JERRY OLEA
Aminado si Phi Palmos na malaking pressure para sa kanya ang magbida sa Delia D. musical.
“It’s such a pressure from the time po it was offered to me,” sambit ni Phi sa mediacon noong Marso 13, 2025, Huwebes, sa The Grand Bar and Lounge ng Newport World Resorts, Pasay City.
“Yun po, unang pressure yun, e. The role was offered to you. I didn’t audition. So, yun, pressure siya kaagad.
"Parang sabi ko kaagad, e, ‘Talaga ba, Sir Dex?’”
Ang nag-alok sa kanya ng role ay ang direktor ng hybrid musical na si Dexter Santos.
Pagpapatuloy ni Phi, “I was having doubts because parang magpo-40 lang po ako—I know, I don’t look like my age—pero I’m thinking na kumbaga, at this late in my career, meron akong ganung mga doubts na.
“Tapos drag queen siya. E, fan ako ng mga drag queens. Paano ako sisirku-sirko? Hala! Kaya pa ba ng mga buto ko?!
“Yung mga ganun. So there’s so many doubts actually, but it’s really trusting the process and talking to friends who really believe in me."
phi PALMOS on representing the lgbtqia+ community
Nakatulong din kay Phi nang mag-focus siya sa kung paano mare-represent ng Delia D. ang buong LGBTQIA+ community na kanyang kinabibilangan.
“Yung initial thought ko din ay bakit ako naka-focus sa sarili kong pressure?
“Wherein it’s such a big opportunity, first for me, but most especially, it’s such a big opportunity to represent my community.
“I’m an advocate and I’m a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Ang advocacy ko is pushing for nuanced, sensitive, and truthful representation in media.
“Tapos eto, there’s a show na ang title… puwede naman siyang maging Tara Tena The Musical. Puwede rin siyang maging Gusto Ko Nang Bumitaw The Musical.
“But the title of the show is Delia D.”
Titular role! Parang level ng Evita, Hamilton, Sweeney Todd, Aida, Aladdin, Anastasia, at Mary Poppins?!
Pag-asam ni Phi, “Gusto ko na pag may nakapanood na maliit na bata na bakla pag nag-show na kami, hindi na niya aasamin na, ‘I want to be Kim in Miss Saigon.’
“Kasi hindi na niya kailangang mag-pretend na maging babae or maging girlfriend ng G.I.
“Ang gugustuhin na niya, ‘Ang dream role ko, Delia D.’ Ayun, o, from the start, nandun siya. Front and center.
“It’s such a big representation because when I was growing up, hindi ko po naisip na magiging aktor ako o makikita ko yung sarili ko sa entablado o sa TV o sa movie.
“Because when I was growing up, there was really no representation of myself."
Paglalarawan ni Phi sa kinalakihan niyang portrayal ng LGBTQIA+ community, "Na parang hala, pag nakakatawa, aanuhin nila ng tubig o kaya sasaktan nila, sasabunutan o kaya aanuhin ng cake.
"E, nung lumalaki ako, mahal ako ng family ko. Katulad ni Delia D na mahal ng family.
“So bakit ko siya pagtatawanan?"
Ito ang nakikita niyang kahalagahan ng kanyang pagganap bilang Delia D.
"So ganun, and for generations to come na, merong role. Ano yung queer role?
“Ang dami ng queer roles, pero ang konti ng queer lead roles.”
Magpapasiklab si Delia D. sa Abril 25 hanggang Hunyo 8, 2025 sa Newport Performing Arts Theatre.
NOEL FERRER
Nagpasalamat si Phi Palmos sa Newport World Resorts dahil sa katapangan nitong iprodyus ang Delia D. musical featuring the songs of Jonathan Manalo.
Thankful din siya sa composer na si Jonathan, sa direktor na si Dexter Santos, at sa co-stars at bahagi ng produksiyon na napaka-supportive.
Pagmamatuwid ni Phi, “Whoa! It’s such a big thing. Ganito po ang epekto for a queer person given this big opportunity to represent.
“Because paulit-ulit po ako sa representation. Mababago lang po ang pagtingin natin sa mga kapwa natin LGBTQ community members kapag mas marami tayong nakikitang facets ng kanilang buhay.
“Na hindi lang sila parlorista, na hindi lang sila drag queen. Anak sila, kaibigan sila. They are citizens of the world.
“Hindi sila nakakahon sa kung ano lang yung nakikita natin at stereotype na sanay tayo.
“And I hope that Delia D. would still further humanize those stereotypes.
“Because we just don’t break the stereotypes. We humanize the stereotypes. Because that’s the only way that we can understand them fully.”
Kabilang sa compositions ni Jonathan Manalo na tampok sa Delia D. ang "Gusto Ko Nang Bumitaw," "Tara Tena," "Boom Panes," "Pinoy Ako," "Sikat Ang Pinoy," "Kabataang Pinoy," "Hawak Mo," "Pagbigyang Muli," "Patuloy Ang Pangarap," "Pangarap Kong Pangarap Mo," "Strings," "Blooming," "Unleash the Diva," "Beautiful Days," "Tawa Tawa," "Sinayang Mo," "Let It Loose," "May Kasama Ka," "Clap Clap Clap Awra," "Paano Bang Magmahal," "What U Want," at "Pwede Ba."
GORGY RULA
phi PALMOS on WORKING WITH OMAR UDDIN
Nakakakilig ang duet nina Phi Palmos at Omar Uddin sa mediacon ng Delia D. musical.
May chemistry kaya natanong namin kung may kissing scene ba sila sa palabas?
Tumili si Phi, “Ahhhh!!! Naku po, buti na lang. Si Omar po ay wala pang 18. Mag-e-eighteen siya sa March 24.
“By the time na mag-open kami, 18 na siya. So baka biglang, malay naman natin! Hahaha!"
Kumusta si Omar?
Mabining tugon ni Phi, “Ano po, kasi we’re both contestants. We have a blossoming friendship in the show. So I mean, let’s see…
“Si Omar po, maliit pa iyan, umaarte na iyan. He was part of The Lion King in Singapore noong maliit pa iyan.
“Mabait naman kasi yung bata, alam mo yun. Very open, kapag nasa scene kami together. Saka may something sa mga mata ni Omar.
“Naaano ako. Hindi naman ako nadadarang, but there’s really something in his eyes. Sinabi ko yun sa cast.”
Halos sampung taon na sa industriya ng teatro si Omar. Maituturing na mature ang role niyang Andoy sa Tabing Ilog musical. Iyon ang kanyang first gay role.
Mature din ang papel niya sa musicals na Bar Boys at Mula sa Buwan.
Kinda mature din daw ang role niya sa Next to Normal.
“But this one is really different. It’s different from the others because in this one, I need to be more of a heartthrob,” sabi ni Omar.
“And I don’t usually see myself like that. But I have to live up to that name. So, I’m practicing to be a heartthrob right now.
“But I guess, like the other projects that I did, it’s going to be fun. I will enjoy this for sure.”
Kumustang katrabaho si Phi? May landi iyong duet nila, ha?
Napangiti si Omar, “We’re working on this chemistry that we need to put on the show. It’s going to be a blossoming friendship between Delia and Raymond.
“Working with Phi Palmos is actually amazing, you know. She knows her craft. She knows what she’s doing. And she’s really professional.
“And that helps me to, you know, to rehearse properly and to create my character, and relating my character to her character.
“And also sometimes, when we need to throw lines, nagto-throw line kami. And working with Phi is really fun. I love it and I hope we do more.”
Nagkatrabaho na sila ni Phi before sa Mula sa Buwan. Nag-e-enjoy si Omar na maka-work muli si Phi, at may nadi-discover siyang new things dito.
Dalawang beses nang nakipag-kissing scene si Omar sa babae sa teatro. Just in case, willing ba siyang makipaghalikan kay Phi?
“Oh I think that’s up to us na. And I don’t think it’s like… it’s I’m ready to close my decision yet,” saad ni Omar.
“But you know, but professionally, if the narrative needs it, I might. Yeah, I might do it if it’s necessary.”
Maliban kina Phi at Omar, nasa cast ng Delia D sina Shaira Opsimar, Floyd Tena, John Lapus, Joann Yap Co, Tex Ordoñez-De Leon, Joshua Cabiladas, Rapah Manalo, at Chaye Mogg.
The show is led by acclaimed director Dexter Santos alongside associate director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and assistant director Michael Williams, scriptwriter Dolly Dulu, dramaturg Rody Vera, and musical director/arranger/vocal arrangement Vince Lima.
Tickets for Delia D: A Musical Featuring the Songs of Jonathan Manalo are now available at TicketWorld, HelixPay, and Newport World Resorts Box Office.
Ang halaga ng tiket ay PHP3,500 (SVIP), PHP3,000 (VIP), PHP2,500 (Gold), PHP1,800 (Silver), at PHP1,000 (Bronze).
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