Kuwento niya, "Some of them are even older than me. Tapos, mga taga-ibang bansa din sila kasi international yung school. It's very pressurized. Kasi alam mo sa England, napakaseryoso ng theater training. Nag-spend sila ng ganun karaming money just to train."
Monique trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) and took her MA in Applied Theater and Drama Education at Central School of Speech and Drama, also in London. Dito sa Central School din nag-aral ang well-respected actresses na sina Judi Dench at Vanessa Redgrave.
NO DISCRIMINATION. Masuwerte raw si Monique at wala siyang na-encounter na discrimination sa pagtira niya sa London.
"Wala. I mean, even this job that was offered to me, imagine na ako lang ang Asian sa aming faculty. Ako yung pinakabata. Even my students are older than me. Pero may nakita sila sa akin at sinasabi nila parati na 'you're the best person for this job.' That was really good kasi alam mo na na-recognize nila yung experience mo."
Dagdag niya, "I'm always excited din kapag may mga Asian students din ako siyempre, at kaunti lang ang Asian students like from Japan or Malaysia or Thailand. I always tell them na, 'You should be proud of who you are. We don't want to be British. That's not who we are. Hindi din puwede magganap tayo na Amerikano or British tayo. Hindi. Pinoy ka. And that what makes you interesting abroad. Kailangan yung identity mo, napakalakas para marespeto ka din ng mga tao.'"
Itatanghal ni Monique at ng New Voice Company on September 3 and 4 ang dulang My Name is Rachel Corrie sa Music Museum. Ito ay Asian premier ng nasabing dula tungkol sa buhay ng isang 23-year-old American na nag-alay ng buhay niya para sa kapayapaan sa pagitan ng mga Israeli at Palestinian.
Ang New Voice Company din ang nagtanghal ng Vagina Monologues dito sa Pilipinas. Naimbitahan noon si Monique na makasama sa cast ng naturang dula noong 2008 sa New Orleans during the V-Day celebrations. Kasama niya sa cast sina Jane Fonda, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Hudson, at iba pang international artists.
Kailangan nang bumalik ni Monique sa London pagkatapos ng My Name is Rachel Corrie. Magsisimula na ang school sa London on September 14. Hopefully, kapag naging maganda ang tanggap ay babalik siya sa December para ma-tour sa Pilipinas and other Asian countries. Naka-set din i-release ni Monique ang bagong album niya sa December.
...I say someone needs to make Florante y Laura into a rock musical, wadya think?
...when I heard Lea talking what sounds like a cockny accent in an earlier British show during her Ms. Saigon years! ...I said to myself she's not proud
to be peeleepeenoh! uh huh
Sana lang PEP will post a different pic. She really is beautiful and this picture here does not justify that.
PROUD TO BE PINOY!
Ang galing mo din... we proud of you!!!
i was a member of a school-based theater group and for 10 years which started during my college days and i must admit that i apply my training in theater even in real life.
it also helped me in landing a good job. you know what they say: a good performance starts from being a good actor. if you want to impress in your job interview, make use of your presentation skills. how you carry yourself in front of the interviewer, how to make a good impression using your voice, good grooming, eloquence, etc.
kaya medyo elitista ang tingin sa mga taga theater kasi iba ang training.
CATS had a very successful run. Goes to show that Filipinos will not hesitate to watch and shell out a few pesos a quality production. May other theater groups use the momentum to stage more quality production now na, local or foreign-themed, especially musicales. Mahilig kasi talaga ang Pinoy kasi sa music/kantahan. Pero sana wag lagi sa CCP or PICC or Meralco theater gawin. Medyo mahirap puntahan ang mga lugar na eto para sa masa. Sana may place din sa ibang cities like QC, Makati. Yong wag ding expensive ang parking space like sa CCP. Nagbayad ka na nga para sa show, magbabayad ka pa para sa parking. Saka parang ang hina ng soundsystem ng CCP. Luma na kasi siguro.