Genreid Estrada Boholano theater artist on his debut single and acting aspirations

CEBU, Philippines —  During the COVID-19 lockdown, Genreid Estrada found himself listening to soundtracks of Broadway musicals. This led the Bohol native to try out theater for the first time via the King Arthur musical “Path to Avalon”, staged November last year at the Centerstage of SM Seaside Cebu, where he played the role of Sir Lancelot.

“It was definitely a difficult experience. Since ‘The Path to Avalon’ is an original musical, I had the challenging honor to be the show’s first portrayal of Sir Lancelot in its debut performance to the public. With this in mind, I pretty much had to characterize Lancelot from the ground up,” the 23-year-old told The FREEMAN.

His interest in theater wasn’t spontaneous. The Communications graduate from Holy Name University has prior experience of being a tenor singer for his university’s choir, Holy Name University Chorale, from 2017 until 2020.

Estrada also took a liking to acting when he was a kid. “My love for acting initially came from watching Disney films as a young boy. I remember watching my first Disney film, ‘Hercules’, and became obsessed with playing around as Hercules afterwards. I would sing his songs, do his moves, and sometimes even dress up as him in our family living room,” he recalled.

He cited Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, and Ewan McGregor as his all-time favorite actors. “I enjoy becoming characters from different worlds and giving them my own twist,” said Estrada, who is also a classically-trained singer.

Estrada is being managed by Sol Eugenio, who had worked with him for some time before the latter took him under his wing. The first official project of Estrada as a signed artist under Eugenio’s management is the upcoming release of his debut single “Stronger Than Before”, which was written and produced by Jim Donnachie of Alba Music Productions, who also wrote the soundtrack for “Avalon.”

Estrada described his working relationship with the Scottish producer as a pleasant one. “It is my second time working with Jim and he is a very passionate and determined individual. Working with him and his music has always been enjoyable.”

“Stronger Than Before” is about “overcoming heartbreak” and how one should persevere in finding their one true love. The single will drop today, February 24, on streaming platforms, while its music video is set to be released soon.