Last October 30, along with the TDS street team, I watched the Repertory and STAGES production of “Peter Pan”, starring Sam Conception playing the title role, and our TDS mentor, Michael Williams as Captain Hook.

Watching up close was more than awesome! I was so glad I could actually watch it in the Orchestra section. Plus, my favorite part was when Captain Hook was singing in an Opera voice before “mooning” the pirates backwards LOL.

Watching Peter Pan amazed and inspired me to continue and live my dream of becoming an actor. It also made me look back on childhood memories. When I was 7, I joined my very first theater workshop, where we did Peter Pan, and playing the role of Michael, Wendy’s little brother.

After the show, the street team were able to go backstage to meet up with Michael Williams, where he showed us his thick and heavy costume (His hook was so heavy!). We also got to meet Sam Concepcion!

Before leaving, we bumped into director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and asked for her autograph and a picture with her Right before she left us, she said to all of us, “Keep acting!”

It’s something we all intend to do.

Anyway, after the show ended, we had to ask the guards where the stage door was and how to get there, and we ran all the way outside then to the other side of the building and found it! There, we saw Michael, Chino, George, Sam and the other talented cast members of the show.

Watching a show always reminds me why I love theater. No matter how hard I try, it’s really hard to stay away from it – even if I don’t join a production, I still feel the need to watch it. And one of the reasons why it was such a good experience meeting the cast was the fact that apart from being the cast, they’re people that my friends and I share an interest with; we love joining productions, and bringing different emotions to audiences, and no matter what we do, we can never seem to stay away from it, since we will always love doing it. And that was one of the many highlights of that night, the fact that we met so many talented people who we look up to and enjoy watching. That’s one of the best things about theater: it brings people together, and that’s what happened to me and my friends, and we’ll always love each other the same way we love theater.

What’s so special about the Profiles, you ask? A first glance would tell you nothing much…you’ll still be able to read the entries on this blog as usual, but one major change so far is that you won’t have to enter your name and your email address whenever you want to comment! If you’re logged in, you’re good to go! You save approximately 2 minutes of your life whenever you comment! Congratulations!

Here’s one more perk for members of the Street Team: from time to time, we will be granting you special privileges to write your blogs straight from your own Blog.TDS account! That’s right! You won’t need to submit entries to our dedicated TDS Webmaster. All you’ll have to do is to write your blog, save it as a Draft, and we will take care of the rest! If you’re on the team and you want to be granted this privilege indefinitely, all you need to do is email the Webmaster, and he’ll grant you special access at the soonest possible time. That’s just one of the ways we show you how much we appreciate all you’ve done for TDS!

Register today and be sure you add your own profile photo on Gravatar! It’s simple. Just sign up with the same email you used to sign up for your Blog.TDS account, upload a photo to associate with that email, and you’re all set!

Now go forth!

I’m taking time out of my semi-lazy Monday afternoon to share what I got out of the tour, in almost the same spirit as Michael Kostroff’s “Letters from Backstage: The Adventures of a Touring Stage Actor” (read it if you haven’t, it’s quite funny). I’m hoping the other people I toured with will share what they learned, but if they don’t, I hope my lessons suffice. Take them to heart!

1. Bring sufficient clothing. Pack for an extra day (or two, if you’re me). You never know what can happen on a tour. Inclement weather can cancel road trips and flights! Thankfully, none of us got stuck anywhere, but being prepared can’t hurt, right?

2. Always bring a sweater in your carry on luggage. It doesn’t matter what time of the year you’re touring. Chances are, the plane ride, the airport, or your destination will be too cold. If none of them are, turn up the air conditioning in your hotel room so you can use it! You’ll sleep better!

3. Bring a neck pillow. Domestic flights may be short, but if you’re doing a tight tour, expect to be on a plane as early as 4am (that means you need to be at the airport by 2). Whether or not you had a show the previous day, you will lose sleep if you have a flight that early and/or if you wait til the last minute before you start packing (which I did). Also, domestic flights do not carry neck pillows. If you forget yours, take out the sweater you brought (told you it would come in handy), wring it, and wrap it around your neck. Makeshift neck pillows are better if your sweater is thick. Neck pillows are especially handy if you’re seated in an Exit Row seat. Those seats, while offering you extra leg room, do not recline (you will have something like a love-hate relationship with it).

4. Pack early. Or at the very least, know what to pack. We’re operating under the idea that you’re doing a tight tour, so packing early will save you time and may even get you a few extra hours of sleep, especially if you’re coming straight from a show. It’s important to remember, though, that sometimes, merely knowing what to pack may not be enough. You could end up underestimating the whole packing process and taking more time than you expected when you actually begin doing it. Also, Packing early can help ensure that you have everything you need, tickets and passports and valid IDs included. In my experience, I tend to forget things when I’m in a hurry.

5. Locate the nearest pharmacy and bathroom. Doing a tour can be tricky, because no two locations are exactly alike (unless you’re doing an SM tour, in which case, you’re pretty much bound to know your way around if you pay enough attention). Knowing where the nearest pharmacy can be handy in the event that you need emergency medication, supplies (like water), and make-up. And of course, knowing where the bathroom is is a basic human need. (For your reference, Watsons pharmacies in SM malls are almost always in a central location, and bathrooms can be found near the entrances/exits and the food court. Food courts are either on Lower Ground or Second, and almost never on the main floor (Upper Ground)).

6. Bring your own mirror. Sometimes, tour organizers can forget one of the most important things in a dressing room: a mirror. And when they don’t, the mirrors they provide won’t always be enough. A single mirror can barely help a 7-strong cast prepare in the amount of time they’re given (usually about 1-2 hours).

7. Don’t share make-up. And don’t share sponges and brushes, either. While sharing promotes a sense of community (which is good), it can also promote the spreading of bacteria and viruses (which is bad). Sharing also takes time, which is something you won’t always have a lot of. I suggest getting your own set of make-up and supplies. It will save you in the end.

8. Learn to do your own make-up. If someone helps you put it on the first time, pay attention to what they do and how they do it. That way, you won’t have to ask for help all the time (which can be difficult if that person doesn’t tour with you), and you’ll be able to prepare on your own! Less stress for everyone involved! A stressed actor is, well, stressed, which can prove detrimental if you’re not focused.

9. Always have proof of identification. You will need to present ID when you check in at the airport, and when you access a performance venue before or after hours. You will also need ID when accessing a restricted area of the venue. Sadly, simply saying, “I’m with the tour” doesn’t prove your identity. You must remember to abide by the regulations of the venue, especially when it comes to security protocol.

10. Bring your sense of humor. Touring can be stressful and exhausting, yes, but being wound up never helped anybody. In my opinion, any kind of stress is contagious. When something goes wrong, or when something doesn’t turn out the way you expect it to, relax and find the energy to laugh. It’ll keep you on level ground, I promise.

Come see the latest offering of Theater Down South’s Theater Delivery Service!

“You Can’t Stop the Beat” is a musical revue, which follows a group of young actors on their journey from auditions all the way to the mounting of a show. It is also a look back and a look forward at the history of the Theater Program of De La Salle Zobel School, which has long been known for having a high standard of musical theater performance.

The show features excerpts from many well-known musicals. Act One focuses on shows the school has already mounted while Act Two contains numbers from shows on the students’ wish lists.  The cast is comprised of DLSZ students, faculty members and alumni.

Experience the excitement, the exhilaration, the tension, the happiness and the heartbreak that are part and parcel of every production from a unique behind-the-scenes perspective and enjoy some of the best-loved songs in musical theater from this young and talented cast!

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION: Gala performances (8pm) on Friday, January 20th and Saturday, January 21st. Matinee performance (3pm) on Saturday, January 21st.

TICKETING: Tickets at P350, available in DLSZ. You may reserve tickets by sending an email to webmaster@theaterdownsouth.com! Be sure to let us know how many tickets you want, and to leave us your full name and contact details (email and/or mobile number)!

We’re holding auditions for our AAVA Christmas Concert, AAVA: ‘Tis the Season, exclusively for residents of Ayala Alabang Village. Auditions will be on November 5, 1-4pm, and November 6, 2-5pm in the AAVA Conference Room, AAVA. Please prepare songs appropriate for the event. You must also bring your own minus one on a CD or on an mp3 player. You may also sing a capella. Please note that you may be asked to sing more than one song!

The concert will be on Saturday, December 3, 2011, 6pm at the Narra Park in Ayala Alabang Village.

We have the schedules for our SM Christmas tour. Our special Christmas show, It’s Christmas: The Musical, will run in the following SM Supermalls on the following dates (updated):

November 26 – SM Sucat
December 2 – SM Pampanga
December 3 – SM Dasmariñas and SM Bacoor
December 4 – SM Cagayan de Oro and SM Marilao
December 7 – SM Baliwag
December 9 – SM Southmall and SM Fairview
December 10 – SM San Lazaro
December 11 – SM Davao
December 15 – SM Sta Mesa
December 16 – SM Megamall and SM Valenzuela
December 17 – SM Taytay and SM Masinag
December 18 – SM Iloilo and SM Bicutan
December 19 – SM Lucena and SM Las Piñas
December 20 – SM Novaliches and SM Manila
December 21 – SM Marikina
December 22 – SM Tarlac and SM North Edsa
December 23 – SM Sta Rosa and SM Batangas

The show will be at 3pm in SM Bacoor, 6pm in SM Dasmariñas, and 5pm everywhere else.

 That’s it for now. Will get back to you all as soon as I have more news!

I’m not sure what everyone else has been up to since our Midsummer show in Poveda in September, but Joonee and I have been working in De La Salle Zobel, teaching Theater Club and putting together this year’s big DLSZ show. We’re currently on term break, but that doesn’t mean we’re off work! We’ve been working on Hansel and Gretel, a shadow puppet show we’re doing with Creative Kids Studio for Halloween in Alabang Town Center. It’s been an interesting project for me. Shadow puppetry (and puppetry, for that matter) is new territory for me, and it’s been really fun going through the entire process. Most people wouldn’t think you could do a lot with GarageBand, an overhead projector, acetate, black cartolina, and sticks! Also, the show gave me a chance to work with people I haven’t worked with in a while and to meet and work with the great people from Creative Kids!

The amount of talent that went into this production is amazing. I’ll try to take pictures tomorrow and share them with you all. If you have time, swing by the Commerce Mall in ATC at 3 or 5pm tomorrow! We’ll be doing the last 2 shows then!

So like I said earlier, we go back to rehearsals November 1st. I haven’t performed since September, and I gotta say that I’ve missed it so much. I can’t wait to go back to work and learn a lot of new stuff. Right after tomorrow’s H&G shows, we’re gonna start rehearsals for our SM Christmas show called It’s Christmas: The Musical. We’re touring the show in select SM Supermalls in the country (we’re at 19 or 20 malls at this point) beginning late November. I’ll post the dates as soon as they’re final. Hopefully I’ll get to do that this week. I hope you all can come see us then!

More Christmas show news: We’re going back to Ayala Alabang Village’s Narra Park this year to do a Christmas Concert! This year, it’s called ‘Tis the Season, and it’s gonna be on December 3rd. We’re all really excited to do this show for the community again. It’s the first show we’re using members of the TDS Street Team for, and we’re gonna be auditioning residents of AAV real soon. Keep checking back here for updates!

I promise I’ll give more updates as soon as I get them. Right now, I need to go get some rest. Happy Halloween everyone! What are you all going as?

“Oh if only you knew.”

Theater is one of those things for me. We often say that nothing is ever perfect, and working in theater will make you see that nowhere else is that statement more true. The rehearsal process for every show is incredible, often entailing working hours reaching past midnight, several times a week. I remember this certain rehearsal: During the break in between acts, instead of the usual noisy babbles that filled the room, all I heard was silence. Death by work, nitpicking on every last bit of the show, from fleshing out the character, to the more technical aspects such as discussing the props and stage facilities. Up until the very last show, adjustments are being made, some of them being small changes (which make a difference nonetheless), which are meant to make the show that much more believable to our audience.

Being an effective actor, as with anything else for that matter, begins with your work ethic. A lot of research is put into whatever role you are playing, from simply watching others’ performances of the same character, to making academic studies on that character’s cultural/ethical backgrounds and whatnot. This is just the beginning: The actor then must combine everything he/she has done while infusing that sense of individuality that will make the character unique. If we simply left it at research and study, we would simply be mimicking what we see. An artist creates rather than copies, and this is where the beauty of acting comes in. The artist takes in everything he/she has learned and places it into a perspective where he/she can fit in to create a whole new person which the audience will be able to relate to. Acting is not simply pretending you are someone else, rather, it is immersing yourself into an alternate reality wherein, for that moment, all your beliefs and principles are suspended to make room for a completely different set of rules to live by.

That is what I look forward to. To be able to express myself as such is what keeps me coming back for more.

Theater is a marriage. It is something I’ve realized since I first got into it. Yes, it is difficult. Yes, it requires a lot effort. Yes, it will bring you to the brink of madness. Yes, you will sometimes ask yourself why you’re in it. It’s quite simple: because you can’t live without it.

My school life was never picture perfect. I went through bullying and social alienation, I was always picked on just because I was different. It came to a point that I didn’t even want to step foot in my classroom again, I skipped oral presentations or anything that had to do with me “expressing” myself because I was afraid of what they might think or how I might get looked at afterwards. I was so afraid it wasn’t even possible anymore. Until a year ago I joined a play called “Jesus Christ Superstar”. I was still afraid, so I joined as stage crew instead of cast. Don’t get me wrong, being stage crew was amazing; it gave me a sense of accomplishment I never felt before. I worked hard and at the end of the day, watching the last show go off without a hitch, I guess it was the same as seeing your kid graduate from college. I remember watching the actors rush from one door to the other applying more coats of foundation each time…I also remember wishing that I could be one of them. I wouldn’t say that I did my best that year, but what I can say is that it opened my eyes to something that I could actually enjoy. It helped me realize that I could actually do this, I could actually feel good about myself again. So I promised myself that this year I would try harder and really think about it, and so that summer I joined the Theater Down South workshop. I learned how to stand in front of a lot of people and not feel like having a heart attack. I made friends. I even learned how to have an entire conversation using only my voice and the letters A to Z (yup no words!). We learned from one another…we grew together as actors and as a family. I started to feel my self esteem coming back. And that experience I will never forget.

This school year I walked through my hallway with a good feeling inside instead of fear. I actually stood up and really worked hard for my monologue in English class, and who could imagine I actually won first place. Like the writer Michael Korda said: “To succeed we must first believe that we can”—a little cliché maybe, but its true.

-Ines