Repertory Philippines has been known here and abroad for training and developing world-class artists. Miss Saigon proved to the world that it can be at par with the world’s leading talents. Rep-trained Lea Salonga, Monique Wilson, Pinky Amador, Michael Williams Maya Barredo-Duffy among others made their countrymen proud by delivering scintillating performances in a major theater hub in the world.

The training continues as Rep continues to provide training to artists who want to hone their craft. Business Mirror interviewed some of the promising talents who joined the company one way or another to enhance their skills.

Career on a roll

Theater veteran Cara Barredo says her career in theater is on a roll. Aside from theater, the fourth year music student majoring in voice at Saint Scholastica's College is preparing for her recital next year as part of the course requirement.  "The recital will be centered on the classical music and studying more techniques I can broaden my range," said Barredo.

"According to my teacher, my range is that of a lyric soprano," added Barredo.

After graduation, Barredo said she still looks forward to perform on stage.

Just like the typical dedicated artist, Barredo plans to explore the international scene because she is inspired by the feat of her Ate Maya who entered the British theater scene through the Cameron Mackintosh musical hit "Miss Saigon.'

"I am open to anything when it comes to performing. I'd like to perform in an art school in London if I get there.  The opportunity is bigger for classically- trained artists in the United Kingdom. Ate Maya made it through the West End route. For me, it would mostly through the classics," she said

"But the London thing is just an icing on the cake so to speak. After that, I will come back here to perform. I just love performing in this country," she added

Barredo also enjoys being in the chorus of a musical play because of the challenges it presents to the artists. She said a member of the chorus has to exert an extra amount of energy to hear your voice and show your acting.

Although already a 'veteran' of the stage, Barredo sometimes feels nervous before a performance. "I think its part of the opening jitters," she said.

A believer in continuous learning

Caisa Borromeo believes in constant upgrading her craft. The graduate of music major in voice performance at the Saint Scholastica's College, Borromeo plans to pursue further studies preferably in New York. "I just want to keep learning more and more by getting more classes in acting, signing and dancing," said Borromeo.

"Although I have plans of going to New York but for now I'll stay here for a while and try to develop something here. And maybe then in a few years, I will go to New York when I feel it's the right time,' added Borromeo.

She plans to enroll in a school called the Square which offers a three-year program and summer program. For Borromeo, she will get the three-year program.

Borromeo started with Rep since she was 10 after moving from the US. She joined Rep's workshops for six consecutive years because she wanted to learn more. "After the workshops, I started auditioning for the professional production with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs held at the William J Shaw Theater in Shangri-La," said Borromeo.

A regular fixture in musicals, Borromeo said she would love to do straight plays because this is venue to sharpen one's acting. "I had only one chance to do straight play in Love's Labor's Lost. It was my first straight play and also my first Shakespeare. It was a very big challenge for me because Shakespeare is not easy especially for beginners like me," said Borromeo.

Right now, Borromeo studies and teaches voice at the same time. She teaches voice at the Silid Sining School run by Pinky Marquez and at same time is a freelance voice coach as well

She credits her aunt Donna Duavit for introducing her to the company in 1995. Being a cast of "Camelot," her aunt gave Borromeo the opportunity to meet the cast backstage. "She made me watch it and fell in love right away," said Borromeo

"I was inspired by the performances of Menchu Lauchengco and Cocoy Laurel," said Borromeo

She said working with Rep is a privilege because it has given her the chance to work with distinguished names in theater.

The acting genes in her DNA

Nicole Santiago is a late bloomer in the professional theater scene.  Being the daughter of the late director Pablo Santiago, the mass communication graduate of Saint Paul’s University in Quezon City has built-in acting genes which developed her yearning and passion to perform in a professional theater company.

"It runs in the blood because of my late dad's profession. Even though I was not active in the theater in my younger years, the desire to perform was waiting to be harnessed," said Santiago.

Santiago also tried her luck in the Metropop Star Search in 1997 wherein she reached the top 12.  As a student, her involvement centered on directing plays but at the same time she was also showing a high degree of interest in acting then

Before joining Rep, Santiago honed her skills in acting and singing. The perseverance of Santiago paid off as she was accepted when she auditioned six years ago.

She migrated to the United States in December 2008. In the US, she will be settling down with former Rep mainstay Dino Barredo.

"It's a bit sad because I've been working so hard to get a lead role ever since. It's also very ironic because you're going to get your lead role in your last show. At least I was given a chance," Santiago said during the interview several days before her departure.

While in the US, Santiago will also keep an open mind to try acting whenever there's an opportunity. 

Santiago described her stint with Rep as a great experience and fulfilling because she learned much from the thespians and Rep bigwigs [Baby Barredo and Joy Virata

"Rep taught me everything from discipline to being professional in acting.  I learned so much from Tita Baby (Barredo) and Tita Joy (Virata) and they're really my mentors,” said Santiago.

"I just really want to thank Repertory because I had a beautiful stint here and also gave me the opportunity to grow as a theater actress," added Santiago.

A believer of meritocracy

Although she is definitely a privileged child, the talented and articulate Villonco remains levelheaded.

"Many people say Cris Villonco does not need to do many things. But you know that's quite wrong because if I constantly rest on the laurels of my relatives, then I'll never get anywhere. So, I need to start from the bottom,” she said

Villonco, who just had a stint in Hong Kong Disneyland, said the exposure was her main motive in accepting the offer. “Gong to Hong Kong was also part of pushing myself,” added Villonco.

The 25-year old Villonco was surprised that she was able to deliver a remarkable performance as Ophelia in Hamlet. She credits her "Hamlet" director Ana Abad Santos-Bitong for bringing out the best in her as an actress. In playing Ophelia,

She got a Gawad Buhay quarterly citation for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play for Ophelia.

She took a lull from show business and worked for a year with a non-government organization based in Geneva, Switzerland dealing with the problems in Mindanao. 

Villonco, who graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in New York with a Bachelor of Arts degree major in music and economic development, "retired" from a showbiz for a year because she was disheartened with her career. "I didn't really know where I was going. It was a strange fate from a child singer to becoming a teen. There were many certain expectations on the image, which I did not agree with,” she said.

After her Hong Kong stint, Villonco hopes she can act more often in the country.

"I do really hope there's room for me in Philippine theater. I am very happy and very grateful and there are too many people I feel I owe so much. Definitely, the theater is my comfort zone," she points out.

"Clowning" and performing

Twenty three-year old Jillian Mari Peña surprised many people including her father when she chose theater arts management in her college course in Ateneo de Manila University, a career which was seen by many people as not a viable option in the country mainly for the low appreciation on culture in the country.

But Peña, currently the marketing and sales manager of Clowning Around, held her ground so to speak and pursued her love for theater. “My dad thought it should be hard for me to make a career out of theater," said Peña.

In her stint in Ateneo, Peña hooked up with Blue Repertory and appeared in several productions. "Bye Bye Birdie was a memorable play for me because it was the first time my father saw me perform onstage," says Peña.

She received the Loyola Schools Award for the Arts in 2007 for her contribution to Ateneo's theater program.

 While performing on a part-times basis with Repertory Philippines, the affable Peña was offered a job at Clowning Around to market its products and services. She grabbed the offer because she considers this as heaven sent.

Although it's a business, Peña treats her job as a fun thing because she enjoys doing it," she added.

Pena's entry into Clowning Around provides infusion of young blood into the more than 20-year old company. Further, this will allow the company to get fresh ideas from her.

Peña considers her current work experience as blessing because she is enjoying what she is doing. She also considers the challenges that come along the way as tests to strengthen her character and personality.

One more thing going for Peña is she likes children very much. "We are a bunch of people who want to make children happy," she said.

Interestingly, Peña did not make it in her first audition for a play in her high school years in Miriam College. At that time, Peña thought she was not cut out for theater. To console herself, she joined the school's liturgical choir to have an outlet for her singing.

The experience did not faze her. She ontinued to 'sharpen' her singing during videoke sessions with her parents and relatives. Sensing that she has the potential, one of her aunts enrolled Peña in Repertory Philippines theater workshop as a birthday present.

 At the end of the day, Peña is blessed because she can pursue the things she wanted to do. "Pursuing theater was a bold stroke for me. I really believed in that decision. I am blessed because performing in the theater and working Clowning Around are the things I enjoyed doing."