INT. DORM – EVENING
Loren Oribiana, Actor.
a blog entry for what once felt like an unrealistic dream
Never in my wildest dreams have I ever thought of being an actor. Performer – yes, I love singing and dancing onstage, but acting? Hindi sumagi sa isip ko haha, pero siguro ito na nga ang isa pinakamakabuluhan na ‘do it for the plot’ na ginawa ko sa univ life ko. Ang maging aktor sa isang produksyong pang-teatro.
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I saw the casting call on facebook, and on the day of the auditions, sobrang hesitant ko pa kasi ano ba ang ginagawa sa auditions for theater play? Eh huling pag-arte ko sa teatro ay noong grade 1 pa na hinila lang naman kami ng isang teacher tapos may ini-recite lang na ilang linya from the 10 commandments at tapos na. I couldn’t even call it acting haha. The part of me that was interested is because I partly thought na it might be a musical and isa sa mga background characters yung gusto kong role. So why not audition di ba since I miss singing and dancing??
I only prepared to dance Le Sserafim’s anti fragile, yung chorus part lang. Kaya sige, nasa-elbi naman na rin ako, might as well mag-audition?
I arrived a little bit early, I guess? Pero hindi ko kasi alam sinong i-appproach ko. Wala akong kakilala masyado sa mundo ng BaCA. Only a few people na naging ka-klase ko sa GE courses. I signed up and nagulat ako noong nakita ko ang isang kaibigan na mag-auaudition din. My mind was at ease for a little bit, thank heavens, I know someone. She said she’s doing it for the plot and to my surprise, the plot gave me some kind of twist
Days (was it a week?) after, results came out and I got the part that I want.
Wow, I will be acting?
I can’t believe it because I feel that I botched that audition HAHAHAHA I read some lines, and I think I fumbled the acting part????? Di ko ‘man nasayaw anti-fragile I think I did well sa dance part and sa vocals hehe. I remember checking my email the last minute na kasi nga I wasn’t expecting to be casted. Gladly I did, and I was able to respond that I am interested in doing the part.
For most days, hindi pa rin talaga ako makapaniwala, not until the day I got the script.
It was surreal.
We had a table reading and it was the first time I met my co-actors. We ran some lines at that time. I remember reading the script and having the same interpretation of the plot with our director – which they only revealed towards the end, and it made me so excited about it. Of course, lowkey lang na excited because I am more kabado about it because I do not know how things go around theater prods.
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March was a month of new things for me. We had workshops and I was SO AWKWARD hahahaha si anteh talaga parang nag-crash course sa acting sa first day ng workshop T_T Struggle din yung workouts before the rehearsals kasi core exercises talaga eh medyo matagal na akong nag-stop sa workout routine ko since I am busy with acads.
After the reading break, we headed back to rehearsals again and for the huge part of April, dito umikot ang mundo ko.
The main struggle for me I guess was that I was doing my thesis along with rehearsals. Schedule goes: Thesis/Laboratory in the morning until 4 or 5 pm, then I will prepare for our rehearsals which will run from 6pm to 9pm. It kinda helped that I do not have any other academic units during that semester, but it was still tiring physically.
Someone asked me if hindi raw ba ako napapagod because of my set-up. Physically, I admit it was tiring kasi hindi ako sanay lately, but for the mental and emotional aspect ? Teatro was such a breather. I know then that I live for the ARTS.
Teatro gave me the mental break that I needed from doing thesis. I can say that it feels like I am resting from running my brain with the sciences and that creative stuff really fuels me to push forward in everything that I do. Singing or dancing has always been my outlet when it comes to de-stressing. It was really teatro that gave color to my supposed to monotonous Bio life.
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Rehearsals went on in April when we had more frequent and more detailed practices. Everything is starting to look like a theater production since we were incorporating the music, choreographies, and even props.
We had our rehearsals at SU Basement, SU Amphitheater( which I love because you can see the stars in the night T_T), and at CAS A2 Lobby. It works naman pero I wish na our Comm Arts majors are given more appropriate rehearsal spaces…
The rehearsals brought me lots of fond memories to look back to. There are times when I help our leads run some lines and those are the times when I am really in awe of them since technically, they are my seniors, and you can see how passionate they are with their craft. We also went from bringing our scripts to finally rehearsing with dropped scripts.
At one point, I almost quit the prod due to scheduling conflicts, since the show date was changed, and I had a prior scheduled event on that day (my sister’s grad). I conveyed this to our head stage manager, and they supported me naman when I told them I have to leave the production. But at the same time that was the moment that I realized I cannot let this go. I already worked so hard for it and it’s hard not to see myself towards the end of it.
My co-actors also convinced me to stay, and that made me so torn with the decision. I told our SMs na I’ll talk with my fam again about this decision while also hoping na my thoughts aren’t clouded.
I discussed it with my family that I wouldn’t be able to attend my sister’s graduation ceremony and on the next rehearsals, I told our prod team that I will be staying. I can see how happy they were and that’s when I realize na I am so glad that I get to have these newfound friends in the university.
We also had our photoshoots for the promotional materials and at one point, it feels like an illusion to have the prod banners, with our faces, along the UPLB Oblation Park and CPark <3
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We had our first full run, and the most memorable part was that ang aga inilagay ng fake blood sa bibig ko I feel like throwing up HAHAHAHAHA, that run made things more real. We had a full show already, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be changes.
Schedules become more hectic as show date approaches. Little did we realize that it’s already May, and we see each other more often. Warm-ups/workouts become more intense, and we finally got to rehearse onstage at the NCAS Auditorium.
The first time I set foot onstage with the lights and all is a woah moment.
It made me think na I love the stage; I really feel like I belong here.
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One week left until the show date and sepanx is starting to get into me!! We had longer rehearsals, and technical dress rehearsals when everything will run as if it’s the actual play already. It was so hectic for me because my thesis presentation day was also on the 28th. The adrenaline was insane.
I wasn’t even able to attend one of the TDRs because well, I have to present my thesis haha, but after that presentation, I went to the rehearsals for some announcements and run downs.
A day before the show, it was still overwhelming because there were still A LOT of changes since the past week. It happens, but it just feel counterproductive for some time because we already invested so much time and effort during the past few months; but I guess it happens, and I am still enjoying this process.
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May 30th and suddenly it’s the DDay !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I admit I wasn’t in the best condition that day because we really barely got enough rest a day prior to the show date because of extensions, and it was frustrating already for me that my voice doesn’t come out the way I prepared and practiced. Add up the last minute changes few hours before the show date so it was SO CRAZY for us, actors.
But then, the show must go on and we prepared for our first show.
After our SMs and my co-actors helped me in vocalization (ilysm nastress tlg aq malala don haha), I think my voice got warmed up already and we prepared backstage.
I can remember how we were backstage before we got our cue for the stage. I am just really so comfortable with these people, and I am glad to share this stage with them. It was so easy to ask for a hug from them just to neutralize all of these emotions, probably because our bodies are our main instrument in this performance.
It is now 1 pm and we are on standby for the first show. I was nervous but I was more excited. I think the first show was my best performance HAHAHA especially I think we got the opening part so well. I loved every moment that I was on that stage, and after the show, all the emotions came running and I knew I wanted to be back on that very stage. The way we congratulated one another after the curtain call of the first show was sooooo moving.
It was so emotional for me because I never thought that there would be another chance for me to perform once again. At this point, this is really real.
We had a short break, and another run/polishing for some parts before getting our makeup retouch for the second show at 4pm. It went well and I think I was less nervous this time. Met some of my friends after the show, took photos with our co-actors onstage and rested a bit before going to our last show at 7pm.
While our CMUs are redoing our makeup, HSM Dylan gave us some pep talk backstage. It gave us the “this is the final show, we got this” motivation for the last show.
Share ko lang din na for the final show, there was a moment that I was on autopilot mode. Thank god for the muscle memory because I think I quite blanked out(?) (is there even a word) for a split second HAHAHAHA. This is why practice is SO SO IMPORTANT.
I think it was the best show that we had, especially the adlibs and all. I think it showed everyone’s chemistry and how hard we worked for the past 3 months. Ang swerte ko na napakagaling ng mga co-actors ko sa produksiyon na ito at marami talaga akong natutunan sa kanila.
After the final curtain call, I realized na this is it.
This has been the culmination of my undergraduate life, and I am glad that it ended on the theater stage.
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I honestly wish that the pandemic did not happen because not only of the actual repercussions that it caused us in the health and economics aspect, but it also felt like our batch was robbed of the opportunities that would have come our way.
I wonder if ever those 2 years did not happen, would I have been able to take part in a lot of theater performances? But then again, if things didn’t turn out that way, will I even take this chance? Anyway enough of the what ifs.
I am just really glad to be able to stand onstage again, even if it was only for the last time in my undergraduate life. My heart is full because of this moment.
I am forever grateful, KTOWN2024.
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Direk Yuri, who put her trust on me. Sobra akong nagpapasalamat sa tiwala at pagtanggap mo sa ‘kin na maging parte ng produksyon na ito kahit na simula’t simula pa lang ay sinabi ko na wala akong background sa pag-arte. Still, you welcomed me sa KTOWN.
Production Staff (from tech, prod managers, props, marketing, lights & sounds, costume & make up, dramaturgs, and everyone who played a part in this prod <3) lalo na sa mga stage managers who guided us, took care of us, and made sure that all the actors are on track. Special mention to our HSMs Dylan and Vienna. You guys are the best. Hands-down to your talent and dedication to this prod.
Taco, Friday, Xean, Jeboy, Pau, Yael, Rich, Chan, James, and Sarah,
My co-actors, my found family in teatro, my seniors sa pag-arte <3
Maraming maraming salamat sa friendship at memories na nabuo natin at sa tatlong buwan ng rehearsals. I know I would still see you guys grace the stage and the screens, wherever your acting careers take you! You guys are soooo talented and I learned a lot from you. Proud ako sa inyong lahat!! I had fun with all of the stuff that we did that it did not even feel like work?! I’m gonna miss the chika and the meals we shared. Also, gonna miss the hatid pauwi after rehearsals kahit alam na ata ng buong CPark buong pangalan quo hahahha ?!?! iykyk
Roana & Choi who watched the show even if it was in the middle of finals week hahaha thank you for taking some time from your busy schedule T_T
Also, to Nate, Ed, and Sen who were always almost there during the important milestones of my univ life. Imagine from thesis sampling, thesis presentation, until my theater debut, they have always been very supportive of my endeavors.
Ate Mey & Jy who really went out of their way by attending the last show! Grabe from Makati to Elbi pa ean sila T_T I am beyond grateful for your presence and support huhuhu
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My theater acting debut would always be a fond memory that I will keep.
It was really the best experience that I had in univ, and probably it’s because I am with these people.
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Ilang buwan na ang nakalipas mula noong magsara ang kurtina ng KTOWN2024 pero ito ay dadalhin ko lagi’t lagi.
A big part of me will always crave to be onstage once again and when that time comes, I will still cherish every moment of it. When the theater calls, I will answer it over and over again.
LIGHTS OUT.
SFX: <Cha-la-la theme song>
INT. ROOM IN QC – MIDNIGHT
FIN.
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