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This coming September, brace yourself for Karylle’s triple treat as she sings, acts and dances for the STAGES' production of 'West Side Story.'
This coming September, brace yourself for Karylle’s triple treat as she sings, acts and dances for the STAGES' production of 'West Side Story.' Text and Photos by Jason John S. Lim; with additional photos from STAGES. It is said that love knows no right or wrong; if love is strong, it is your life. This applies not just to loving people, but for loving your craft as well. According to Karylle, when she found out that West Side Story was going to be staged in the Philippines, she knew she had to get ready: "I did a mall play late last year, around Christmas time. In my mind, if ever matuloy ako sa West Side, I would like to get my feet wet—na hindi masyadong hectic 'yung play." Karylle explains that it being a mall play, the demands on her schedule was not as hard to accommodate. But that’s not to say that she didn’t give it any importance. "Although it’s just a mall play, the discipline is there: everyday rehearsals, ganyan. [It] is something you have to get used to talaga," she says. But to get her role in the STAGES’ production of West Side Story, Karylle didn’t just say she wanted the part and got it. "I had to audition for the role!" she relates. Karylle shares that in theater, it’s a big deal that people go through auditions—to make sure they really get who they need. "[So] after SOP, I went there. Actually, I had a hard time [during the first auditions] kasi the night before I had an event." It was an all-night event that involved a lot of physical effort and Karylle says they were able to finish at around three in the morning. "Eh ang taas nung mga songs [for the auditions]! So pag ganoon, mahirap pag hindi ka rested; although, I was pretty much prepared naman for it. Nahirapan ako, but I got in for the next round." She explains that after the initial audition, she had to return for the callbacks. "Doon sa callbacks ang set-up--may piano, may tugtog, ituturo sa’yo 'yung ibang songs. So kailangan makuha mo ‘yun," she says. "May isang song sa West Side na lahat kakanta, so dapat hindi ka malito. And then siyempre, there was the duet with Christian [Bautista], kasi [he] already got the role, so naghahanap na lang sila ng partner niya." There is chemistry between them, Karylle reveals. "[The producers] liked it." But what she feels really got her the part was her rendition of 'I Have a Love.' "Kasi ako minsan, may mga certain songs na naiiyak ako eh. Ito, inaaral ko pa lang, sobra akong naiiyak. I guess nakita nila ‘yun. After that, they [asked] 'Are you going to do this for sure? Can you gives us your commitment?' So ako naman, 'Yes!'" After accepting the role, Karylle says, she was offered an afternoon soap. "E nag commit na ako [sa West Side Story]. So I was trying to figure out, 'Paano ko ito ipagsasabay.'" At first, she says, they tried to make the schedules fit. She would sometimes take leaves of absence from the soap rehearsals. The producers of the soap even tried to move up the schedule of the show so it wouldn’t conflict with West Side Story. But in the end, it was a no-go. She even had to turn down another stage play, still in favor of West Side Story. "Hopefully naman, there will be a time for that again," an optimistic Karylle says, adding that she wouldn’t want to shortchange either project by stretching herself too thin. She finishes, "Kasi ang play mahirap, you have to rehearse almost everyday. And ang problem sa ganyang klaseng rehearsals, hindi man siya the whole day, sobrang you have to rest. Kasi boses ‘yan eh—hindi pwedeng puyat." Catch Karylle as Maria in the STAGES’ production of West Side Story. Contact Ticket World for tickets, or ask fellow Karylle fans at the iGMA Forums for the schedule! If you’re not registered yet, register now! You might even get the chance to chat with your idol! Learn more of Karylle’s theater experience through Fanatxt! Just key in KARYLLE on your mobile phones, and send to 4627 for all telcos. (Each Fanatxt message costs PhP2.50 for GLOBE, SMART, and TALK 'N TEXT, and PhP2.00 for Sun subscribers. This service is exclusively for the Philippines only.)