Natupad na ang pangarap ni Piolo Pascual na gumanap sa isang musical stage play, dahil siya ang gaganap sa title role sa Ibarra.
Estudyante pa lamang daw siya nung pinangarap niyang makagawa ng play na may kinalaman sa nobelang Noli Me Tangere, sa panulat ng Pambansang Bayani na si Dr. Jose Rizal.
Fan daw siya ng nobela mula nang mabasa niya ito noong high school student siya.
May ibig bang sabihin ang pagtanggap niya ng project na ito sa punto ng kanyang karera?
Tugon ni Piolo: "Wala akong gustong i-prove, I just wanna be able to do a musical because I want to check it off my bucket list and say, 'Nakapag-musical na ako.'
"And then I can move on, probably do more musicals after."
Tingin ba niya ay mas susuportahan ang musical play dahil siya ang bida?
"I don’t feel any pressure right now. Too much pressure," may halong birong sabi ni Piolo.
"Bahala na po sila sa akin, I believe I am with a group that can take care of me."
"I am really obsessed and passionate to learn what I can learn about this whole play.
"Wala po akong ine-expect sa akin, I just wanna give it my best with the help of everyone from the team."
Nakapanayam si Piolo sa mediacon na ginanap sa GSIS Museum, Pasay City, noong Martes, April 18, 2023.
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REHEARSING FOR IBARRA
Sumabak na si Piolo sa unang arangkada ng preparasyon para sa Ibarra.
Lahad ng Kapamilya actor, "My first ever rehearsal was yesterday. I was privileged to be coached by Pablo and Camille Molina.
"They taught me a technique that I wasn’t using while doing pop.
"Sabi ko, 'Pang-stage yata ako, e,' kasi I feel more comfortable doing stage.
"So, because of the technique that they taught me yesterday, naiba yung way of singing ko.
"And I feel more comfortable now that I get to sing in a more comfortable way where I don’t have to do popular songs or pop music.
"It’s a welcome change for me."
Sino sa palagay ni Piolo si Ibarra sa makabagong panahon?
Ayon kay Piolo, "The history of Jose Rizal is timeless. This is a good reminder for every Filipino to remember our history.
"Every one of us is a Crisostomo Ibarra who’s fighting for revolution, who’s fighting for freedom, and our independence.
"I will speak on behalf of everyone that we have an Ibarra in each of us."
Aminado si Piolo na nag-a-adjust pa siya sa paggawa ng play, lalo pa't katatapos lang niyang gumawa ng isang teleserye (Flower of Evil) at isang pelikula.
"So I was trying to put it aside because I was getting stressed, hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya ite-take on. I just wanted to clear my head.
"But yesterday, after my first rehearsal, actually before that, I couldn’t sleep for a couple of nights because iniisip ko kung ano ba tong napasok ko.
"It’s all original songs and it’s not my comfort zone," pag-amin ng 46-year-old actor.
Ang tanging baon ni Piolo na background sa teatro ay ang karanasan niya bilang bahagi ng Teatro Tomasino, ang theater guild ng University of Sto. Tomas kunsaan nag-aral noon ang aktor.
"But I’m excited because I started out in theater back in college and the instant reaction that you get from the audience.
"Being with these prolific artists, the production, I’m sure I’m gonna be learning a lot.
"I’m not expecting on anything but I just wanna step up my game and just surprise myself as well because this is not something I’ve done before, so you always wanna be challenged."
PIOLO FIT FOR THE ROLE AS CRISOSTOMO IBARRA?
Tinatanaw ni Piolo na malaking pribilehiyo ang gumanap bilang Crisostomo Ibarra, na sumisimbolo sa pagmamahal sa bayan at repormasyon na isinusulong ng karakter sa kuwento.
(Sa kakatapos na hit prime-time series ng GMA-7 na Maria Clara at Ibarra, si Dennis Trillo ang nagbigay-buhay sa karakter ni Crisostomo Ibarra, na minahal ng mga manonood. Nito lang nakaraang linggo ay nag-No.1 sa Netflix Philippines ang patok na serye na pinagbibidahan nina Dennis, Julie Anne San Jose, Barbie Forteza, at David Licauco.)
Patuloy ni Piolo: "Ibarra was one of the key people that we look up to and be inspired by, so playing Ibarra is a big step for me to remind myself of my identity, of my roots, of what Rizal did.
"I just wanna be able to represent him in the updated version of it for the kids and for those who don’t even know what Noli Me Tangere is.
"It is a big compliment to even say that 'I’m Ibarra!' It’s a privilege and it’s a compliment.
"Noli Me Tangere was the first book I’ve ever read in high school that made an impact in my identity as a Filipino.
"Until now, it’s been happening all around us. The corruption, the politics, this is just a metaphor of what’s been happening in our country."
Umaasa si Piolo na susuportahan ng mga manonood ang Ibarra.
Saad niya, "Every Filipino should watch this show because we have to be proud of our own creation, our own story, we have our own.
"Noli Me Tangere is one of the most prominent books. It is a reminder to Filipinos to know about our roots, our revolution, and our identity.
"Everyone has to watch it and be reminded and be proud that we are Filipinos. We have an identity."
Ang direktor ng Ibarra na si Frannie Zamora ay personal pick din si Piolo para sa lead role ng play.
Ayon kay Frannie, "Kung babalik ang theater, gusto ko lang si Piolo na lumabas ng Ibarra kasi lahat ng qualities ni Crisostomo Ibarra, nakita ko sa kanya.
"I’m not a fan of Piolo, pero lahat ng pelikula niya pinanood ko, to be honest with you.
"Nung tumawag si Jomar, naiiyak na ako noon. Nung nag-Zoom kami with Piolo, it was the birthday of Jun Pablo.
"The rest is in. Walang katapusang meeting, Zoom. We have a new staging of Ibarra."
Ang iba pang cast ng Ibarra ay sina Nicole Laurel Asensio, Carlos Canlas, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Jon Joven Uy, Carla Guevara Laforteza, at Roby Malubay.
Kasama rin sina Carlo Mañalac, Myramae Meneses, Kevin Posadas, Elian Santos, Floyd Tena, JD Tena, Neil Tolentino, at The Manila Symphony Orchestra.
Ito’y mapapanood sa GSIS Theater J.W. Diokno Blvd. CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd. mula June 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, and 18, 2023.