ROBBIE GUEVARA: Just after a gala show of Jekyll and Hyde, Rep surprised Tita Baby with Junix, Tita Joy, Audie, Raymond, Miguel, Leo Martinez and Freddie Santos serenading her with the songs they all shared with her on stage. The ensemble of J&H provided the in-between chorus songs and in the end, every Rep actor, crew and designer, past and present, in the audience was asked to join the last number... all in all, around 200 were on stage! Fantastic night!
LEA SALONGA: That special gala performance on March 17 (with Michael playing Jekyll) was followed by a special tribute to one of Rep’s founders, Baby Barredo... We were told that Raymond Lauchengco, Audie Gemora, Miguel Faustmann and Leo Martinez serenaded Baby one by one, while the male ensemble went down on their knees as their voices soared into glorious song, in what seemed like a chorus of a hundred people!
The late cofounder Zenaida Amador must have been present in the room, by Baby’s side, looking with wonder at the numerous lives they had touched with their training and their faith, old and new talents, now standing before them on the stage... To everyone at Repertory Philippines, I wish you a happy 45th birthday. I was unable to spend it with you that night, but I celebrated in the one way that felt most appropriate—doing what I love and was trained well to do, on the night that two of my most significant mentors, Bibot and Baby, were celebrated. In doing so, I hope that I made them proud.
Well, here's the promised video of it. The songs, if you must know, provide a rough rundown of the many stellar leading roles Ms. Barredo had played in her legendary four-decade career with Rep:
• Hello, Dolly (from the musical of the same title)
• Getting To Know You (Raymond Lauchengco, from The King And I)
• How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? (from The Sound of Music)
• Dulcinea (Audie Gemora, from Man of La Mancha)
• Don't Cry For Me, Argentina (from Evita)
• I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face (Miguel Faustmann, from My Fair Lady--notice how Mr. Faustmann gets rapped for a missed note!)
• Guinevere (from Camelot--the ensemble goes wayward, prompting Ms. Barredo to revert to her usual director role)
• Some Enchanted Evening (Leo Martinez, from South Pacific--with an impish surprise!)
• Bloody Mary (from South Pacific--gorgeous-sounding male chorus)
• Sunrise, Sunset (Junix Inocian, Freddie Santos, Miguel Faustmann--from Fiddler on the Roof)
• What I Did For Love (Jett Pangan and ensemble, from A Chorus Line)
[Photo: Raul Montesa]
