Q & A with Spring Awakening's Joaquin Valdes.

Before Spring Awakening was announced in Manila, I only knew of Joaquin Valdes from the very first staging of Trumpets' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, where he originally played the role of Edmund (and back then, he was known as Wackie). I only got to meet him early this year at the CCP Pasinaya when Atlantis did a short preview of Spring Awakening as well as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Anyway, I managed to get to ask Joaqui the same questions I had asked Nicco in my previous blog entry.

Q: So how does it feel to be performing quite a demanding character in this Tony Award-winning musical?
A: It feels daunting! I have huge shoes to fill, not only because a lot of people are familiar with the Broadway Melchiors, but more so because the role and the material is really amazing. I'm pressured to give justice to the amazing piece more than anything else.

Q: When you auditioned, was Melchior the role you really wanted? Or was there another role in particular that appealed to you?
A: When I auditioned, I wanted Melchior. I put it in the audition sheet. The character is really close to my heart.

Q:What was your first thought when you found out the role [of Melchior] was yours?
A: I was pretty shocked; they texted me one day and I think I had read that message at least 10 times to make sure that I wasn't imagining things. Overall I was thrilled.

Q: Considering the fact that each character in this musical has certain complexities and trauma, (plus nudity) what did you do to prepare for the role?
A: Chari was very clear from even before the auditions that she was looking for brave, and generous actors. They had to be risky and willing to jump... not just talented. So my preparation for the role was pretty much trying to immerse myself in the material, music and mayhem of it all. I did some light research to learn more about the turn of the century... but over all I just jumped in. Chari always told me that I overthought things...I needed to work on being more vulnerable.

Q: Are you anything at all like Melchior?
A: I'm frighteningly and dangerously VERY MUCH like him. There are actually lines Melchior says that I had already thought to myself even before I read the play.

Q: What's the most challenging thing you had to do in rehearsals so far? And what was the most memorable thing?
A: The most challenging part of rehearsals is also my most memorable one... when Kelly and I had to do our intimate scenes. There's a beating scene and a love scene... both of which are insanely difficult even for the most seasoned actors... so Kelly and I had a very challenging time... (we still do).

Q: Try to describe each of your co-actors in one word.
A: Jett - Buddy
Cheska - Foodie
Kelly - Hot
Bea - Perky
Yanna - Yunnuh
Ava - Mature
Sitti - Sweet
Inno - Bunsoy
Miguel - Hungry
JC - Artist
Nar - Musiko
Nicco - Intense

Q: I know almost the entire cast had said that they can't seem to find just ONE favorite song in the musical, but if you were to choose, what's your favorite? And why?
A: All That's Known---it's a life-song for me... you watch me... one day all will know...

Q: What's the best advice you received? Both in life and in acting/theatre?
A: I wrote this in my article about Spring Awakening (you can read the article here)... the best advice a received from a director was to "do roles that I'm afraid of"... Melchior is role that I'm terrified of... because it's so beautifully written and realized... but more so because it's so close to who I am.

Q: What's the best advice you could give to anyone?
A: Go change the world.


Spring Awakening will run from September 25 to October 18, 2009 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets and other inquiries, please call Atlantis Productions at 8927078 or 8401187, or you can check out their website at www.atlantisproductionsinc.com.

*photos courtesy of Dingdong Novenario.

Nicco Manalo on Spring Awakening.

Nicco Manalo, who will be playing the role of Moritz Stiefel in Atlantis Productions' Spring Awakening, seems to look like a boyish shy guy when you first see him, but will shed off his shyness and unleash his makulit and friendly side once you get to talk to him. I've known Nicco since his college days (when he really was very shy) and he has grown to be one of my pretty close friends. He does say that he's really shy when it comes to interviews, but I managed to get him to answer a few questions.

Hogi: So how does it feel to be performing quite a demanding character in this Tony Award-winning musical?
Nicco: Scary and exciting.. but mostly scary. I'm always scared.
Hogi: When you auditioned, was Moritz the role you really wanted?
Nicco: Yes. When I auditioned, the form we had to fill out had a question... "What role do you think suits you?" I wrote "MORITZ!"
Hogi: Was there another role in particular that appealed to you?
Nicco: I can't remember. Since the first time I saw a video of this musical, my eyes went straight to Moritz's hair.
Hogi: What was your first thought when you found out the role was yours?
Nicco: First thought was "Oh my god!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"
Hogi: Considering the fact that your character has all that angst, trouble, (trauma) and "blah blahs" in his head, what did you do to prepare for the role?
Nicco: I studied the role. Went back to my old younger self. Interviewed a friend. I was once a Moritz... Still am, in a way.
Hogi: Why do you say you were once a Moritz?
Nicco: I'm shy. I was afraid of girls. Still am. I'm paranoid. I get affected easily. I love my friends.
Hogi: What's the most challenging thing you had to do in rehearsals so far?
Nicco: Keeping my energy up and singing high notes while jumping up and down.
Hogi: How about the most memorable thing?
Nicco: Blocking "The Dark I Know Well." Chari goes, "Boys, face up." Everyone facing downstage (facing the audience) turned to face upstage (facing the back of the stage). I looked up at the ceiling.
Hogi: Ahahahahaha!
Nicco: What? She said "face up." I have a point.
Hogi: Hahaha! Okayyy. Try to describe each of your co-actors in one word.
Nicco: Joaqui - leader
Kelly - lutang
Bea - happy
Nar - lungpower
JC - stressed
Miguel - "mahiligtumambaysabandarea"
Inno - bunsoy
Yanah - unicorn
Ava - mature
Sitti - surprisinglysimple
Jett - rockguru
Cheska - mommeeeee
Hogi: I know almost the entire cast had said that they can't seem to find just ONE favorite song in the musical, but if you were to choose, what's your favorite?
Nicco: Left Behind
Hogi: What's the best advice you received? Both in life and in acting/theatre?
Nicco: Life--Life goes on.
Nicco: Theatre--Manood ng mga nagsusuntukan sa kalye at kumain ng fishball.
Nicco: For both: Wag magmadali.
Hogi: Haha, seryoso yun?
Nicco: Ang alin?
Hogi: Yung sa theatre?
Nicco: Yes, very serious.
Hogi: What's the reason behind that?
Nicco: I asked a teacher kung paano gagaling, sabi niya parang tinantanong ko kung ano ang definition ng life. Siguro ibig niyang sabihin ay namnamin ko ang buhay.
Hogi: What's the best advice you could give?
Nicco: Pikit ka tapos dilat tapos tingnan mo kung ano nagbago. Be aware.


Spring Awakening will run from September 25 to October 18, 2009 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets and other inquiries, please call Atlantis Productions at 8927078 or 8401187, or you can check out their website at www.atlantisproductionsinc.com.

Spring Awakening sneak peek.

Thanks to Atlantis, I got invited to a bloggers' conference of their upcoming production of Spring Awakening yesterday.


Lawyn offered that we meet up at the Atlantis office first so we can go to the rehearsal venue together. Thank goodness she did, as I had forgotten how to get to the venue. Left the office an hour before the scheduled event, lugging a box of gift bags as well as a bag of prop mics.

I was kind of shy (??!?) to follow Lawyn straight inside the rehearsal room as I only knew half the people there, so I set the box of gift bags on a bench in the outer room, then shyly stuck my head in the door. Hogi moment: when a bunch of voices said hello to me, I turned to look and bumped my head on the glass door frame. Hahaha.

Anyway, I took those hellos as an invite, so I went inside and took a seat next to Via (who was there in full support for JC) while the cast rehearsed the songs that they were to perform for the bloggers. After a while, I went back downstairs and picked up Lara (one of my blogger recruits) at Mini Stop, then we went back upstairs and hung out in the outer room to wait with Lorna and the other bloggers. Dingdong (my other recruit) arrived several minutes later so we camwhored for a while before we were all finally called inside.

The cast performed 4 songs--"Bitch of Living", "The Dark I Know Well", "I Believe", and "The Song of Purple Summer." Afterwards, we were then welcome to ask/interview the cast. Thanks to Lorna, we asked the cast to just remain in the acting area so we could first have a sort of open forum before most or some of the bloggers could conduct individual interviews.

So introducing the cast of Spring Awakening...



(Sorry, just had to post 2 photos, as the 2 guys seated on the floor couldn't be seen in the 2nd photo)
Seated on the floor: Nar Cabico as Ernst, JC Santos as Hanschen
Standing: Jett Pangan as Adult Male Figure, Nicco Manalo as Mortiz, Inno Martin as Otto, Miguel Mendoza as Georg
Seated on chairs: Ava Santos as Anna, Yanah Laurel as Thea, Bea Garcia as Ilse, Cheska Inigo as Adult Female Figure, Kelly Lati as Wendla, Joaquin Valdes as Melchior
Not in photo: Sitti Navarro as Martha (as she was already taken aside by one blogger for an individual interview)
(All photos courtesy of Dingdong Novenario.)

I'm kind of having a hard time deciphering everything that I scribbled on my notebook, so I'll just play this by ear.

So first things off, Spring Awakening is basically about teenagers in the 1890's that are going through typical physical and emotional changes, as they explore their sexuality and still barrell through everyday school life.

Cheska, who plays the Adult Female Figure (a variety of mothers and teachers), had started off by telling us that back in 1891, when the play is set, parents couldn't really talk about things like sex right up front with their children. Considering that we now have television shows such as Gossip Girl and similar shows, Spring Awakening would be pretty tame compared to those shows. But the musical is actually a good opportunity for parents to go and see with their children, and talk about the play's issues, as some people aren't comfortable about those issues. As Joaqui had also added, "It's telling the parents [today], your kids have questions [about sex/sexuality]." And even if the story was set in 1891, the issues are still the same as today as far as the kids are concerned.

So yes, there is a certain age limit for audiences. For pre-teens, it's strongly recommended to have adults/their parents with them, but all in all, it's up to the parent's discretion. This play has some sexual content concerns that are also possibly offensive (such as nudity, swearing, etc.), yet they're tastefully done. Hey, at least they're up front with all that.

Please watch Atlantis Productions' Spring Awakening. Directed by Chari Arespacochaga, featuring Costume Design by Rajo Laurel, Set Design by Tuxqs Rutaquio, Choreography by Dexter Santos, Lighting Design by Voltaire de Jesus, Vocal Direction by ManMan Angsico and Musical Direction by Jojo Malferari. It will run from September 25 to October 18, 2009 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditiorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets and other inquiries, please call Atlantis Productions at 8927078 or 8401187, or you can check out their website at www.atlantisproductionsinc.com.

Seeing the big picture at N.O.A.H.

I got to watch Trumpets' N.O.A.H. (No Ordinary Aquatic Habitat) at the Meralco Theater yesterday afternoon. It's been ages since I last saw a Trumpets production.

I had seen its original puppet version (Mr. Noah's Big Boat) 5 years ago at the Music Museum, so I really wanted to watch this new pumped-up, "human" version. And for this staging, there were also seats onstage (the ark, or the gallery) that you can also purchase. You can watch the entire show from there as well as watch the "theatrical magic" (behind-the-scenes action) unfold.

Of course, just to have a different (or not-so-different in some cases for me) experience of the show, I wanted to watch from the gallery. Super thanks to Joel, a good friend and one of the sweetest guys I know, I got that opportunity. At first, I was to watch it alone, then Joe messaged me yesterday morning that I could invite friends along. I sent out text messages to some people but unfortunately all of them had to pass. Haha, I even called a bunch of them to ask. One was out of town, one was having his hair done, another was working, and one was still asleep. Finally, Dingdong was the lucky duck who was free that very afternoon, so I got him to go with me instead of going to the gym (hahaha).

Arrived early in Ortigas, so I grabbed a bite at McDonald's across the theater before heading over there. Crossed the street then hung around in the lobby, eventually finding Sir Ed sitting at the showbuyers' table. Waves of nostalgia hit me while I was just standing in the lobby. Those Meralco days were the good old days. OJT in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2002). First real job with Atlantis in Beauty and The Beast. I remember waiting for someone in the Narnia cast to ask me to buy mango float for them so I have an excuse to go to the lobby and also buy one for myself. Sleeping on the couches during the first act of Beauty and The Beast, then waking up just in time for intermission to sell programs and other merchandise. Bugging the ushers while we all hang out in the lobby together during the show.

Haha, sure enough, when I went to the couches, the ushers for this production were there, waiting for their section assignments. A couple of people called my name, and when I adjusted my vision (man, I need new contacts), that's when I saw June Vee and Charo sitting among the ushers. Sat around with them while they did their briefing and I waited for the house to open. Haha, Joaqui saw me earlier even before I entered the lobby, and that was when he approached me and asked when I'll be watching Spring Awakening. Hehe, told him I'd be visiting them this week.

Mikki arrived late even though he was one of the ushers, so I listened in as Joel briefed him on ushering the people in the gallery, as the 2 of them were assigned to that section.

To those of you who really do plan to sit and watch the show from the gallery, I'd advise you to go to the bathroom before the show, as you won't be allowed to leave even during the intermission. No cameras or videos allowed, of course, and you really have to switch off your cellphones instead of just putting them on silent mode.

When Dingdong arrived, we still waited around in the lobby for the rest of the people who were to sit in the gallery. Once everyone was there (and had gone to the restrooms), Joel and Mikki briefed everyone and we were then herded inside the theater.

The show was pretty cool, even though we were seeing things from the back. Even though the orientation really was for a proscenium stage, there were efforts to face our side as well. Ditto for the lights and the set. Carlo Orosa and Sheila Francisco made an awesome tandem as Mr. and Mrs. Noah, and those Sison brothers as Japheth, Shem and Ham were so adorable. The youngest reminded me so much of Russell from Up, hahaha. The ensemble were equally entertaining. Sam as the Narrator/God even showed his dancing prowess in one of the scenes in the 2nd act. Ahehehe, of course, once Carlos had seen us in the gallery, may "papansin epek" na siya every time he passes us by, hahaha!

I remember back in Mr. Noah's Big Boat, the audience applauded when the ark was finished. I wanted to applaud during this new production because it still amused me even though I was seeing a couple of stage hands hiding behind the ark's frame. It goes to show how much effort was put to make this production work. Believe me, I've been there. I was once the novice who was wearing the headset and lurking at stage right. I was once one of the people (and sometimes the only girl) who skittered back and forth and suffered rope burn on her hands from pulling all the rope to make several set changes.

Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of N.O.A.H.! Thanks for the seats, Joel! Hope I get to watch it again, this time from the front! Sam, hope you remember what show you were in, hahaha!

Dingdong and I dawdled around the lobby after the show, just standing around, checking out the merchandise, the people, and the food. He was pretty curious about the personalized chocolate and purchased 3 bars, then we both bought 1 mango float each. Of course, I couldn't leave a show without buying a souvenir program, so I did. Hahaha, when I paid for my program, Tita Luna said, "Thanks for supporting Trumpets," before introducing me to one of the FOH people as a Playshopper from several years ago, and I even added that I haven't seen a Trumpets show in years.

I actually miss being in Trumpets. There's still some part of me connected to that world, even if it was just for Playshop a few times, and that one production. Well, at least it's pretty nice to know that I could still visit and still feel welcome with the people I know, hahaha.


Random thought from a fews days before that I forgot to add in my previous blog entry. May mga crush pala na bumabalik kapag lumilitaw ulit sila sa buhay mo. Nagiging crush mo lang kapag nakikita mo, tapos nawawala kapag nawawala rin siya. Hahaha, yun lang.

I must really learn to stop all this mediocrity.

My computer conked out a couple of days ago so I felt so crippled without it. Apparently it needed a new power supply so I had it replaced. Thank goodness it was just that. If this baby crashes, I really would have to buy a new one, which is both good and bad. Good because this computer is at least over 5 years old and some pieces are already kind of hard to replace, and bad because I don't really have the funds to buy a new desktop or laptop.

Anyway.

Here's a thought. I have weird mediocrity issues. I'm afraid of doing mediocre work, but because I keep thinking about that, I still end up with exactly that. So I had no idea what to expect when I had decided on a whim to try auditioning again.

Opa had invited Betty and me to audition for DUP's Mary Stuart. I was iffy for a while, but Betty's enthusiasm was pretty contagious, so I eventually geared myself up for it. Until I got hold of a copy of the script (both English and Filipino translation) a couple of days prior to the audition. Most of the characters were male. Oh well. I just want to audition just for the experience anyway.

I was already intimidated at the fact that they play's director is Tony Mabesa, but I tried to shrug it off. Once Betty, Opa and I had arrived at the Faculty Center on Friday evening, we were almost immediately called in. All the auditionees were there, including Rayna and Francis. We were told to read a monologue of any role of our choice, and it was up to us to read the English or Filipino text. I tried to read through this one monologue in Filipno, but in the middle of it, I was suddenly called to the front. Ack, not even enough time to be nervous, but I sort of panicked, immediately decided to read the English text instead, hahaha. (Betty and Opa both read the Filipino text.)

When Sir Tony was still scrutinizing my resume, he asked me about my surname's origin. Of course, based on our genealogy, I said that it was Filipino, and briefly rambled that it was originally the name of some medicinal plant. "So herbal ka," he quipped. Wahahahaha. After a bit more small talk, I read the text from the script I was holding. That was that.

The audition setup seemed pretty informal. It felt as if Sir Tony was teaching a class or a workshop. We were all sitting or standing there watching the others read through again, and we listened to Sir Tony's comments as he pointed them out to us.

After the auditions, Betty, Opa and I had dinner at Chowking in Philcoa. Haha, funny topics abound. Certain exes, loves and crushes, ehehe. I just love these girls. I sure do hope we get to be in a prod together again sometime.

PA: There's always a first time for everybody.

I still have a couple of pending blog entries that I haven't gotten around to posting.

Anyway, in all my years working backstage as stage crew, assistant manager, stage manager and dresser, last Tuesday was my first time ever to actually be a PA, haha. Roan had once asked if I could be a PA for one of her shoots, and I said I'd accept if there's no schedule conflict. So there, I was hired to be a PA for an AVP shoot which was scheduled last Tuesday.

When I asked what other stuff Roan needed prior to the shoot, I couldn't help but laugh at the beginning of her text. "Mga sinaunang panahon..." Mostly retro stuff from the 1970's and 1980's. Hahaha, "sinauna" talaga eh. I managed to find a whole bunch of clothes as well as jewelry from my junk as well as from my mom's.

Early call time on Tuesday. It's been ages since I had to leave the house at an early hour, so I had to switch buses at a different stop, and I had to ride an ordinary fare bus because I didn't want to be late. It was tough enough that I was lugging around a huge paper bag containing clothes, a curling iron, and costume jewelry. It was a stupid choice to use a paper bag instead of an ordinary bag, because I was getting rope burn from the handles. Walked to the gas station which was the designated pick-up point that Roan gave me, and sat inside the convenience store. I texted Roan to let her know I was already there (because it was only about 5 minutes before the agreed-upon time) and waited. And waited. And waited.

As it turned out, Roan and her friend were running late. They were preparing and packing the food for breakfast and lunch (and apparently woke up late, which they only admitted later that day), so they couldn't pick me up yet. Instead of waiting for another half hour (I was already sitting there for an hour), Roan gave me the address of where they were and I headed off there. I arrived just in time, when they were loading their stuff into the AUV.

Roan and I boarded the AUV along with her friend, Yas, and we headed for the Sta. Ana location. Settled in at the house and had breakfast. Met Dom and Tess, the director and the AD, respectively. After some breakfast, some of the cast started trickling in, so we started prepping up. Roan and I sorted through all our combined clothes together to see which is alright for which scenes, then we set off to work on the actors' hair. Haha, for the life of me, it was the first time I ever set someone's hair on curlers, because I've been so used to someone doing it on my own hair. But apparently, Judy's hair, despite how short it was, was really as stick-straight as mine so it went flat as soon as we had left for the other location.

Off to Bagtikan in Makati to shoot the office scenes. We turned the little conference room into a temporary prod room where Roan, Yas and I stayed while the rest started filming in one of the offices. I was only called in to add more powder to one actor's hair (to age him), or to retouch Judy's make-up. Other than that, I did a lot of sitting around.

When Yas was tasked to buy rice for the lunch they had brought, I was told to go with her because she wasn't wearing her glasses (as it was being used by one of the actors). During our little errand across the street, that was when I found out that she was the same Yas I read about in Lara's blog, ahahaha. The world keeps getting smaller every day. Anyway, we took a lunch break, then we had to fix up the little conference room because they needed to shoot the scene with the jewelry right there.

We had to go back to the Sta. Ana house to shoot a montage. Roan and I had to bring out all the clothes that was put together so they can be approved by Dom, and laid everything out on the dining table. Once we started filming, it was one costume change after another for Judy and Nilda. Hahaha, we even once made Nilda wear my huge chain of pearls (one of my favorites in the whole bunch of jewelry) for the very last scene.

I've always wanted to work with Roan again, but not with us as actors, and this was a pretty good opportunity. Thanks, Roan. Hope this won't be the last.

I've been quite a delinquent blogger lately. That's another first for me, hahaha.

Friends from different worlds.

I haven't blogged in a week. I'm getting lazy, hahaha.

Early last Thursday afternoon, I met up with Lyn at Coffee Bean in Greenbelt due to some business proposal she wanted to pitch to some (or most) of her friends. I wasn't really keen on those types of businesses, but she said that even though I wasn't interested in it, at least it would've been an opportunity to see each other again, so of course, I still met up with her. Hey, the last time I saw this girl was back in December of 2003, when I was working for Atlantis' production of Urinetown while she and Michelle were there for an event where Nyoy and the Mannos were playing.

Yep, that was the world where we became friends. The "glory days" of the NV&M forum (groupies, haha). Holy kamote. Then we went on our separate ways, sometimes by choice, sometimes sort of forced (hahaha). It was really great to see her again. Huwaw, I've always known her to have really short hair (mostly in bobs) and when I saw her at Coffee Bean, her hair was almost down to her waist and uber-curly! Lookin' great, Lyn! Hot mama ka talaga, hahaha.

After Lyn had to go, I met up with Gino in Glorietta. Hahaha, as usual, we always meet up and hang out whenever he doesn't have work. Super friends as always. Hahaha, it's so funny how we randomly say to each other that we never thought that we'd be friends when we first met each other in CCP, back when he was an OJT for the workshops while I was a first time workshopper under TP. He told me that he first thought that he wouldn't want me as a friend. I told him that I thought he was quite a poser, eh OJT na nga lang siya, hahaha. Eventually we became workshop classmates the following summer and became pretty close. We hung out every night after class and even spent Saturday nights until Sunday morning hanging out in Malate. We got dubbed the "superfriends" because we always go out of our way to make sure everyone's alright, and everyone got home safe, including each other. Gino's actually more of the superfriend than I am, because he's the one who always waits for me while I had to catch a ride back south, even if it takes standing along Taft for over an hour, hahaha.

Ed had arrived from Canada for a week-long visit last week, and of course, our clique just had to see him, so we arranged to have dinner on Saturday night. Hung out with Rosa in ATC during the afternoon, then waited for Ed to arrive. Hahaha, it's so hilarious how Ed manages give simple and wholesome things and phrases a very different meaning just because he's the one who says it. It's also amusing how he's finally in a serious committed relationship (for the first time, I might add). He finally lost the barkada bet, and now only 2 are in the running.

Anyway, after all the crazy talk the 3 of us had at Starbucks ATC, Rosa, Ed and I then headed off to Manong's for dinner. Josh and Seph caught up with us after we had ordered the food. Of course, because Ed's been craving for sisig for about a year, that was the first thing we had ordered, and of course, Rosa and I needed some alcohol after that crazy talk with Ed, which still kept going even after we had moved to another table (because it started raining).

Great seeing you again, Ed! See you next year!