Diaries," which never fails to speak to me. It's like "Eat Pray Love" that was written for me, hahaha. Just the other day, I found another phrase that spoke to me.

I kept him around, not because I thought he was The One, but because he was Someone at a time when I was afraid there might be No One. But Someone isn't good enough anymore. Especially now that I know that being with no one can be cool too.

I love it. It's something I can relate with. It's like the character's realizations are parallel with mine. I'm so glad I impulsively bought this book instead of leaving it on the shelf.

A free day amidst the busy ones.

Yes, I'm still alive, yet being a tad neglectful of this blog. Rehearsals for Tanghalang Pilipino's Noli Me Tangere: The Musical started last Tuesday, so I've been pretty busy. Juggling rehearsals in the evening alongside my other part-time job in the mornings isn't that easy as I thought it would be, but I do believe that after all this hard work, it'll really pay off. I haven't done any real stage management work ever after Doubt 5 years ago, so this is a good challenge as well as an opportunity to hone my SM skills in professional theater.

We've been rehearsing for about 4 days now, and had finished blocking almost half of the play. Considering that there are a lot of actors who have schedule conflicts (due to some of them are in this year's Virgin Labfest as well as some other prior commitments), Wowie, Minay and I have been standing in and taking down blocking notes like crazy, especially during the times when Chie, our fearless leader, was absent. We spent quite a good time after last Saturday's afternoon rehearsals just reviewing and comparing our blocking notes with Lambert so we'd all be on the same page when we update Chie at our next rehearsal tomorrow.

The cast looks like an interesting crowd. A good variety of actors from different backgrounds, mostly familiar faces even back during my old OJT days of yore (gee, I wonder who those are? Hahaha!).

In other news, there are some days that I just wish I could just have some peace and quiet. No one nagging or complaining, no issues about me or with someone else, and no disappointments. Plus I heard some bad news that could possibly happen, but I don't want to join in all the pessimism and negativity. I do know that there's still hope, and it's not just for one person anyway; it's for everyone. That's why I cherish certain simple things lately. The chance to talk to a friend I haven't talked to in a while, even if it's just for brief small talk. The wonderful news that a good friend of mine had just given birth to a beautiful baby. A couple of free hours alone just so I can read a new book I had just purchased, or so I could watch a movie on my laptop. Or even just a random text exchange with playful banter with a good friend.

I mentioned reading a new book. This new book I'm currently reading is called "The Passport Diaries." Yeah, typical chick lit, but it's one of my guilty pleasures. Page after page, the book kept saying the right things at the right time. I love it. There are phrases that are totally for me.

So anyway, how is everyone? Yes, you, to the one reading this. I know you're reading this blog, so go ahead and leave a comment so I'll know how you're doing. =)